COHOES, NY – At Halfmoon Works in Upstate New York, young adult students with special needs learn to craft wood products, which are sold to fund training and to create jobs for program participants. The new nonprofit business has been launched to provide instruction and apprenticeship programs to young adults with developmental disabilities on the art of woodworking.

The staff teaches students how to machine, construct, sand and finish materials into well-crafted products for the home, office or garden, explained Tony Hynes, president of Halfmoon Works. “It’s a joy to see these young people become true craftsmen.” The organization is located in a 3,000 square foot manufacturing facility in Halfmoon, NY, which was generously donated by a local benefactor and is well-equipped with the finest tools and machinery providing a state-of-the-art environment for learning.