Dedicated to Individuals with Special Needs
At Rose House, we believe every individual with special needs deserves to find a forever home where they can thrive. With 8,000+ adults with developmental disabilities in New Jersey on a waiting list to find a home, we are dedicated to serving this population, which includes individuals with autism, cerebral palsy, and Down syndrome. We know how challenging it is to provide care for people with special needs. Rose House allows them to live the kind of lives they want to live, while providing care and a sense of inclusiveness within the community.
History of Rose House
Rose House was founded on August 1, 1999. Our first group home was opened in November of 2003 and was funded through a capital grant from the State of New Jersey Division of Developmental Disabilities (DDD) and private contributions.
We currently have five DDD residential programs and eight independent living apartments funded through self-directed support. It was through the support and generosity of Friends of Rose House, donors, Hanover, Parsippany, and Mount Olive Townships — and the capital funds from United Way of Morris County and the New Jersey Housing and Mortgage Finance Agency — that these projects were successfully completed.
Rose House offers an extensive range of recreational choices for our residential clients, employees, and other adults with disabilities who live in the area. We use existing programs such as MCARP, DAWN Center for Independent Living, Special Olympics New Jersey, and local community resources such as the YMCA.
Group Homes in New Jersey
- Hanover Community Residence (Cedar Knolls)
- Morris Plains Group Home (Morris Plains)
- Alison House (Lake Hiawatha)
- Parsippany Group Home (Parsippany)
- Budd Lake Group Home (Budd Lake)
- Diane Bloom Group Home (Budd Lake)
Rose House Leadership
Board of Trustees:
Mark Kramer
Founder
Mark Kramer founded The Rose House in 1999 and served as Executive Director until 2014. He has a Bachelors in Economics from CCNY and a Masters in Planning from NYU School of Public Administration. Mark and his wife Pearl, also a founding Board member of The Rose House, have two daughters, one of whom is a client in the residential program.
Ed Abelew
President
Ed founded IMPAC in 1984, a marketing consulting firm, and has served recognizable clients including Nabisco Foods, Kraft Foods North America and Celgene, as well as small B2B companies. He also is Chair of the Cultural Arts Committee of Hanover Township and has held previous Board positions in the Hanover Wind Symphony, Chatham Community Band and Temple Adath Shalom.
Dr. Edward Yaw
Vice President
Dr. Yaw is the President Emeritus of County College of Morris, and was President from 1980 to 2016. He has served as Chair of the NJ Presidents’ Council and was a member of the NJ Commission on Higher Education. He earned his Ed.D. degree from Columbia University, his M.S. from Southern Illinois University, and his B.A. from Harpur College, SUNY Binghamton.
Tom Mitchell
CEO and non-voting Member
Tom has been with Rose House since 2014, and has 30+ years of experience in social services/healthcare. He has earned both his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Healthcare Administration and has experience in residential, day and educational services as well as the care of children and adults with developmental disabilities. Tom is also the baseball coach for High Point High School.
Elizabeth Lehmann
Secretary
Elizabeth served as Director of Social Services for Morris County, responsible for the administration of all state, federal, and local public assistance and social service programs, plus administration of a 429-bed nursing home and two adult day care centers. She was also the Northern Regional Supervisor for the NJ Department of Human Services and Executive Director of The New Philharmonic of NJ.
Kemsey Mackey
Board Member
Kem is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and Licensed Family and Marital Therapist. His varied career includes senior level administrative and clinical positions in two NJ hospital systems. These healthcare and behavioral health programs included service delivery systems for dually diagnosed individuals, often critical to the services needed for our Rose House residents.
Bryan Hershkowitz
Board Member
Bryan has a Master’s Degree in Educational Administration and Supervision and has been a teacher, principal and supervisor/coordinator of various educational and recreational programs. He has 10+ years’ experience working with special needs students and is the Coordinator of the Extended School Year Program in the Parsippany-Troy Hills School District. Bryan is also a real estate agent.
Andrew Botwin
Board Member
Andy founded and manages Strategy People Culture, LLC, offering workplace culture consulting, executive coaching and independent workplace investigations. He has a Bachelor’s degree in Accounting from Villanova University, an MBA in HR Management from Fairleigh Dickinson University, a JD from Rutgers School of Law – Newark, and a graduate certificate in Executive Coaching from University of Texas.
Elizabeth McKenna
Board Member
Beth is a First VP and Wealth Management Advisor for Merrill. She earned a Bachelor’s degree in Finance from Rutgers University and is a Certified Financial Planner®. Beth also earned the Chartered Special Needs Consultant designation from The American College of Financial Services and is involved in the Summit/New Providence Rotary Club and Lumind/Research Down Syndrome Foundation.
Our Administrative Team:
Tom Mitchell
CEO
Ray Woody
Chief Financial Officer
Josh Speert
Director of Marketing & Development
Theresa Godding
HR Coordinator
Kathy Dickson, RN
Nursing Coordinator
Steve Henley
Maintenance Coordinator
India Thompson
Administrative Coordinator
Rose House
Mission & Vision
Our Mission
is to create the forever homes that make dreams come true for those with special needs.
Our Vision
for the future is an inclusive community, where everyone has a loving home.
The Rose House Board of Trustees meets on the third Monday of alternate months. They are always from 7:00 – 8:00 PM.
The 2024 dates are:
- January 18
- March 18
- May 20
- July 15
- September 16
- November 18
- The Rose House’s annual Board of Trustees dinner meeting will be held on Monday, December 16, 2024. The time is from 6:00 – 8:00 PM and the location is TBD.
Become a part of the family.
Whether you’re looking to support a loved one or are an advocate for others, when you join the Rose House community, you help people with special needs live their best lives.
