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Brooklyn Center for Independence of the Disabled Inc
Brooklyn, NY · EIN 112247706 · Form 990 · FY2023 · NTEE P820 · Human Services · Medium ($1M-$10M) · bcid.org
revenue
$1.1M
expenses
$1.1M
net assets
$369K
employees
17
volunteers
50
program ratio
85%
mission · from form 990

To empower people with disabilities so they can improve the quality of their lives and have the same access to opportunities as their nondisabled peers. By law, BCID is operated by a majority of people with disabilities, and most of our staff have disabilities as well.

profile · synthesized from sources

Brooklyn Center for Independence of the Disabled (BCID) empowers people with disabilities to improve their quality of life and achieve full integration into society. Based in Brooklyn, NY, the organization provides direct services including benefits counseling, housing advocacy, peer support, and systems-level advocacy on issues like transportation accessibility and disability rights. Operated primarily by people with disabilities, BCID has been active in the independent living movement since 1956.

named programs · 9 · from sources

What they call their work

Access-A-Ride Reform Group (AARRG!)
Advocates for improvements to New York City’s paratransit service to ensure reliable and dignified transportation for people with disabilities.
Benefits Counseling
Provides evaluation of eligibility, assistance with applications, and development of independent living plans for people with disabilities.
Financial Coaching
Provides one-on-one support with budgeting and financial management for people with disabilities.
Housing Advocacy
Assists individuals with disabilities in navigating housing systems, courts, and programs to secure safe and accessible housing or exit homeless shelters.
New York City Disability Warmline
Trained peer responders offer emotional support and resource referrals to disabled individuals feeling overwhelmed; available by phone starting fall 2024.
Peer Support Groups
Hosts support groups including one for people with visual impairments, fostering community and shared experience.
Systems Advocacy Network (SSAN)
Part of a statewide network promoting systemic change in transportation, housing, and policy; includes grassroots organizing, lobbying, and media engagement.
Tax Preparation
Offers free year-round tax preparation services through the IRS VITA program for individuals with disabilities and low-to-moderate income earners.
Transition from Nursing Homes
Helps individuals with disabilities transition from nursing facilities to independent living through housing placement and peer support via the Open Doors program.
activities · 6 groups

What they do

  • Disability Rights Advocacy & Self-Advocacy Empowerment 4 activities
    • Advocate for health and safety policies
      Advocates on public health issues affecting people with disabilities, including opposing the lifting of the state health care masking mandate in 2023 and campaigning against proposed mask ban legislation in New York.
    • Advocate for paratransit and home care worker reforms
      Operates the Access-A-Ride Reform Group (AARRG!) to advocate for improved paratransit services and fair pay for home care aides, representing a focused campaign within broader disability rights advocacy.
    • Lead grassroots disability rights campaigns
      Organizes grassroots advocacy campaigns that include volunteer recruitment and training, public education, action alerts, testimony at public hearings, visits to government officials in Albany and New York City, and participation in coalitions, rallies, and task forces to advance disability rights and independent living.
    • Operate consumer-led disability advocacy organization
      Operates as a consumer-controlled organization with a majority of leadership and staff who have disabilities, in accordance with legal requirements for consumer control, to advance the independence and civil rights of people with disabilities through the independent living movement.
  • Transportation Policy Advocacy & Infrastructure Reform 1 activity
    • Advocate for public transit accessibility
      Engages in sustained legal and policy advocacy to improve public transit accessibility, including long-standing efforts since 1979 to compel the MTA to make subway stations accessible, resulting in a 2022 settlement requiring accessibility upgrades, and advocating for expansion of Access-A-Ride and reliable funding for MTA capital projects.
  • Free Tax Preparation Services 1 activity
    • Deliver financial empowerment services
      Provides free year-round tax preparation through IRS VITA, financial coaching for budgeting and financial management, and benefits counseling to support economic stability for people with disabilities and low- to moderate-income individuals.
  • Transportation Access Support 1 activity
    • Facilitate access to transportation services
      Assists consumers with applications for Access-A-Ride and half-fare cards, and operates a weekly drop-in service with American Sign Language interpreters to support Deaf consumers in accessing transportation resources.
  • Residential Support for Developmental Disabilities 1 activity
    • Offer housing and homelessness advocacy
      Provides housing advocacy to help people with disabilities access safer housing, exit homeless shelters, and transition from nursing homes to independent living by navigating housing systems, courts, and securing accessible housing in coordination with in-house experts.
  • Supported Employment for Developmental Disabilities 1 activity
    • Provide independent living services and peer support
      Offers a comprehensive range of direct services including independent living skills training, peer support groups (including for people with visual impairments), resource information and referral, benefits counseling, and development of independent living plans for people with disabilities in Brooklyn and beyond.
financials · form 990 · fy2023
revenue
Total revenue$1.08M
Contributions & grants$1.05M98%
Program service revenue$00%
Investment income$26K2%
Other revenue$0
expenses
Total expenses$1.07M
Program expenses85%
Admin / overhead14%
Fundraising0%
Salaries & benefits$819K
Grants paid out$0
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$1.50M
Cash$1.01M
Investments$0
Liabilities$1.14M
Net assets$369K
Liquid reserves11.4 mo
5 years on record · 2019–2023 · YoY revenue -5.1%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2023

Who runs it

paid leadership · 1
NameTitleHours/wkCompensation
Joseph G Rappaport Executive Dir. 35 $85K
board members · 8
  • Anne Kelsey — Secretary
  • Carol Killiebrew — Director
  • Heidi Hirschfeld — Treasrer & Pres
  • Josh Adams — Director
  • Michael J Wasser Esq — Vice President
  • Sharon Shapiro — Director
  • Warren Shaw — Director
  • Yesenia Torres — Director
relationships · 33

Who they work with

  • ACCES-VR Government — State agency through which consumers may file complaints about BCID services if internal grievance procedures are not satisfactory.
  • Bronx Independent Living Services Coalition — Coalition partner in joint advocacy for accessible public transportation
  • Bronx Independent Living Services Partner — Collaborated with BCID and other disability organizations to issue a joint statement urging Governor Hochul to reverse the lifting of the health care masking mandate.
  • Center for Independence of the Disabled, NY Coalition — Coalition partner in joint advocacy for accessible public transportation
  • Center for Independence of the Disabled, NY Partner — Collaborated with BCID and other disability organizations to issue a joint statement urging Governor Hochul to reverse the lifting of the health care masking mandate.
  • Disability Rights Advocates Partner — Legal partner organization with which BCID collaborates on defending the rights of people with disabilities.
  • Disabled In Action of Metropolitan NY Coalition — Coalition partner in joint advocacy for accessible public transportation
  • Downstate New York ADAPT Coalition — Coalition partner in joint advocacy for accessible public transportation
  • Elevator Action Group (Rise and Resist) Coalition — Coalition partner in joint advocacy for accessible public transportation
  • Foundations Funder — Receives foundation grants to support programs and services
  • Gov. Kathy Hochul Government — Engaged in advocacy regarding proposed mask ban legislation.
  • Government Government — Receives government contracts to support programs and services
  • Greater New York Council of the Blind Coalition — Coalition partner in joint advocacy for accessible public transportation
  • Harlem Independent Living Center Coalition — Coalition partner in joint advocacy for accessible public transportation
  • Harlem Independent Living Center Partner — Collaborated with BCID and other disability organizations to issue a joint statement urging Governor Hochul to reverse the lifting of the health care masking mandate.
  • Independence Care System Coalition — Coalition partner in joint advocacy for accessible public transportation
  • Independent Living Network of New York (ILNNY) Network — State-level network member collaborating on advocacy and services for people with disabilities.
  • Long Island Center for Independent Living, Inc. Coalition — Coalition partner in joint advocacy for accessible public transportation
  • MTA Partner — Collaborated with BCID in 2022 to settle cases requiring the accessibility of nearly all subway stations.
  • Mayor’s Office for People with Disabilities Partner — Partnered on curating the 'Gaining Access' museum exhibit about the NYC disability rights movement.
  • Metropolitan Transportation Authority Partner — Advocacy partner in efforts to improve subway accessibility for people with disabilities
  • Metropolitan Transportation Authority Partner — Engaged in advocacy efforts with the MTA to expand the Access-A-Ride program.
  • National Council on Independent Living Network — Member organization participating in national advocacy and network activities.
  • New York Association on Independent Living Network — BCID is part of the state-wide Systems Advocacy Network (SSAN) organized by NYAIL to advance inclusion of people with disabilities across New York State.
  • New York Lawyers for the Public Interest Coalition — Coalition partner in joint advocacy for accessible public transportation
  • New York State Education Department Government — State agency legally entitled to receive consumer information from BCID upon request.
  • One Heart One Vision Coalition — Coalition partner in joint advocacy for accessible public transportation
  • Self Initiated Living Options, Inc. (SILO) Coalition — Coalition partner in joint advocacy for accessible public transportation
  • Staten Island Center for Independent Living Coalition — Coalition partner in joint advocacy for accessible public transportation
  • Staten Island Center for Independent Living Partner — Collaborated with BCID and other disability organizations to issue a joint statement urging Governor Hochul to reverse the lifting of the health care masking mandate.
+ 3 more
strategies · 3

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.

  • Civil Rights–Based Advocacy
    methodology: civil-rights-framing
    By framing accessibility issues as civil and human rights violations, the organization drives systemic change in transportation, housing, and public policy, because positioning disability access as a legal and moral imperative strengthens advocacy leverage and public accountability.
  • Consumer-Controlled Model
    methodology: consumer_control
    By ensuring governance and staffing are led by people with disabilities, the organization increases program relevance and produces empowerment outcomes, because lived experience enables more authentic representation and decision-making that reflects community needs.
  • Peer-Led Support and Empowerment
    methodology: peer_support
    By delivering services through trained peers with shared lived experience, the organization builds trust and engagement, leading to greater empowerment and successful transitions to independent living, because mutual support fosters relatability, reduces isolation, and models achievable outcomes.