From the Desk of the CEO

Dear Families and Community Members,

As the days grow warmer and the natural world begins to bloom, I hope we all take a moment to reflect on the beauty of renewal and growth—a theme that resonates deeply with our mission. This spring, as we embrace the season of new beginnings, we also celebrate the progress and potential in our community, particularly during Autism Awareness and Acceptance Month.

This month, we highlight the invaluable contributions of people across the autism spectrum and reaffirm our commitment to embracing diversity and fostering inclusion. In this issue, you'll find a heartfelt reflection from our Board President, Hallie Klein, on the profound influence her older brother, David Greene, has had on her life. David’s courage and spirit have taught us all to be bold and seize life’s opportunities.

We're also excited to share a recent collaboration with the Town of Smithtown and Smithtown Public Safety, which featured a public service announcement introducing our initiatives. This is a wonderful opportunity for local residents to learn how they can support the autism community, whether through volunteer work or advocating for greater inclusion.

As an update, the FY 2025 New York State budget has been passed, and while it includes a 2.84% Cost-of-Living Adjustment (COLA), it falls short of our needs. After a decade of inadequate funding, which has left us behind inflation, we face ongoing challenges in hiring and retaining the dedicated staff who are essential to our work.

I am immensely proud of the advocacy efforts our community has undertaken. Your actions—from attending rallies to communicating directly with lawmakers—have been crucial. These efforts have indeed moved us forward, yet our journey continues.

I urge you to visit our Advocacy Center, where you can quickly and effectively send a letter to your representatives. The more voices they hear, the harder it will be for them to overlook our collective call for funding and support.

Thank you. Together, we are making a difference, one step at a time.

Best Regards,

Stanfort J. Perry
Chief Executive Officer

Reflecting on a Brother-Sister Bond During Autism Awareness and Acceptance Month

There was a time when Citizens Options Unlimited Board President Hallie Klein only knew one person with autism.

"He’s my big brother," Hallie said of her brother, David Greene. "Back in the 90s, I was the only person I knew who had a loved one with autism."

Today, autism, as well as other intellectual and developmental disabilities, have become a central part of Hallie's life. She has been serving on committees and boards in the agency's network since 2006. David, who has been receiving services for 30 years, now lives in a community-based group home.

Celebrating Spring Holidays with Joy and Community

Residents and staff members at Citizens Options Unlimited brought the spring season in by celebrating holidays like Purim and Easter. At the Port Washington House, the tradition of making hamantaschen cookies for Purim brought particular delight.

Meredith Armato, the manager of the Port Washington house, shared this tradition with Kelsey, Robert, and Gabbi, who all took part in baking these fruit-filled buttery cookies. The group enjoyed both the process and the tasty results.

Residents also enjoyed celebrating Easter together. Over at the Ontario House, Richard Krinsky, Robert Behrendt, Frank Billadello, John Volpe, Randy Cosby and staff enjoyed a dinner of ham, potatoes and asparagus, while Lizabeth Watkins, Bonnie Lerhinan, Spencer Teitel, Jennifer Dellova and Frank Alnrecht at the Seaford House dined on ham, mac and cheese, wings and cornbread.

William Turits Takes Part in Farmingdale State College Day of Service

William Turits, who lives in Greenlawn, joined an AHRC Nassau Day-Habilitation members to create meal and self-care kits for Island Harvest and the Farmingdale State College food pantry. 

William said he likes to help people, and his favorite part of the day was helping with the food pantry. He added that he enjoyed being at Farmingdale State College and that the students were nice to him. 

The event, held on April 18, was part of Farmingdale State College's Day of Service. Before assembling the kits, while enjoying a catered lunch, the group listened to a panel moderated by college president Dr. John Nader featuring global, state, and local leaders who have impacted social progress and human welfare.

Meet Camp Loyaltown’s Training Coordinators

People from all around the world travel to Camp Loyaltown, located in the picturesque community of Hunter, NY, every year to serve our wonderful campers.

They can work at camp on a J-1 Visa, meant for people to participate in work-and-study-based exchange visitor programs. 

During their time at Camp Loyaltown, counselors can build their resume, meet people from around the world, learn the person-centered approach to caring for others, travel anywhere in the United States for 30 days after the program ends, and so much more!

Meet Luis Dalpiva and Christian Camilo Dussan Moncayo
Luis Dalpiva and Christian Camilo Dussan Moncayo are two counselors who have continued to return to Camp Loyaltown to help create a wonderful experience for campers. They have both eagerly accepted the J1 18-month Trainee Visa for this year’s camp season.

Summer 2024 is Right Around the Corner!

Camp Loyaltown 2024 Dates:

Session 1: June 16th – June 30th (Ages 18+)

Session 2: June 30th – July 14th (Ages 18+)

Session 3: July 14th – July 28th (Ages 18+)

Session 4: July 28th – August 11th (Ages 18+)

Session 5A: August 11th – August 18th (Ages 4–17)
Spots still available

Session 5B: August 18th – August 25th (Ages 18+)

Session 6A: August 25th – September 1st (Ages 18+)

Session 6B: September 1st – September 8th (Ages 18+)
Spots still available

Camp Orientation: 

Before these upcoming summer days, we have many important updates to share with you, including changes regarding administration, medication, and transportation.

All in-person orientations will be held at the AHRC Nassau Mansion at 189 Wheatley Road, Brookville (Glen Head), NY 11545. There will be a virtual meeting as well!

Our schedule will be:

May 11, 2024 from 11:00 am – 12:00 pm: Ballroom Brookville Mansion

May 15, 2024 from 6:00 pm – 7:00 pm: Zoom meeting

May 19, 2024 from 11:00 am – 12:00 pm: Cissy Birnbaum gym

RSVP at camp@citizens-inc.org.  

Registration:

Sessions 5A and 6B are still open for registration. Visit our CampDoc page to learn more or email camp@citizens-inc.org if you have any further questions.

Celebrating Diversity and Contributions: Autism Awareness and Acceptance Month

Chris O'Connor, a member of the Town of Smithtown Disabilities Advisory Board and the Chief Operating Officer of Citizens Options Unlimited, was recently featured in a public service announcement from the Town of Smithtown and Smithtown Public Safety.

"In my career, I've been fortunate to support people with autism on their journey towards independence and empowerment," O'Connor said during the public service announcement. "So much is about building meaningful connections and helping people understand that the spectrum is wide, and everyone has unique gifts to share. This understanding creates a strong call to action for inclusive environments and specialized services supporting everyone to thrive."

The public service announcement encouraged officials and residents to make the most of Autism Awareness and Acceptance Month by celebrating neurodiversity and considering new ways to advance inclusion and belonging across the community.

The Fun Never Stops

The Syosset house is buzzing with energy, home to the lively residents Lizzie, Jamie, Sarah, Tanya, Amanda and Jenny, who along with their dedicated staff, are embracing life’s adventures.

So far this year, they’ve played-to-win at Dave & Buster’s, danced at a Zumba class, received a Mani-Pedi, enjoyed a baseball game at Yankee Stadium, enjoyed the story of Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons in Jersey Boys, learned about marine life at the Long Island Aquarium, dined at many restaurants, played a game of bowling and so much more.

House Manager Donna Grant, Assistant Manager Pamela Iliou and their staff all take part in organizing and coordinating these events that help enrichen the lives of both staff and residents.

Here’s to many more day trips, fun memories, and good times!

Coming Up:

May is Mobility Awareness Month

May is Mobility Awareness Month, a time to celebrate the talents and abilities of people who use mobility solutions to navigate enriching and independent lives. We want to hear your stories. Visit our website to share your experiences and perspectives, and we may feature you in our next newsletter.

Celebrating 50 Years of Camp Loyaltown

Stay Tuned! 

A 50th-anniversary celebration is currently being planned for later this year to celebrate the decades of wonderful memories Camp Loyaltown has provided.

We are currently looking to add members of the community to our committee. If you would like to be added to our event mailing list, Click below to fill out the form.