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research dossier

HEARING LOSS ASSOCIATION OF AMERICA NYC CHAPTER

NEW YORK, NY · EIN 134156506 · Form 990EZ · FY2025 · Micro (<$100K) · hearinglossnyc.org

revenue

$39K

expenses

$28K

net assets

$95K

employees

—

mission · from form 990

PROMOTE HEARING LOSS AWARENESS

profile · synthesized from sources

Local chapter of the Hearing Loss Association of America serving New York City. Provides education, support, and advocacy for people with hearing loss and their families. Hosts expert-led meetings on hearing health topics, assistive technologies, and living with hearing loss, and offers a scholarship program for students with hearing loss.

named programs · 3 · from sources

What they call their work

Albert Chen Scholarship Program

Annual scholarship for high school seniors with hearing loss pursuing higher education

Family Affair Discussion Series

Panel discussions exploring how hearing loss affects families and strategies for family support

Monthly Educational Meetings

Virtual and in-person events featuring experts on hearing loss, assistive technology, cochlear implants, hearing aids, and related health topics

activities · 9 groups

What they do

Transportation Policy Advocacy & Infrastructure Reform 1 activity
- Advocate for hearing accessibility in transportation infrastructure
  
  Advocated for updated Port Authority accessibility standards requiring hearing loops compliant with IEC-60118-4 in all new or renovated transportation facilities, with implementation beginning at LaGuardia Airport's Delta terminal in 2022.
Education Policy Advocacy & Reform 1 activity
- Advocate for reinstatement of school hearing screenings
  
  Engages in ongoing advocacy with school officials and local legislators to reinstate mandatory hearing screenings in New York City Public Schools, including launching a dedicated initiative to restore these services.
Local High School Scholarship Programs 1 activity
- Award annual scholarships to NYC high school seniors with hearing loss
  
  Administers the Albert B. Chen Scholarship Program, awarding $7,500 annually to New York City high school seniors with hearing loss who are pursuing college degrees, supporting their educational advancement.
Disease-Specific Clinical & Patient Education 1 activity
- Develop and maintain curated hearing loss resource materials
  
  Maintains a curated list of books focused on adult-onset hearing loss and creates educational materials such as a comic strip documenting personal experiences with hearing loss and audiology, enhancing public understanding and engagement.
Charity Event Organization 1 activity
- Organize annual NYC Walk4Hearing fundraising and awareness event
  
  Organizes the annual NYC Walk4Hearing event in Riverside Park, bringing together thousands of participants since 2006 to raise funds and awareness for hearing loss. The 2023 event drew 1,500 participants and 64 teams, raising over $125,000 to support CART captioning, induction loop systems, outreach, and advocacy efforts.
Organizational Newsletter Production and Distribution 1 activity
- Produce and distribute bi-monthly chapter newsletter
  
  Produces and edits the award-winning bi-monthly newsletter, News & Views, which highlights chapter events, speakers, advocacy efforts, and resources for members and the broader hearing loss community.
Accessibility Services for Cultural Programs 1 activity
- Provide communication access accommodations for meetings
  
  Ensures accessibility at all chapter meetings by providing open CART captioning for virtual events and offering open captioning, audio loop systems, and ASL interpreters upon request for in-person gatherings, including a pilot program for universal ASL interpretation.
Internal Organizational Elections 1 activity
- Support chapter governance and membership engagement
  
  Provides automatic chapter membership to individuals on its mailing list, enabling participation in chapter communications and annual board elections held each May, fostering democratic engagement and organizational continuity.
Uncategorized 2 activities
- Advocate for hearing accessibility in public and cultural venues
  
  Successfully advocated for local ordinances and institutional policies mandating hearing accessibility, including open captioning in NYC cinemas, hearing loop systems in city-funded public buildings, and inclusion of CART and assistive listening in performances at the Metropolitan Opera, Broadway theaters, and the National September 11 Memorial Museum.
- Host monthly hybrid chapter meetings with expert speakers and peer support
  
  Hosts monthly virtual and in-person meetings featuring expert speakers on hearing health, assistive technology, communication strategies, and advocacy, while providing a peer support environment for individuals with hearing loss. Meetings are held on the third Tuesday of each month via Zoom (6:00–7:30 PM) and include open CART captioning, with in-person events offering audio loop systems and ASL interpreters upon request.

financials · form 990EZ · fy2025

revenue

Total revenue$39K

Contributions & grants$28K73%

Program service revenue——

Investment income$1K4%

Other revenue—

expenses

Total expenses$28K

Program expenses—

Admin / overhead—

Fundraising—

Salaries & benefits—

Grants paid out—

balance sheet

Total assets$95K

Cash—

Investments—

Liabilities—

Net assets$95K

6 years on record · 2020–2025 · YoY revenue +14.4%

relationships · 31

Who they work with

Broadway League Partner — Collaborated in 2017 to bring closed captioning to Broadway theater audiences.
Broadway theater community Partner — Consulted with the NYC Chapter and disability advocates to implement closed captioning for Broadway and Off-Broadway shows.
CUNY Graduate Center Partner — Hosted chapter meetings in a larger, centrally located space starting in 2014
Center for Hearing and Communication Partner — Hosted chapter meetings and co-hosted events such as the Better Hearing Forum
HEARING LOSS ASSOCIATION OF AMERICA Network — NYC Chapter was previously linked with national membership and encourages support of the national organization.
HEARING LOSS ASSOCIATION OF AMERICA Network — NYC chapter of the national Hearing Loss Association of America
HLAA's Communication Access in Healthcare Partner — Collaborates with the NYC Chapter to educate hospitals on communication access for patients with hearing loss.
Hearing Loss Association of America Network — NYC Chapter of the national Hearing Loss Association of America, participating in its broader advocacy and support network.
Hearing Loss Association of America Network — NYC chapter of the national Hearing Loss Association of America organization.
Hearing Loss Association of America Network — NYC chapter of the national Hearing Loss Association of America.
Hearing Loss Association of America Network — Works with HLAA’s national Communication Access in Healthcare program to advance access in medical settings.
LIU Brooklyn Partner — Professional advisor Dr. Katrien Vermeire is an assistant professor at this institution.
Lincoln Center Partner — Collaborated to install hearing loop technology in Geffen Hall and continues to work together to ensure full functionality and signage.
Lincoln Center Partner — Included a hearing loop in renovation plans following chapter advocacy
MTA Government — Katherine Bouton serves on MTA’s Accessibility Committee (ACTA), providing input on accessibility needs including hearing accommodations.
Manhattan Eye, Ear and Throat Hospital Partner — Co-founded the chapter in 1986 and hosted early meetings
Metropolitan Opera Partner — Responded to advocacy by the NYC Chapter by committing to provide CART captioning for Live in HD telecasts.
Metropolitan Opera Partner — Sponsored a chapter meeting and implemented captioning following advocacy efforts
Museum of Modern Art Partner — Hosted a private gallery tour with CART and assistive listening devices for chapter members
National Disability Institute Partner — Shares information about loan and grant opportunities for assistive technology from the National Disability Institute.
National September 11 Memorial Museum Partner — Provided access for people with hearing loss following chapter advocacy
New York Philharmonic Partner — Engaged in advocacy meetings regarding hearing loop installation during Geffen Hall renovation.
New York Philharmonic Partner — Worked with the NYC Chapter to include hearing loop technology in the renovation of Geffen Hall.
New York-Presbyterian / Columbia University Irving Medical Center Partner — Professional advisor Dr. Justin Golub is affiliated with this medical center.
Port Authority of New York and New Jersey Government — Engaged through advocacy efforts that led to updated accessibility requirements mandating hearing loops in transportation facilities.
Shubert Organization Partner — Consulted in 2017 to implement closed captioning for Broadway theater performances.
University of Iowa Department of Otolaryngology Partner — Shares a research opportunity from the University of Iowa Department of Otolaryngology seeking cochlear implant users for a music study.
University of Toronto Partner — Hosts Dr. Kathleen Pichora-Fuller from the University of Toronto to speak on listening fatigue and cognitive effort in hearing loss.
Walk4Hearing Network — HLAA-NYC participates in the national Walk4Hearing campaign to raise awareness and funds for hearing loss.
Weill Cornell Medical Center Partner — Engages audiologists from Weill Cornell Medical Center to present on hearing aid technology and auditory rehabilitation.

+ 1 more

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.

Communication Access Advocacy Through Institutional Engagement

methodology: direct-institutional-engagement
By directly engaging healthcare institutions and decision-makers with education and technical proposals, we improve systemic communication access for people with hearing loss, because institutional policy change creates scalable, lasting accommodations.
Family-Inclusive Support Model

methodology: family-inclusive_support_model
By involving family members in education and support activities, we improve outcomes for individuals with hearing loss, because hearing loss affects the whole family and family engagement strengthens coping and adaptation.
Peer Support and Education Model

methodology: peer_support_and_education
By combining peer-led support with expert education in chapter meetings, we empower individuals with hearing loss to adopt coping strategies and advocate for themselves, because shared lived experience increases engagement and self-efficacy.
Public Awareness and Community Activation

methodology: public_awareness_campaign
By organizing public events like community walks and awareness campaigns, we reduce stigma and build collective identity, because public visibility fosters belonging and motivates advocacy.
Universal Access Design for Full Inclusion

methodology: universal_access_design
By implementing standardized accessibility tools like CART, audio loops, and ASL interpretation in all settings, we ensure full participation, because removing communication barriers is foundational to dignity and engagement.