About Us

Welcome to Sound Start Babies!

Recognizing that the first three years of life are a crucial period for establishing language, speech, and communication, Sound Start Babies was a pioneer in New Jersey and began providing early intervention services to infants who are deaf and hard of hearing almost four decades ago. From its inception, the program recognized the importance of matching communication mode to the child’s strengths and the family’s choice. It was NJ’s first program to provide both total communication and listening and spoken language options for its participants. The program has continued to adopt newly emerging, research supported, state of the art care throughout its history, incorporating new technologies and strategies so that the babies it serves can attain the skills they need for a lifetime of learning and success.

Our History

1996

2004

2008

2010

2016

2018

2020

2024

1996

Lake Drive Foundation for the Deaf was founded to support the Lake Drive School for Children Who are Deaf and Hard of Hearing in Mountain Lakes, NJ.

Predominantly, the Foundation was supporting the Early Intervention Program for Infants and Toddlers who are Deaf and Hard of Hearing. This program was originally funded through the NJ Department of Education and part of the Mountain Lakes School District. After five years, the early intervention services were moved to the NJ Department of Health (DOH). Under the DOH, the funding was switched to a fee for service and cost sharing model for families. It was evident that under this model and level of reimbursement, the program would not be able to continue to provide the high-quality early intervention services for the children with hearing loss. The DOH model only allowed services in the home and no school-based services.

To help raise funds to support and sustain the program, the foundation was started. The original board of trustees was comprised of volunteers who were civic leaders and passionate parents from the Mountain Lakes area. The initial fundraising revenue came from small dinners in board member homes and local community events.

2004

The inaugural fundraising gala was held.

2008

After years of successful fundraising, a million-dollar reserve fund was created which ensured that, in an economic downturn, every baby currently in the program would be able to complete the entire three years of early intervention therapy.

2010

The Early Intervention Program expanded to include a nursery program that combined typically developing toddlers (ages 1 ½ to 3) with same age toddlers with hearing loss.

2016

A third nursery classroom was opened further expanding the program reach. A large foundation grant was secured to launch a pilot program for tele-intervention services, bringing Sound Start Babies on the forefront of telehealth services.

2018

The Lake Drive Foundation changed its name to Sound Start Babies Foundation for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Children. This was done in part to raise awareness for how critical it is to get therapy for a child with hearing loss as soon as six months after birth.

2020

The Sound Start Babies Program separated from the Mountain Lakes School District and became a separate legal entity. The Sound Start Babies Foundation for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Children was renamed to Sound Start Foundation.