named programs · 8 · from sources
What they call their work
Career Launch
Offers training and technical assistance to professionals in workforce development and vocational programs to better serve young people with disabilities.
College Is Possible
Event that helps college-bound young adults with disabilities learn about admissions, hear from college representatives, and connect with service providers.
Help Line
Provides personalized, multilingual direct assistance to parents, caregivers, and professionals on disability-related topics including special education, transportation, and rights.
High School Launch
Works within schools to help students with IEPs understand their disabilities, self-advocate, and succeed academically.
INCLUDEnyc Fair
Annual resource fair connecting families with nearly 100 educational, recreational, and service providers for youth with disabilities.
Outdoors for Autism
Sensory-friendly recreational event for children on the autism spectrum and their families.
Project Possibility
Provides direct support to youth through tailored postsecondary planning, career development, and life skills training via the Bridges experiential learning component.
Workshops and Trainings
Offers over 40 interactive workshops for families and professionals on topics such as IEPs, transition planning, behavior support, and advocacy skills, available in person or via live stream.
activities · 8 groups
What they do
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Special Education Support Services 2 activities
- Answering special education and disability-related inquiriesProvides direct assistance by answering questions from families and individuals on special education and disability-related topics, complementing the Help Line and resource library services.
- Delivering youth development and life skills programsImplements experiential learning through the Bridges program and High School Launch to build life skills, self-advocacy, and academic success for youth with IEPs, supporting college, workforce, and independent living readiness.
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Autism & Neurodiversity Education Workshops 1 activity
- Delivering workshops and trainings on special education and disability topicsOffers over 40 workshop topics for parents, caregivers, professionals, and young adults on special education, transition planning, behavior support, and family engagement, available in person or via live stream.
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Community Festival & Event Production 1 activity
- Hosting community and resource events for families and youthHosts the INCLUDEnyc Fair, College Is Possible, Outdoors for Autism, and other events connecting families with service providers and educational opportunities; includes annual 5k event to build community among families and supporters in New York City.
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Language Access Services 1 activity
- Operating a multilingual Help Line for disability-related supportProvides personalized direct assistance to parents, caregivers, and professionals on disability-related topics through a multilingual Help Line; 95% of surveyed callers reported that the information provided made a positive difference.
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Organizational Newsletter Production and Distribution 1 activity
- Operating an online resource library and information disseminationMaintains a topic- and age-organized library of up-to-date, multilingual tools and materials on disability-related topics and distributes news and events through the Navigator, Navegador, and ACCESS email newsletters.
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Foster Youth Transition Support 1 activity
- Providing direct support for youth transition planningOffers intensive direct support to young people through Project Possibility and transition-focused workshops to help them create postsecondary action plans for education, employment, and independence.
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Supported Employment for Developmental Disabilities 1 activity
- Providing training and technical assistance to professionalsOffers training and technical assistance to professionals in workforce development and education programs to improve services for young people with disabilities.
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Uncategorized 1 activity
- Reaching and serving New York City communities through outreachServed over 15,000 individuals directly and reached over 400,000 New Yorkers through communications and outreach efforts.
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financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$7.75M
Contributions & grants$7.57M98%
Program service revenue$101K1%
Investment income$81K1%
Other revenue$5K
expenses
Total expenses$6.03M
Program expenses77%
Admin / overhead15%
Fundraising9%
Salaries & benefits$4.89M
Grants paid out$77K
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$8.02M
Cash$736K
Investments$1.44M
Liabilities$3.13M
Net assets$4.88M
Liquid reserves4.3 mo
4 years on record · 2020–2024 · YoY revenue +41.7%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024
Who runs it
paid leadership · 6
| Name | Title | Hours/wk | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| CHERYELLE CRUICKSHANK | EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR | 40 | $263K |
| JANE HEAPHY | DEPUTY EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR PROGRAMS | 40 | $176K |
| LAURA-ANN PAFUNDI | SENIOR DIRECTOR OF FINANCE AND ADMINISTRATION | 40 | $158K |
| STEVEN CLAYTON | SENIOR DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT | 40 | $145K |
| CHANTALL LOWE | SENIOR DIRECTOR OF PARTNER AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMEN | 40 | $143K |
| LORI PODVESKER | DIRECTOR OF DISABILITY AND SPECIAL EDUCATION POLIC | 40 | $102K |
board members · 19
- ALANA CHEEKS-LOMAX — DIRECTOR
- ALBERTO ESTRELLA — SECRETARY
- ANDREA RAPHAEL — DIRECTOR
- BEN TRINDER — DIRECTOR
- DAN FORMAN — DIRECTOR
- DR JONATHAN WACHTEL — DIRECTOR
- DR MONICA LALLO — DIRECTOR
- EDUARDO SF ALVES — DIRECTOR
- ELLEN MILLER-WACHTEL — VICE PRESIDENT
- HEATHER MUTTERPERL — TREASURER
- ISHA ATASSI — DIRECTOR
- JAMIE H KLEIN — VICE PRESIDENT
- JOSE MANUEL SIMIAN — DIRECTOR
- KATYA SVERDLOV — DIRECTOR
- MARIE HILL — DIRECTOR
- OWEN PJ KING — BOARD CHAIR
- RICHARD HOFSTETTER — DIRECTOR
- SETH J KRAMER — DIRECTOR
- SHON E GLUSKY — DIRECTOR
relationships · 11
Who they work with
- Briason Associates Partner — Sponsor of the INCLUDEnyc 5k event
- Broadridge Partner — Sponsor of the INCLUDEnyc 5k event
- Bronx Family and Community Engagement (FACE) Center Partner — Presenting partner for the "Positive Solutions for Families" workshop.
- Brooklyn Family and Community Engagement (FACE) Center Partner — Co-presents events on special education transitions with RESOURCES FOR CHILDREN WITH SPECIAL NEEDS INC.
- Brooklyn Family and Community Engagement (FACE) Center Partner — Co-presents workshops on transition planning for students with disabilities.
- Community Resources Staten Island Partner — Partner organization participating in the INCLUDEnyc 5k event
- Enabling Devices Partner — Sponsor of the INCLUDEnyc 5k event
- Fragomen, Del Rey, Bernsen & Loewy, LLP Partner — Sponsor of the INCLUDEnyc 5k event
- INCLUDEnyc Network — Member of a network promoting inclusion for youth with disabilities in New York City
- Project Possibility Partner — Direct service program providing intensive support to young people with disabilities for postsecondary planning.
- Reach Swim Academy Partner — Presenting sponsor of the INCLUDEnyc 5k for Love, Equity, and Access.
strategies · 5
How they approach the work
Named approaches extracted from this org’s sources. Where others share an approach, follow it to see the full set of orgs running it.
- Behavior as Communication Frameworkmethodology: behavior-as-communicationBy teaching parents and professionals to interpret challenging behaviors as forms of communication, we enable more effective and empathetic responses that address underlying needs, because understanding behavior in context reduces conflict and supports developmental growth.
- Family Empowerment through Knowledge and Skill-Buildingmethodology: family-empowermentBy equipping families with knowledge, confidence, and practical skills, we improve their ability to navigate complex special education and disability service systems and advocate effectively for their children, because empowered caregivers are better positioned to secure appropriate supports and drive positive outcomes.
- Intentional Language to Promote Inclusion and Belongingmethodology: language-as-inclusion-toolBy promoting intentional use of person-first or identity-first language, we shift attitudes and foster belonging for people with disabilities, because language shapes perception and inclusive language actively challenges stigma and affirms identity.
- Interactive Education Model for Lifelong Skill Developmentmethodology: interactive_workshop_modelBy delivering interactive, expert-led workshops to families and professionals across the lifespan, we build practical knowledge and skills that improve support for youth with disabilities, because engagement through interactivity and expert facilitation leads to deeper understanding and sustained application.
- Self-Advocacy and Self-Understanding for Studentsmethodology: self_advocacy_educationBy fostering self-advocacy and self-understanding in students with disabilities, we improve their educational outcomes, because when students understand their own needs and rights, they are better equipped to participate in decision-making and take ownership of their learning.