irs program accomplishments · form 990 part iii · fy2023
What they reported doing
- #1 primary $791KARTS PROGRAMMING - SAY HAS PIONEERED A COMPREHENSIVE APPROACH TO STUTTERING TREATMENT USING THE ARTS TO HELP KIDS WHO STUTTER EXPRESS THEMSELVES EFFECTIVELY. PARTICIPANTS DEVELOP PRACTICAL COMMUNICATION SKILLS WHILE LEARNING THAT COMMUNICATING THEIR THOUGHTS AND FEELINGS IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN HIDING THEIR STUTTERING FROM OTHERS. SAY PROVIDES A SPACE WHERE YOUNG PEOPLE WHO STUTTER CAN COME TOGETHER AND FORGE FRIENDSHIPS WITH OTHERS WHO CAN RELATE TO THEIR STRUGGLES AND CELEBRATE THEIR TRIUMPHS.
- #2 $168KSPEECH THERAPY SERVICES - PRE SCHOOLERS: AT SAY, WE AIM TO PROVIDE COMPREHENSIVE THERAPY THAT GIVES EACH CHILD THE SKILLS NEEDED TO COMMUNICATE EFFECTIVELY. THERAPY IS INDIVIDUALIZED AND DESIGNED TO BEST MEET EACH CHILD'S SPECIFIC NEEDS. SESSIONS ARE CENTERED ON THE CHILD, PARENTS, AND CAREGIVERS AND THEIR GOALS, ALLOWING TIME TO PRACTICE STRATEGIES TO MAKE COMMUNICATION MORE CONFIDENT WHILE PROVIDING EDUCATION, SUPPORT, AND COUNSELING. SCHOOL AGE CHILDREN & TEENS: SAY SPEECH THERAPY WORKS TO HELP CHILDREN AND TEENS BETTER COMMUNICATE THROUGH STUTTER-AFFIRMING PRACTICES. WITH THE COMBINATION OF SPEECH THERAPY AND STUTTERING SUPPORT, YOUNG PEOPLE CAN IMPROVE THEIR SELF-CONFIDENCE, DEVELOP MORE POSITIVE ATTITUDES ABOUT SPEAKING, REDUCE NEGATIVE EFFECTS OF STUTTERING, AND REACH THEIR OWN PERSONAL GOALS AS JOYFUL, CONFIDENT COMMUNICATORS.
named programs · 6 · from sources
What they call their work
Camp SAY
ACA-accredited sleep-away summer camp in Elizaville, NY for youth ages 8–18 who stutter, offering a supportive environment to build confidence, try new activities, and form community with peers.
Confident Voices After-School & Weekend Program
Free creative arts program in NYC for youth ages 8–18 who stutter, using theater, writing, and performance to build confidence and communication skills in a supportive environment where stuttering is accepted.
Professional Support & Intervision Group
Free bi-monthly peer mentorship program for speech-language pathologists and educators to learn about stuttering therapy through case discussions and collaboration with SAY clinicians.
SAY: Parents
Free monthly virtual support group for parents and caregivers of children who stutter, providing education, community, and resources to support their child’s communication journey.
SAY: Speech
Teletherapy speech therapy service for children and teens who stutter in NY, DC, and MD, offering individualized, stuttering-affirming therapy, diagnostic evaluations, and parent support with sliding scale fees.
The Songwriting Project
Free 8-week songwriting program in Midtown Manhattan for kids and teens who stutter, using music and creative expression to foster self-confidence and communication; no prior musical experience required.
activities · 6 groups
What they do
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Specialized Therapy for Children with Disabilities 2 activities
- Expand access through nationwide and online programmingOffers in-person programs in New York City and Washington, D.C., regional day camps, and online programs—including teletherapy and virtual support—for the national and global stuttering community, ensuring broad geographic and virtual access to services.
- Provide speech therapy servicesOffers individualized, stutter-affirming speech therapy for children and teens who stutter, including diagnostic evaluations, bilingual services, teletherapy available in New York, Maryland, and Washington, DC, and consultations for families in other states, with sliding scale fees to ensure accessibility regardless of financial status.
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Social Skills Development for Neurodiverse Youth 1 activity
- Deliver Confident Voices after-school and weekend programHosts a free Saturday and after-school program called Confident Voices for children and teens who stutter, ages 5–18, in New York City, focusing on building confidence, social-emotional support, friendships, school participation, and self-advocacy skills, with 80% participant retention and pathways into mentorship roles after age 18.
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Parenting Education and Support Programs 1 activity
- Host parent and caregiver support programsProvides free monthly support groups and a parent education series for parents and caregivers of children who stutter, offering community-building, knowledge-sharing about stuttering, counseling, and ongoing scheduled sessions to support family engagement in their child’s communication development.
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Creative Arts Therapy Programs 1 activity
- Offer creative arts programming for youth who stutterDelivers arts-based programs including an 8-week songwriting program in Midtown Manhattan and live performances of original songs, as well as broader creative arts initiatives nationally, to help children and teens who stutter develop communication skills and peer relationships in a supportive environment.
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Specialized Summer Camps for Disabilities 1 activity
- Operate Camp SAY summer camp programRuns Camp SAY, an ACA-accredited residential summer camp for children and teens who stutter, ages 8–18, held annually for two weeks in Elizaville, New York, and previously in East Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania, to build self-confidence, communication skills, and social connections through experiential activities.
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Mentorship and Professional Development Programs 1 activity
- Provide professional development for speech-language pathologistsOffers capacity-building programs for speech-language pathologists and other professionals, including a free bi-monthly virtual peer mentorship group for case consultation and professional growth, and ongoing support to improve practice in working with people who stutter.
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financials · form 990 · fy2023
revenue
Total revenue$2.89M
Contributions & grants$2.32M80%
Program service revenue$574K20%
Investment income$2K0%
Other revenue$-7K
expenses
Total expenses$2.90M
Program expenses84%
Admin / overhead12%
Fundraising5%
Salaries & benefits$1.41M
Grants paid out$427K
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$1.59M
Cash$243K
Investments$0
Liabilities$1.38M
Net assets$219K
Liquid reserves1.0 mo
5 years on record · 2019–2023 · YoY revenue +4.3%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2023
Who runs it
paid leadership · 5
| Name | Title | Hours/wk | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| TARO ALEXANDER | FOUNDER, DIRECTOR | 40 | $149K |
| NOAH CORNMAN | EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR (FORMER) | 40 | $125K |
| TRAVIS ROBERTSON | VP & ARTISTIC DIRECTOR, DIRECTOR | 40 | $110K |
| DANIELLE LENEE | CONFIDENT VOICES ASSOCIATE & CO-DIRECTOR OF SPARK, | 40 | $72K |
| EVERETT BRADLEY | MUSICAL DIRECTOR/DIRECTOR | 40 | $65K |
board members · 19
- AJ MELARAGNO — DIRECTOR
- BRANDON K GUIDRY — SECRETARY
- CHARLES E HELME — DIRECTOR, CHAIR EMERITUS
- CLAUDIA NEGRON — DIRECTOR
- CLIFFORD PERLMAN ESQ — DIRECTOR
- DAVID FRIEDMAN — TREASURER
- DAVID NACHMAN — DIRECTOR
- JAMAL DOUGLAS — DIRECTOR
- JENNIFER MCGUIRE — DIRECTOR
- JONATHAN GREIG — DIRECTOR
- JUDAH ROSENBERG — DIRECTOR
- JUSTIN WALLER — CHAIR
- KIMBERLEY GARVIN — DIRECTOR
- LACKLAND H BLOOM III — DIRECTOR
- LIZ TUCCILLO — DIRECTOR
- MARC VETRI — DIRECTOR
- MARCIA WITHERS — DIRECTOR
- PAUL RUDD — DIRECTOR
- SHACHAR G SCOTT — DIRECTOR
relationships · 14
Who they work with
- American Camp Association Government — Camp SAY is accredited by the American Camp Association, indicating compliance with national camp safety and operational standards.
- Camp SAY Network — Annual two-week sleep-away summer camp program for children and teens who stutter.
- Camp SAY: Across the USA Network — Regional day camp program bringing the Camp SAY experience to cities across the United States.
- CampSAY.org Partner — Collaborative partner website for Camp SAY, a related program serving youth who stutter.
- Confident Voices Network — Award-winning after-school and weekend creative arts program offered in three sessions per school year.
- Danielle Leneé Partner — Professional actor and co-leader of The Songwriting Project
- Everett Bradley Partner — Musical Director providing guidance in The Songwriting Project
- MLB Players Association Partner — Featured George Springer's story of perseverance in partnership with SAY.
- MLB Players Association Partner — Featured SAY Spokesperson George Springer’s story in a 2019 feature on courage and resilience.
- New York State Speech-Language-Hearing Association Government — Recipient of a Special Citation from NYSSLHA
- Parents and caregivers of young people who stutter Partner — Engages parents and caregivers as active participants through a monthly support group to strengthen advocacy and community.
- SAY: DC Network — Year-round creative arts programming for young people who stutter in the Washington, DC area.
- SAY: Speech Network — Speech therapy program led by a licensed speech-language pathologist and board-certified stuttering specialist.
- Travis Robertson Partner — Artistic Director leading The Songwriting Project
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.
- Acceptance-Based Creative Expressionmethodology: acceptance-based creative expressionBy using creative arts and storytelling in a supportive environment where stuttering is normalized, young people build confidence and communication skills because acceptance reduces performance pressure and fosters authentic self-expression.
- Community and Peer Immersion Modelmethodology: camp-based social immersionBy immersing young people who stutter in camp-based, socially supportive communities, the organization fosters self-advocacy and belonging because peer connection and shared experience reduce isolation and model positive communication identities.
- Empowerment Through Voice Affirmationmethodology: voice-mattersBy affirming the inherent value of each child’s voice, the organization builds self-advocacy and confidence because young people internalize that their worth is not contingent on fluency.
- Family and Community-Engaged Interventionmethodology: family-and-community-engaged therapyBy involving families, educators, and service providers in therapy, the organization strengthens the child’s communication ecosystem because sustainable progress depends on supportive environments across multiple settings.
- Holistic, Individualized Stuttering Therapymethodology: holistic_stuttering_careBy addressing not only speech patterns but also emotional, social, and environmental factors through tailored treatment plans, the organization improves communication outcomes and well-being because stuttering is understood as a multifaceted experience requiring integrated clinical and psychosocial support.