Inside Heartshare Education’s Transformative Vocational Lab

The Heartshare School in Brooklyn has always been a place for students in grades K-12 with autism and other developmental disabilities to learn and feel empowered. However, as students approach graduation, they face a tough reality. In New York State, only about 37% of young adults with disabilities find jobs after school, while nearly 70% of their peers without disabilities are employed. This gap is not due to a lack of ability, but to differences in access, preparation, and opportunity.

With this in mind, the staff at Heartshare set out to give students real-world learning experiences. Thanks to the generosity of one of Heartshare’s dedicated foundation partners, the Gladys Brooks Foundation, a once forgotten and underused space on the ground floor of The Heartshare School has been transformed into a room with purpose: the Heartshare Vocational Lab.

Designed for every student to discover their abilities in a safe, supportive environment, each area of the lab offers opportunities to explore interests and develop skills transferable to home, school, and the community. Students learn practical tasks such as maintaining spaces, organizing offices, cooking, laundry, creating music, and personal care across a variety of immersive learning environments that mirror real‑life settings. These formative experiences lead to job-readiness and meaningful preparation for life after graduation.

“In a city as vast as New York, spaces like this are rare. Here, students are not just supported, but empowered to grow, contribute, and succeed at every stage of their development,” said Heartshare’s Senior Vice President of Education, Danielle Elkins. “This is not just a vocational center. It is a space where potential is nurtured, confidence is built, and futures take shape.”

One of the most exciting additions to the new Vocational Lab is the expansion of Heartshare Education’s student-run “microbusiness” programs. Alongside our thriving jewelry venture, Ash + Co, two new student‑run enterprises have emerged. Heartshare Designs, a custom apparel program where students design, print, and press Heartshare‑branded merchandise, and Bake and Bloom, a baking microbusiness where students prepare cookies, popcorn, and other treats to sell within the school community. Together, these student-run businesses showcase talent, dedication, and innovation.

As Heartshare continues to nurture the potential of every student, its Vocational Lab stands as a testament to what is possible when belief, support, and vision come together. With each new skill mastered and every enterprise launched, students are not only preparing for the future—they are shaping it. The transformation of a once-unused space into a hub of empowerment and possibility is just the beginning, and the Heartshare community looks forward to all the achievements yet to come.

See the community’s excitement for yourself—watch our Vocational Lab’s official grand opening ceremony and explore the new learning spaces in our highlight reel below!

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