named programs · 5 · from sources
What they call their work
Adaptive Design Network
Supports and connects global adaptive design initiatives through information sharing, collaboration, and technical assistance.
Communication Cards
Provides standardized and custom tactile augmentative communication symbols (STACS) for individuals with communication challenges, including symbol cards and storybook sets.
Corporate Volunteer Experiences
Offers team-building workshops for corporate groups to learn cardboard carpentry and adaptive design while contributing financially to support community access to custom equipment.
Made to Learn
Partners with schools to engage students in designing and fabricating adaptive equipment through weekly visits to the workshop, integrating hands-on learning with classroom education.
Resource Library
Provides free online resources including technique videos, how-to guides, and course materials on cardboard carpentry and adaptive design for global use.
activities · 7 groups
What they do
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Storytelling and Literacy Resource Development 1 activity
- Creation of custom storybooks and educational materialsCreates made-to-order custom storybook sets for children or classrooms upon request, supporting literacy and communication development for individuals with disabilities.
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Adaptive Equipment Provision 1 activity
- Design and fabrication of custom adaptive equipmentDesigns and builds custom adaptive equipment for individuals of all ages with disabilities, either by modifying existing environments or creating solutions from scratch, including standers, mobility chairs, and visibility aids. Equipment is provided at no cost to clients in New York City, with ongoing support as needs evolve over time.
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Accessible Reading Materials Production and Distribution 1 activity
- Distribution of tactile communication tools and STACS kitsProduces and distributes Standardized Tactile Augmentative Communication Symbols (STACS) kits and custom communication cards for individuals with visual and communication impairments. Offers both standardized kits for institutions like the American Printing House and case-by-case customization for individuals, along with production of tactile symbol cards and three-dimensional learning cards.
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Community Art Education Workshops 1 activity
- Educational programming and training in adaptive designOffers educational programming in cardboard carpentry and adaptive design principles through in-person and virtual field trips, corporate volunteer experiences, classroom visits, and public events featuring tours and talks. Includes multi-day professional development workshops upon request, training up to five days in length.
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Youth Workforce Readiness Programs 1 activity
- Internship and workforce development programsRuns a Summer Internship Program with a formal application cycle and has launched an innovative work program for students with Autism in the New York City public school system, fostering skill development and inclusion in adaptive design.
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Volunteer Mobilization for Community Improvement 1 activity
- Volunteer engagement and community build eventsHosts regular Volunteer Build Nights and special events such as Giving Tuesday builds to engage community volunteers in constructing adaptive devices and edging tactile cards. Events include hands-on tasks like painting, measuring, and assembling, and are supported by volunteers with skills in fabrication, sewing, and administration.
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Uncategorized 1 activity
- Provision of free educational resources and instructional contentProvides free downloadable resources, including a guidebook and PDF instructions for building with cardboard, along with 34 short instructional videos and a visual demonstration video on making tangible symbol cards, to support makers and educators in adaptive design practices.
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financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$964K
Contributions & grants$651K68%
Program service revenue$313K32%
Investment income$00%
Other revenue$0
expenses
Total expenses$841K
Program expenses73%
Admin / overhead17%
Fundraising11%
Salaries & benefits$567K
Grants paid out$0
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$803K
Cash$355K
Investments$0
Liabilities$279K
Net assets$524K
Liquid reserves5.1 mo
6 years on record · 2019–2024 · YoY revenue +28.7%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024
Who runs it
paid leadership · 1
| Name | Title | Hours/wk | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| JENNIFER HERCMAN | EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR | 40 | $92K |
board members · 11
- ANDREW AUCHINCLOSS — DIRECTOR
- BEN LERNER — DIRECTOR
- CAROLE GORDON — DIRECTOR/CHAIR
- ELAINE YOUNG — DIRECTOR
- KARLA RUIZ — DIRECTOR
- LAURA TAUB — DIRECTOR
- LISA YOKANA — DIRECTOR/VICE CHAIR
- MATTHEW GOODMAN — DIRECTOR/SECRETARY
- RONNIE ELDRIDGE — DIRECTOR
- TRACY EHRLICH — DIRECTOR
- ZACH CLEM — DIRECTOR/TREASURER
relationships · 21
Who they work with
- ARISE Inc. Partner — Collaborates with ARISE Inc. in Syracuse, NY on Adaptive Design Syracuse, a community-based initiative to provide adaptive equipment for people with disabilities.
- Adam El-Sawaf Partner — Senior Designer at ADA who contributed the idea to adapt a dune buggy whip light for a wheelchair visibility solution.
- Alternatives To Incarceration Partner — Partner organization with which ADA developed a pilot internship program for women re-entering the workforce.
- American Printing House Partner — Collaborates to provide Standardized Tactile Augmentative Communication Symbols (STACS) kits.
- American Printing House Partner — Collaborates to provide the Standardized Tactile Augmentative Communication Symbols (STACS) kit
- Braze Partner — Corporate team from Braze painted the custom adaptive chair for a student at PS 138M.
- Cerebral Palsy Africa - Paper Furniture Social Enterprise Partner — Engages with Cerebral Palsy Africa in the UK, which applies Appropriate Paper-based Technology (APT) techniques for making adaptive equipment for children with disabilities.
- District 75 Partner — Collaborates with Adaptive Design Association to provide students with hands-on experience in adaptive design and fabrication.
- Eventbrite Partner — Platform used to list and manage registration for Volunteer Build Nights.
- Metropolitan Sanctuary for Children with Disability Partner — Collaborates with Metropolitan Sanctuary in Kamakwa, Kenya, which operates an ultra-low-cost adaptive cardboard equipment workshop and provides rehabilitation services.
- NYU Metro Center for Transforming Schools Partner — Collaborates with Adaptive Design to refine curriculum for school-based programming and deliver professional development to special education teachers.
- PS 138M Partner — Collaborates with PS 138M in providing adaptive equipment for students like Synshiana.
- PS 138M Partner — Public school where Adaptive Design delivered and implemented a custom chair for a student, in collaboration with school staff.
- Patricia Torres Partner — Physical therapist who collaborates with ADA to provide adaptive equipment to clients and adjusts devices for new users.
- Perkins School for the Blind Partner — Collaboration site where founder Alex Truesdell began creating adaptive solutions as a teacher for children with multiple disabilities.
- Perkins School for the Blind Partner — Partners with Perkins School for the Blind's Adaptive Device Center to share step-by-step directions for building adapted chairs from cardboard.
- Prótesis Imbabura Partner — Supports Prótesis Imbabura in Ibarra, Ecuador, where occupational therapist Kit Frank leads an Adaptive Design Workshop providing custom adaptive equipment since 2008.
- The MacArthur Foundation Funder — Awarded Alex Truesdell a MacArthur Fellowship in 2015 in recognition of innovative approach to solving critical global problems.
- Trader Joe's Partner — Source of donated paper bags collected by volunteers for use in programs.
- Whole Foods Partner — Source of donated paper bags collected by volunteers for use in programs.
- studiophoria Partner — Collaborates on event promotion and outreach, as indicated by shared social media presence.
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.
- Co-Creative Design with End Usersmethodology: co-creative_designBy involving users, designers, and builders in collaborative design processes, the organization produces more effective and dignified adaptive solutions because it centers lived experience and challenges assumptions about disability through shared problem-solving.
- Donation-Funded Access Modelmethodology: donation-funded_access_modelBy removing financial barriers through donation-funded provision of adaptive equipment, the organization increases equitable access because cost is no longer a limiting factor for families in need.
- Knowledge Sharing and Community Capacity Buildingmethodology: knowledge-sharingBy sharing adaptive design knowledge and fostering collaborative idea exchange, the organization strengthens community problem-solving skills and expands access because collective learning enables broader replication and innovation.
- Person-Centered Adaptive Designmethodology: person-centered_designBy tailoring adaptive equipment to individual needs through deep listening and intentional design, the organization enhances functional independence and dignity because solutions are grounded in personal context and daily living requirements.
- Tangible Symbol Communication Systemsmethodology: tangible_symbol_communicationBy using tangible symbols, the organization supports communication for nonverbal individuals and those who are deafblind because physical, sensory-based symbols make abstract concepts accessible and actionable.