A small, private agency called Mezoff Associates in Mt. Kisco, New York, was started by Mr. Maurice and Mrs. Judith Mezoff in the mid 1970’s providing residential services to about 15 mentally handicapped individuals who lived in four rental properties. It was a wonderful place for mild to moderate developmentally disabled individuals to live.
After a series of unfortunate health issues (Stroke & Alzheimer’s respectively), the Mezoff’s could no longer run the organization and it was soon to enter bankruptcy. John Signorelli was contacted in 1988 and was asked to take it over and was retained as the Executive Director.

John, an experienced Executive Director became the head of the new non-profit in 1990 and called it Community Living Corporation (CLC) changing the business model turning it into a government-funded, privately-managed, supported (in apartments) and supervised(in group homes), residential program for the developmentally disabled. John Porcella PhD, a longtime associate in prior ventures of John Signorelli’s, became the first Chairman of the Board. Roger Cooper (a Parent whose son was at Mezoff since 1982) became the first Treasurer and a group of parents rounded out the small Board. In 1993 John Porcella was hired as the Deputy Executive Director and  became the Executive Director of CLC in 1998. At that time Roger Cooper became Chairman of the Board, a position he continues to hold until today.

It became obvious that this small organization would never survive, as a small boutique agency. So “The Three ‘John’ Musketeers” (John S, John P and Roger John), with the aid of many other parents, volunteers, and staff, set out to purchase real estate and grow the organization into what it is today: the permanent home of about 150 people in 40 different properties that the organization owns outright. During this period, many of the key staff (Priscilla Orr and others) were hired and the Board of Directors always was maintained as a combination of parents and community experts. The parents provided much of the initial funding, for which we will always be grateful.

CLC grew its revenue budget to about US$12 Million. This would ensure that shelter, food, and health, as well as all other services related to a home, could be provided at no cost to the residents.