The History of PrimeTime Center
Dave Mock
Former Director, PrimeTime Center 2012 - May, 2023
The origins of PrimeTime Center began in the fall of 2011. Ruth Reinhard and Jean Stack had been operating three schools for children with special needs, for over 30 years, and decided they wanted to take the next step to assist adults with special needs in being actively involved in their communities and living independent lives. We looked at it from the point of view that all of us are lifelong learners and just because school was ending at age 21 didn’t mean that our students stopped learning. At that current time, we targeted the lower levels of the Gateway School in Middlesex County and the Harbor School in Monmouth County as locations for which we could start this new venture. We wanted to develop a program that would help young adults and their families seamlessly transition into the next steps of their lives.
To make a long story short, after a bit of research and planning, we opened the doors to PrimeTime Center on July 5th 2012. On our first day we started out with more staff than we had participants. But as word spread to families throughout central New Jersey about our services, the program was off and running.
What’s that quote from Field of Dreams, if you build it, they will come. In 2017 we expanded our program opening a third PrimeTime Center location in Brick. As the need for quality adult services continues, we will continue to develop a community where each participant is encouraged to succeed and live their lives to the fullest..