To our Friends, Families, Partners, and Supporters,
For 41 years, INCLUDEnyc has been a partner, friend, confidant, source of support, and advocate for hundreds of thousands, as we have assisted many families with children with disabilities in finding their voices and exercising their rights to success and the best quality of life. We celebrate continuing the dream of our three founding mothers who established the organization for this very reason.
For us, success is more than our statistics. We are focused on the lasting impacts, and there were many in 2024. We celebrated countless hours of listening, sharing resources, fostering relationships, supporting independence, encouraging greatness, and helping people find their voices. Our success is measured in the hundreds of youths that learn how to invest in their futures, the thousands of families who found community through the INCLUDEnyc Parent Support Groups and workshops, the hundreds of professional organizations who are investing in supporting youths with disabilities, and our young adults who come back to encourage others who come after them.
As INCLUDEnyc continues its legacy in 2025 and reflects on 41 years of support, service, and advocacy, we thank you for being an integral part of this journey to a world where there is love, equity, and access for young people with disabilities.
With gratitude,
Cheryelle Cruickshank Executive Director
Owen King Board Chair
PROGRAMS
PARENT AND FAMILY ENGAGEMENT provides the guidance, tools, and assistance caregivers need to best support and advocate for their children.
HELP LINE delivers individualized direct assistance by skilled staff who provide information, guidance, referrals, and support in English, Spanish, and 200+ other languages on wide-ranging disability topics.
WORKSHOPS AND TRAININGS foster skill-building and knowledge in sessions (online and in-person) led by staff and guest presenters who have expertise in key disability topics.
PARENT SUPPORT GROUPS, in English and Spanish, offer caregivers the opportunity to provide mutual support, share resources, celebrate successes, and build a sense of community, while promoting awareness of and access to disability services.
EARLY CHILDHOOD INITIATIVE addresses the unique needs of parents with children age 5 and younger who have known or suspected disabilities and developmental delays. Through targeted workshops, Help Line, multilingual resources, and support groups, we increase knowledge and connection to critical support.
YOUTH AND TRANSITION SERVICES are designed to help youth with disabilities (ages 14-26) explore and pursue postsecondary goals while developing life and self-advocacy skills.
PROJECT POSSIBILITY provides intensive, individualized support to help young adults with disabilities draft and implement a personalized postsecondary action plan based on their strengths, skills, and aspirations.
HIGH SCHOOL LAUNCH works inside high need public schools to help youth with disabilities understand their learning needs, identify available accommodations, and build the self-assurance to advocate for themselves in IEP meetings and academic settings.
BRIDGES experiential workshops and activities build soft skills that are essential for success in college, employment, and independent living.
CAREER LAUNCH offers professional development and technical assistance to help staff at job readiness, college-based, and community related workforce development programs more effectively support youth with disabilities.
PARTNER AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT builds a network of allies and collaborators who bolster our capacity to disseminate resources and connect with the community.
INCLUDEnyc FAIR is New York City’s oldest and largest resource fair of educational, recreational, and program service providers for young people with disabilities, where families can meet with representatives from more than 70 exhibitors in a single day.
OUTDOORS FOR AUTISM offers an afternoon of engagement, connection, and fun activities for families of children on the autism spectrum. This event brings families together in a supportive, welcoming environment.
COLLEGE IS POSSIBLE is an annual event that encourages young people and their families to consider college as a viable postsecondary option.
MULTILINGUAL RESOURCES provide up-to-date materials with crucial tools, information, and guidance. Navigator, Navegador, and ACCESS are comprehensive email roundups providing families and professionals with vital disability related news, information, and events.
“INCLUDEnyc’s mission resonates strongly with our commitment to ensuring that individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities lead fulfilling lives.
INCLUDEnyc’s hands-on transition supports help teens and young adults navigate, explore, and connect with post-secondary options, positioning them for success in adulthood.”
The Taft Foundation Erin Gonzalez, Program Officer
Public Partners
INCLUDEnyc’s public sector connections are robust and include federal, state, and city partnerships that support our work with families and professionals.
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Parent Training and Information Center Collaborative member for New York City and Long Island, providing free support and information on disability-related issues, rights, and resources. Authorized by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), Parent Training and Information Centers (PTICs) offer free services to families of children with any known or suspected disability.
Community Parent Resource Center (CPRC), a PTIC in the South Bronx and northern Manhattan, offers direct support and training for families, youth, and partner organizations, primarily in Spanishspeaking communities.
NEW YORK STATE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Family and Community Engagement (FACE) Centers for New York City’s five boroughs promote meaningful family involvement within the educational system, building collaborative community relationships, and providing information and training about service options and systems for early childhood and school-age youth.
NEW YORK CITY COUNCIL Autism Awareness Initiative leading provider of autismrelated programs, offering direct assistance, training, events, and information for families with a child on the autism spectrum. “The Trust is proud to have supported INCLUDEnyc since its founding in 1983. Not only is INCLUDEnyc the city’s preeminent support system for families of children with disabilities, but it continues to grow and adapt to meet evolving needs and advance educational equity.”
The New York Community Trust. Rachel Pardoe, Program Director
REAL Transition Partners is one of five organizations leading a network of 26 PTICs and CPRCs across the northeastern United States and the Caribbean, providing young adults with disabilities and their families with information and support as they transition to postsecondary education or employment.
At a Glance
15,830 People Served
423,383 Individuals Reached
405 NYC Community Partners
Program Stats Help Line
3,051 Requests Answered
2,393 Individuals Used the Help Line
Workshops
10,879 Workshop Attendees
802 Sessions
Top 5 Workshop Topics
Understanding Your Child's IEP
Explicit Vocabulary Instruction (EVI) for Parents
Advocacy Skills for Families
Positive Solutions for Families
Promoting Positive Behavior in Young Children
Top 5 Help Line topics
Process/Guidance (Education)
School Placement
Evaluation Process
IEP Compliance
Clarification of Rights
Information
173,555 Print and Digital Resources
Accessed
Early Childhood
CarolinaandKirstin
For many parents, INCLUDEnyc has played a pivotal role in helping them navigate the supports and services available for young people with disabilities from early childhood onward. When Carolina had questions about busing challenges, for her daughter Kirstin, who has Down Syndrome, she was referred to INCLUDEnyc’s Help Line.
“We were having school bus issues, and I didn’t know where to turn,” Carolina recalled. “Another agency referred me to INCLUDEnyc, which provided resources and support that I didn’t even know existed. INCLUDEnyc helped me contact the appropriate people, and I quickly found my way to a resolution.”
A year later, Carolina found herself daunted by the process for enrolling in kindergarten. “I trusted INCLUDEnyc, and I called them again,” Carolina said.
“I found even more guidance in the Turning Five process, and I started attending all the workshops. The information INCLUDEnyc provided was essential to making the transition to kindergarten with Kirstin.”
Carolina’s experience with INCLUDEnyc didn’t end with Kirstin’s enrollment in kindergarten. In fact, Carolina would return to INCLUDEnyc again as she found herself with questions about the Individualized Education Program (IEP) process. This partnership between parents and INCLUDEnyc is not unique to Carolina and Kirstin.
School Age
As Kirstin headed into third grade, Carolina found herself challenged by the IEP process. She had questions, and she knew she could turn to INCLUDEnyc for answers.
“Everything was upside down, and I was doing everything myself at that point,” she said. “The school told me it was a process, and I wanted to get that process moving. I still had questions.”
Another call to INCLUDEnyc provided a wealth of information that Carolina didn’t realize was available for Kirstin, like where to turn for outside supports and services and how to request evaluations from the school.
Transition and Beyond
Now, Kirstin is 13-years old, and she served as a member of her school’s student council. “INCLUDEnyc gave us the resources and confidence to pursue activities that Kirstin enjoys.”
Over the ten years that she’s been finding support from INCLUDEnyc for Kirstin, Carolina also attended our events, including the annual INCLUDEnyc Fair and Outdoors for Autism. “Kirstin and I both love the Fair and Outdoors for Autism because she loves to walk around to discover new hobbies, like sports, music, and crocheting.”
As Kirstin makes her next transition into high school, Carolina said she’s looking forward to the programs and workshops provided by our Youth and Transition Services team, like College is Possible.
To be continued...
INCLUDEnyc can be a resource for your child throughout their educational trajectory and beyond, through their transition to adulthood. Partnerships like the one forged with Carolina and her daughter is at the heart of INCLUDEnyc’s mission and exactly what our three founding mothers wanted to accomplish. Over 41 years later, it's still organic for us and still all about love, equity, and access, needed by many families.
Million
Board
Owen P.J. King, Chair President and CEO, Stonehurst Management, LLC
Ellen Miller-Wachtel, 1st Vice President
Retired Vice President and Deputy General Counsel, Major League Baseball
Jamie Klein, 2nd Vice President CEO, North Fifth Services
Alberto Estrella, Secretary President & CEO, Knowledge To Own Equities Technology Director, Evercore
Executive Director, Head of Insurance Case Management, JP Morgan Chase
Dan Forman
Executive Director, JP Morgan Private Bank
Shon E. Glusky
Partner, Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton, LLP
Marie Hill Partner, KPMG, LLC
Richard Hofstetter
Retired Partner, Frankfurt, Kurnit, Klein, & Selz, PC
Seth Kramer Vice President, Goldman Sachs, LLC
Suilan Mo-Escowitz Associate Director, S&P Global
Andrea Raphael Chief Communications Officer, Invesco
Katya Sverdlov CEO, JelikaLite Corp.
Ben Trinder Managing Director, Goldman Sachs, LLC
Dr. Jonathan Wachtel Psychiatrist, Attending Physician, FamilyHealth Associates (Private Practice)
Jr. Board
Albert Evans
Babatunde Odubekun
Oscar Segal
Erica Weissman
As of 3/21/2025
Donors
$100-$499 (Continued)
“INCLUDEnyc has long been one of the top resources our team relies on to help connect families in New York City to crucial services, information, and support. They are extremely knowledgeable and excellent at what they do. We have been lucky enough to get to know the team at INCLUDEnyc through recent collaboration and have seen firsthand the heart they bring to their work. It’s that combination of expertise and heart that makes partnering with INCLUDEnyc so special.”
Autism Speaks
Andrew Nelson, Senior Director Autism Response Team
Full Donor list
How to Give
Thank you for the impact you’ve made for young people with disabilities!
For 41 years, INCLUDEnyc has provided critical supports and services for young people with any disability to guide them in their pathways to leading full and independent lives. Our community of families and professionals relies on INCLUDEnyc’s continued efforts to provide answers to questions and help with navigating resources, services, and education for young people with disabilities, ages birth to 26.
Help us continue to fulfill our mission of advancing love, equity, and access for young people with disabilities today!
Ways to Give
Donate by Check
Make check payable to INCLUDEnyc and mail to:
INCLUDEnyc, 520 8th Ave, 25th Floor, Suite 2503, New York, NY 10018
Donate Stock or Gifts via Wire Transfer
Donating by stock, bonds, or electronic funds is simple. For information necessary to transfer securities into INCLUDEnyc’s account, please contact our Finance team at Finance@includenyc.org or 212-677-4650 x20. (Donor information may not be included with your electronic transfer, so please alert us in advance.)
Donate through a Donor-Advised Fund (DAF)
DAF Direct enables you to donate to INCLUDEnyc (formerly Resources for Children with Special Needs) directly from your DAF. If your DAF sponsoring organization does not participate in DAF Direct, please contact our Finance team at Finance@includenyc.org or 212-677-4650 x20.
