From the Desk of the CEO

Dear Families and Friends,

The holiday season brings good cheer, memories, and hope for a brighter future. It’s a joyful time to celebrate our shared community and reflect on opportunities to be of greater service.  

Across AHRC Nassau, people supported, families, staff, and volunteers continue to come together as strong community stewards. In this month’s eNewsletter, enjoy moments from the annual Dansant event installing the AHRC Board of Directors, community volunteerism, and festive gatherings like the Big Tree Greenhouse & Gifts tree lighting ceremony.

In these last weeks of December, I also encourage you to participate in our one-click email campaign sharing your support of the DSP Wage Enhancement and 3.2% Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) in advance of the executive budget in January. Your ongoing commitment to these issues and our community is what makes meaningful change happen and our mission shine. 

Wishing you happy holidays and a joyful new year. 

Best regards,

Stanfort J. Perry

CEO, AHRC Nassau

AHRC Nassau Board of Directors Installed

The AHRC Nassau Board of Directors reaffirmed their commitment to the organization at the annual Dansant. Board officers were installed for another year of service, while directors upheld their two-year terms. 

Ringing in The Holidays at Big Tree Greenhouse & Gifts

To ring in the holiday season, Big Tree Greenhouse & Gifts celebrated with a tree lighting ceremony on December 7. This event was the first of its kind for the Brookville-based gift shop that opened earlier this year. 

During the event, guests enjoyed festive music and a hot cocoa bar before browsing holiday items for sale.

Big Tree Greenhouse & Gifts offers a variety of homegrown and handmade items, from plants and seasonal decorations to candles and soaps made by people supported by AHRC Nassau. With this in mind, shoppers can feel good knowing that with every purchase, they help sustain supports and services that enrich the lives of members of the I/DD community and help them gain valuable vocational skills. Big Tree Greenhouse & Gifts also engages in inclusive hiring practices, actively recruiting people in the I/DD community. 

You can shop for holiday favorites online here or come to the store located on AHRC Nassau’s campus at 189 Wheatley Rd. Brookville, NY.  Hours are Tuesday–Saturday, Noon–6 p.m. or by appointment at (516) 423-5329. 

Radio City Rockettes “Christmas Spectacular” Shines Bright 

For the first time ever, residents from AHRC’s Highland Avenue, New Woods Road and Ronni Drive traveled to New York City to see the Radio City Rockettes “Christmas Spectacular.”

Throughout the year, residents of Highland Avenue actively engage in various community activities, with staff members tailoring outings to meet individual interests. From festivals to barbecues and car shows, the men and women of Highland Avenue Home enjoy a wide range of events. However, the Radio City Spectacular was a “must-see” for everyone, and it marked the first time residents and staff traveled together as a group. 

Highland Avenue House Manager, Crystal Nelson and Assistant Manager, Janne Lunsford, helped plan the special trip. A 20-person bus was rented, and snacks packed to ensure a smooth ride. After the show, they snapped a group photo in the lobby and headed home to end the long day with a pizza dinner.

“Before the pandemic, this was one of the big outings they wanted to have but never got to go to. We were happy to secure tickets for it this year,” said Crystal.

Altogether, the group included 12 residents and five staff members, including managers Crystal and Janne, and Direct Support Professionals Densiel Rhule, Emily Grooms, and Minerva Tucker. 

“I don’t know how we can top this for next year,” shared Crystal.

Meet Mango & Belle

Wheatley Farms & Arts Center recently launched a new endeavor—"Horses 101.” During this community class, 12 people supported by AHRC Day Services learned about and cared for the farms’ two new resident ponies, Mango and Belle. 

On the first week of “Horses 101,” people were introduced to the basics of animal safety, how to work with ponies, care for them, and overall best practices on tending to the mares. 

The course is an introduction to equine therapy at Wheatley Farms and part of a larger initiative for the Wheatley Farms Program Without Walls (PWW). The intent of these immersive experiences in nature and the arts is to introduce people with disabilities to lifelong skills that will benefit them in different aspects of their lives.

Sophie Hoffman, who is part of the Wheatley Farms PWW looked forward to time with the horses. Following a class, Sophie shared takeaways, “I learned that we never go behind a horse and we pet them from the side.”

Celebrating a Year of Service in the Community

This year, AHRC Nassau was proud to once again be a grantee of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service grant, from The Arc of the United States, in partnership with AmeriCorps. For AHRC, the focus remains on addressing food insecurity among neighbors in need. 

Inclusive volunteer groups across the agency and beyond have collected food donations, created baskets and delivered them to families and/or food pantries for distribution. Thousands of pounds of food were packaged and shared with partner organizations, including NOSH in Glen Cove and Long Island’s Island Harvest.

For the Thanksgiving holiday, food was provided directly to families to complement their holiday meals. Volunteers from Purolator International, an international supply chain solutions company with its North American offices based in Jericho, NY, helped create the baskets. 

Pre-Voc Workforce Council Collects Coats for Local Organizations

For the past few months, members of the Pre-Vocational Workforce Council have been running a coat drive to benefit neighbors in need. The coat drive is ongoing and accomplished in partnership with local nonprofit The Inn. 

The Inn tackles hunger, homelessness and extreme poverty across Long Island. They serve their population by running a soup kitchen, accepting monetary donations and collecting gently used goods.

Council members have collected over 40 coats and jackets for children and adults. Their first delivery to The Inn was made at the end of October. Afterwards, they toured the warehouse and saw how their donations would make a positive impact on the community.

Three cheers for the Pre-Vocational Workforce Council, especially officers (pictured from left to right):  

Theresa Clarkin – Vice President
Loriann Iozzia – Past President
Robert Callari – Treasurer
Nancy Chisholm – Secretary
Hanna Pollack – Sergeant of Arms
James Sardiello – President

Happening at the One Stop Gift Shop

Volunteers Donate to Hicksville Emergency Services and Organizations

AHRC Nassau’s One Stop Gift Shop recently donated $250 to the Long Island Crisis Center, a nonprofit providing 24/7 confidential and non-judgmental programs and services. This is the third donation the shop has made so far this year, including their donation to the Hicksville Fire Department for $50 and the Long Island Coalition Against Bullying for $250 for a total of $550. 

Shop organizers and staff chose them to support services and organizations in Hicksville where the shop is located. The shops’ proceeds are used to maintain the inventory and donated to local charitable organizations whose activities help strengthen the fabric of the Long Island community.

The One Stop Gift Shop is a volunteer-run boutique with an online store and brick-and-mortar shop operated by AHRC Nassau at 113 Levittown Parkway in Hicksville, Monday–Friday, 10 a.m.–1:30 p.m. Questions? Please contact (516) 605-1743 or onestop@ahrc.org.

Kristina McCormack Joins the One Stop Team

The One Stop Gift Shop recently welcomed Kristina McCormack to the team. 

Kristina attends day services in the Oceanside Program Without Walls (PWW) and dreams of working in retail one day. 

"I know I will learn many skills that will prepare me to work in my chosen field.  Working on the computer and with people is important at any job I choose, and I know I will learn this at the One Stop store,” said Kristina.

Kristina has broken out of her shell since starting at the gift shop this past September.

It's Not Too Late to Become an Angel - Year-End Appeal

Make an Angel Gift before December 31!

As the year draws to a close, we reflect on the incredible impact your generosity made  within the lives of children and adults with developmental disabilities across Long Island. From education to employment, community inclusion to healthcare, your support changes lives.  

In this season of giving, we extend an invitation to join the 2023 annual AHRC Foundation Angel Fund by making a year-end tax-deductible gift to fuel programs and transform lives.

If you would like to learn more about other ways to give, please visit (https://ahrcfoundation.planmygift.org/) or call, 516.626.1075, ext. 1135.

Thank you!

Donate Now!

Managed Care Survey is Now Open!

Open now through January 3, 2024

AHRC Nassau is inviting people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families to actively participate in a survey conducted by OPWDD. Your input will play a crucial role in shaping the future of managed care for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities in the state of New York.

We appreciate your contribution to this important initiative.

The survey was created through Guidehouse Inc., and Guidehouse will use these results in preparing its final report, which will be released in the Spring of 2024. This report will help OPWDD to better meet people's needs by understanding what benefits and services people want.

We encourage you to take the online managed care survey CLICK HERE 

Webinar: Cultural Competence
January 16, 2024 | 12:00 – 1:30 p.m. | Register Here
Cultural competence is widely recognized as a fundamental aspect of quality in human services. It is an evidence-based practice proven to reduce disparities and promote equity. While the evidence suggests its efficacy, many organizations continue to struggle to integrate cultural competence into their policies, structures, practices, and procedures. This session will provide a conceptual framework and definition of cultural competence and examine what they mean for The Arc New York State Office and chapters. View the definition and framework on the NCCC website.