Supporting People To Live The Lives They Choose
From Shoreham to Hunter, New York, Citizens Options Unlimited empowers people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) to define and achieve their dreams through supports and services that work for them.
Supports and Services Offered by Citizens Options Unlimited
Residential Services:
• Intermediate Care Facilities (ICF): Located in Shoreham and Plainview, ICFs offer long-term care for 138 people with a higher level of medical and behavioral complexities.
• Individualized Residential Alternative (IRA): In 23 IRAs throughout Nassau and Suffolk Counties, 127 people are offered a more independent living environment tailored to each person’s needs and goals as defined by a person-centered planning process.
Family Support Services:
• Self-Direction and Fiscal Intermediary: Citizens Options Unlimited provides Self-Direction services and acts as a Fiscal Intermediary (FI), giving people with developmental disabilities more choice and control over their lives. Learn more on page 5.
• Camp Loyaltown: For 50 years, Camp Loyaltown, located in the Catskill Mountains, has been a trusted resource for families to take a much-needed break from their caregiving roles while their loved one can enjoy a sleepaway camp experience. Learn more on page 7.
• Weekend Respite: This Weekend Respite from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on AHRC Nassau’s Brookville campus provides structured sessions for people to participate in meaningful activities while families rest from caregiving responsibilities. This service is funded through the OPWDD Home and CommunityBased Services (HCBS) Waiver.
Citizens Options Unlimited is one of only four agencies - out of more than 450 providers statewide - designated as a Compass agency by the New York State Office of People with Developmental Disabilities (OPWDD).
Further demonstrating its leadership, The Council on Quality Leadership recognizes Citizens Options Unlimited with Person-Centered Excellence Accreditation With Distinction, its highest designation.
Board of Directors
Officers
Hallie Klein, President
Joseph R. Bosnack, Jr., Vice President
Ellen Moore, Secretary
Directors
Tricia Belford
Leng Lao
Kathleen C. Maggi
Edward Perlow, D.D.S.
Devon Rivera
Executive Leadership
Stanfort J. Perry, Chief Executive Officer
Christopher J. O’Connor, Chief Operating Officer
Barry Donowitz, PhD, Chief Administrative Officer
Sylvester Naraine, Chief Financial Officer
Program Leadership
Sally Anne Burgess, Vice President of Operations
Deanna Allen, Director of Residential Services
Marta Garavito, Director of Helen Kaplan Center
Mary Gilleran, Director of Shoreham ICF
Savita Sharma, Director of Family Support Services
Our Mission:
Citizens supports people to live the lives they choose.
A Message from Our Leadership
Dear Families, Friends, and Supporters,
At Citizens Options Unlimited, our mission is rooted in a simple, powerful idea: that people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) have the right to live a life filled with opportunity, support, high-quality care and connection. Today, this mission is more important than ever.
As we look ahead, we remain focused on building a community where people with I/DD are empowered to live the lives they choose. This means investing in services that promote independence, high-quality care, and inclusion; expanding access to self-direction, respite, and recreation; and ensuring families have the resources and supports they need.
We’re also committed to being a strong voice—and we invite you to stand with us in advocating at every level of government for the funding and policies that protect the rights and futures of the people we support.
We are proud that Citizens Options Unlimited is part of a family of organizations—alongside AHRC Nassau and together with Brookville Center for Children’s Services and the AHRC Foundation—working in partnership to provide stability, leadership, and long-term supports for people with developmental disabilities. This collaboration strengthens our ability to focus on what matters most: the people we support and their families.
Thank you for your trust, your partnership, and your continued support—to grow, to advocate, and to build our shared future, we need your voice, your involvement, and your belief in what’s possible. Thank you for being such an important part of the Citizens community.
Our Vision:
A world where all people are valued.
Assistant Editor:
Jennifer Corr
Strategic Communications & Marketing Associate
Community Resources
Hallie Klein President, Board of Directors
Stanfort J. Perry Chief Executive Officer
Expanding The Community Beyond the Shoreham Intermediate Care Facility
Tucked just off North Country Road on the East End of Long Island’s North Shore, Arbor, Rosewood, Garden View, and Magnolia—together known as the Shoreham Intermediate Care Facilities (ICFs)—are home to 79 men and women who live and thrive in this supportive community.
Inside, the magic happens every single day. The men and women celebrate life in meaningful ways— through birthday parties themed around their favorite movies and shows like Marvel Comics or Scooby-Doo, shared holiday traditions, and lasting bonds formed with both peers and dedicated staff.
“Shoreham provides medical support and behavioral support, but I think what makes Shoreham shine the most is that we support the person to give them the best quality of life,” Director Mary Gilleran shared. “People get involved in making things special here for those they support, tapping into their interests.”
When Maura Boden, Assistant Director at Magnolia and a former respite recreation supervisor, stepped onto the campus, she wanted to expand the Shoreham ICF’s magic into the Shoreham community.
She did this by reaching out to the local Brookhaven community center, the North Shore Public Library, and the Shoreham-Wading River Central School District. What followed was true community building.
Kevin McHugh and Scott Ardus, both supported at Shoreham, joined with a senior group at the Robert E. Reid, Sr. Recreation Center which is just across the street. At the same time, people from Shoreham formed a Booster Club to support Shoreham-Wading River Central School District Athletics. During the games, community members stopped by to say hello, creating opportunities for these Shoreham neighbors to learn more about one another.
“It’s experiences, and these people have had limited experiences,” Maura said. “They should have more experiences and be out in the community.”
Stepping into any of the homes on the Shoreham ICF campus, one thing is clear: everybody belongs - from people supported to staff members. And in partnering with the greater community, the Shoreham team will share the spirit of kindness and acceptance with everyone they meet.
Community Highlights
Samuel Morales Experiences the Joy of Volunteering
During a spring evening, housemates and staff of the Red Spring Lane home were volunteering at the Trinity Lutheran Church Food Pantry in Glen Cove when Samuel Morales felt empowered to provide Spanish-English translation.
House Manager Christine Basile had called out to all the volunteers to see if anyone could provide translation in Spanish, as two-thirds of the families served by the pantry are Spanish speakers. All a sudden she heard a soft voice: the voice of Samuel, a quiet and reserved young man.
Throughout the rest of the evening, Samuel called out numbers in Spanish, making the process of distributing food much easier.
From that evening on, Samuel’s community noticed a change in his personality. He began starting conversations more often, expressing his wants and needs more, and asking Christine to join her for errands. His family, friends, and support system are all very proud of him. Through volunteering, Samuel celebrated his Honduran heritage and made a difference in his community.
Farm Animal Encounter at Helen Kaplan Center
Last spring, the Helen Kaplan Center welcomed friendly, farm-animal guests from Long Island Pony Parties and Petting Zoo to a party with allaround sensory experiences including jams by Paulie B Acoustic, complimentary snow cones and cotton candy, and a mental health awareness table with essential oils, sensory toys, and educational materials about mental health.
Sensory experiences like these are vital in terms of providing fulfilling and enriching experiences for the men and women at Helen Kaplan Center, which serves people who have complex needs.
At the petting zoo, residents sat underneath tents to protect them from the warm sun, as animal handlers from the petting zoo brought the silkie chickens, a Gold Laced Polish Chicken, goats, bunnies, sheep, and Daffy the Donkey, to the residents and staff, who got to feed and pet their new fuzzy friends.
Living a Self-Directed Life
Self-Direction, funded by federal and state Medicaid dollars, allows people with developmental disabilities to shape their own lives through a person-centered process of accessing supports and services.
Because every person’s needs and strengths are different, Self-Direction allows people to design a plan that fits their goals – whether that means finding a job, taking a class or living more independently.
Anyone who is eligible for OPWDD services and enrolled in the Home and Community Based Services (HCBS) waiver can choose to self-direct their services.
Self-Direction offers greater flexibility for people who want to make decisions about their own supports—independently or with help.
Since 2015, Citizens Options Unlimited has offered Self-Direction to build purpose and choice. People who receive Self-Direction live at home with their family, live on their own in apartments, attend day services or utilize community habilitation services.
Currently, over 140 people receive Self-Direction services through Citizens. To determine if someone is eligible for Self-Direction services, Citizens Options Unlimited provides Fiscal Intermediary services to work with Brokers and Care Managers to get approval.
To learn more about Self-Direction services from Citizens Options Unlimited, contact your Care Manager or visit www.citizens-inc.org/self-direction/.
Self-Direction Success: Meet Justin Azanero
Every week, Justin Azanero, 24, looks forward to art, music, and Zumba classes – activities he participates in through Self-Direction services provided through Citizens. With the help of his mother, Flora, and brothers, Irwin and Charly, Justin is building a more independent and fulfilling life focused on his interests in fitness and the arts.
The Azanero family learned about Self-Direction through their Care Manager, who helped Justin find the right supports and services and guided him in selecting his circle of support team, including a broker who helps in developing his budget.
Justin also works with a Community Habilitation staff member. Together, they work on establishing a positive daily routine, which includes cleaning, cooking, laundry and playing Monopoly to work on counting money. Through Self-Direction, Justin funds a gym membership and attends yoga and Zumba classes. On weekends, he plays in a local soccer league, TopSoccer, where he competes, exercises, and socializes with fellow players.
Now that Justin has a busier schedule, his family has noticed that he is happier and more engaged.
Empowered by Self-Direction and backed by a strong family, Justin is discovering new passions, building independence, and thriving on his own terms.
Providing a Foundation of Support. How Does the AHRC Foundation Support Your Family?
Many families wonder how the AHRC Foundation, AHRC Nassau, and Citizens Options Unlimited work together— and how they impact their loved ones. Each organization plays a vital role in ensuring children and adults with developmental disabilities receive the services, opportunities, and advocacy they deserve.
• Citizens Options Unlimited provides direct services, including residential programs, self-direction, fiscal intermediary/broker services, respite (Camp Loyaltown), and recreation. It is primarily funded through the New York State Office of People with Developmental Disabilities (OPWDD), Medicaid, Medicare, and insurance providers.
• AHRC Nassau offers executive leadership and administrative support to Citizens Options Unlimited, improving efficiency and reducing costs. Both are Compass agencies with OPWDD and hold PersonCentered Excellence Accreditation with Distinction from the Council on Quality Leadership.
• The AHRC Foundation is a fundraising and grantmaking organization that also operates two pooled trusts for people with developmental disabilities on Long Island. It raises funds to sustain and expand programs, ensuring long-term stability and growth.
Stability in a Changing Landscape
As programs across Long Island face fiscal constraints and some close, the AHRC Foundation has provided essential support to Citizens Options Unlimited.
• In 2018, it granted $350,000 to rebuild Camp Loyaltown’s pool.
• In 2024, it provided a $1.5 million grant to help offset chronic underfunding, staff turnover, overtime costs, and aging facilities. AHRC Foundation also approved up to an additional $1.5 million dollar loan to support capital and/or operating shortfalls.
• Over the past three years, the AHRC Foundation granted Citizens $65,000 to fund direct residential recreational experiences - funds that make it possible for people to experience all that Long Island has to offer.
A Legacy of Support
Our organizations are tied by a promise that families are strongest when they come together to support one another and their loved ones with developmental disabilities. Today, the AHRC Foundation continues this mission—ensuring Citizens Options Unlimited and other essential programs remain strong for future generations.
You Are Part of the Promise
When you support the AHRC Foundation—by giving, attending an event, or leaving a planned gift—you are doing more than making a donation. You are making a promise to the people and families supported by Citizens that a community of support and strength stands with them - today, and always.
Celebrating 50 Years of Camp Loyaltown
In 2024, Camp Loyaltown proudly marked 50 years of lifechanging summer experiences for children and adults with developmental disabilities – and meaningful respite for their families.
To celebrate, campers and staff sported blue tie-dye shirts with the slogan “50 Years of Camp Loyaltown,” and later in the season, parents, campers, staff, board members, and supporters gathered for the Camp Brick Reception at the Brookville Mansion to reflect on the camp’s legacy and invest in its future.
At the event, Camp Loyaltown Committee Chair Mark Gamell announced a fundraising match campaign to build a new water well—ensuring a clean, reliable water source for Camp that would also make off season respite possible. Thanks to the leadership of the Gamell family and the generosity of so many, we exceeded our $50,000 goal, raising over $70,000. Construction is underway!
We are deeply grateful to everyone who supported this effort—and we know the work doesn’t stop here. Camp Loyaltown is always in need of capital support to sustain and improve our facilities for future generations.
Let’s keep building the future of camp—together.
If you’re interested in hosting a fundraiser or making a capital or major gift, please contact Mary McNamara at the AHRC Foundation Office by calling 516-626-1075 ext. 1133.
A Meet and Greet for New Campers is being held on May 14: 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. in the Brookville Mansion Ballroom (meet and greet only-no info session). For more information, contact the Camp office (516)-293-2016 ext. 5165. Meet and Greet For New Campers!
Starting in June, Camp Loyaltown, located in Hunter, New York, will welcome hundreds of campers to enjoy days in the summer sun. With activity stations open all day, campers have the option to design their day. Whether they want to spend a morning in the adaptive pool, an afternoon crafting, or an evening singing karaoke on stage, there are so many options to discover talents, meet new friends, and make unforgettable memories.
Camp counselors who travel to Hunter on a J1 Exchange Visitor Visa from all over the world bring a wealth of creativity, talent, compassion, and care to help campers have a summer they’ll never forget.
Registration is now open. To learn more about Camp Loyaltown, and how to register, visit www.citizens-inc.org/camployaltown/
Program Office
115 E. Bethpage Road, Plainview, NY 11803
Administrative Office 189 Wheatley Road, Brookville, NY 11545
What’s New Around Citizens
Advocate With Us
For decades, self-advocates, parents, families, and community members have led the charge for community-based residential supports, employment services, vocational training and increased accessibility to public and private places.
Weve made tremendous progress – but there is still so much to do to achieve full equity and inclusion for people with developmental disabilities.
Now more than ever, we need to channel the fighting spirit of advocates who brought us to where we are today and contact our representatives to tell our stories. To learn more about how you can take action – especially in the face of potential funding cuts, visit our Advocacy Center at www.citizens-inc.org/advocate/
Be a Part of the Conversation
Citizens Options Unlimited is dedicated to keeping family members and the community in the know about all the wonderful moments happening across our services, as well as ways we can all advocate for more funding, accessibility and acceptance.
