PHOTOS, VIDEO: Abilis Staff Thank CEO Amy Montimurro with Drive-By Thank You Parade

On Tuesday afternoon Abilis residential staff demonstrated their gratitude to CEO Amy Montimurro in a loud way.

Around 1pm a caravan of Abilis mini vans blared their horns along Glenville Street and through a loop of cones in the Abilis parkig lot.

Taken by surprise, Montimurro, wearing a face mask and holding a  bouquet of spring flowers, a gift from staff, was overcome.

“I’m overwhelmed she said,” adding that she had been taken completely by surprise. “My husband asked me what I was wearing to work today and I thought that was a bit funny.”

Staff said they organized the parade for Montimurro because they were grateful for her care and compassion towards them and the Abilis program participants during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Montimurro has worked to ensure the staff have proper and adequate personal protective equipment. She has had meals and supplies delivered to their homes to make sure they and their family have what they need, and even moved programs and services around to do them virtually for the participants of Abilis’ programs.

Abilis is following all directives from the Dept of Developmental Services and recommendations from the CDC.

Masks are required in all Abilis residential homes and health screening is completed at every door of all Abilis’ facilities.  Signs and symptoms are monitored of each resident multiple times a day as some residents are not verbal and are unable to communicate if they are feeling ill.

Abilis’ front-line staff have been heroic, leaving their own families day after day to keep engaged and care for those Abilis supports.

Founded in 1951, Abilis is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization that supports more than 700 individuals with special needs and their families from birth throughout their lives.  Services include Birth-to-Three early intervention and customized therapies, to help young children achieve important developmental milestones.

Adult Life Services include day programs, social activities, meaningful employment program, and high quality residential services, Abilis has been a leader in serving the special needs community in Fairfield County in towns including, Darien, Greenwich, New Canaan, Norwalk, Ridgefield, Stamford, Westport, Weston and Wilton, and has a long-standing reputation for individualized, high quality care. For more information, visit www.abilis.us, or  Facebook @abilisinc, Twitter @Abilis or Instagram @Abilis_us.