Blog Stories

Some say the lives of people with disabilities changed forever when President George H.W. Bush signed the American with Disabilities Act on July 26, 1990. Others, including several who have built careers at YAI that span decades, feel that this federal legislation, while groundbreaking, can be best seen as the first step of a still-unfinished journey.

"I’ve always dreamed of showing my art to everyone,” said Heydi de Los Santos, a 48-year old YAI artist from Brooklyn and current artist-in-residence at Summertime, a not-for-profit art studio and gallery in Brooklyn.

For YAI, which operates more than 140 residences across the metropolitan area, containing the virus demanded not only decisive action but amplified support to compensate for upheaval in the lives of people who appreciate a routine. One resident of YAI’s Cobble Hill residence, where eight older adults have lived for more than 20 years, moved from illness back to health with the benefits of both.

The civil and political unrest that has galvanized many Americans against systemic racism has profound implications on the lives of children and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD). Discrimination based on race and color adds another obstacle to a level playing field – one YAI is mobilizing to address. And while the organization and its base of more than 4,000 employees seek institutional change in the workplace, YAI must also bring the issue, and the need for sustainable solutions, into the lives of the people it supports.

Social stories can be used with adults and children; they are a tool to help provide directions and examples of appropriate ways to respond to social situations. The goal of a social story is to illustrate and clarify expectations while building skills such as coping and emotional regulation.

YAI participates in Google Ad Grants program, which provides thousands of dollars of in-kind advertising to non-profits through Google search ads every month. Over the past year, YAI has ramped up efforts on Google Ad Grants to recruit volunteers, attract donors, and increase its visibility when people search for popular topics in the I/DD universe.

When Ivan Lopez got off the plane for the first time in Saudi Arabia, he understood that the region’s uncompromising beauty was not matched by a wealth of services – especially for people with disabilities. But at the start YAI’s four-month training engagement there, Lopez was ready to make change.

No more hugs or visits from loved ones. A total disruption of daily activities. Housemates who left and will never come back. These are just a few of the difficult changes that people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) supported by YAI are experiencing through the coronavirus pandemic.

A longstanding bilingual program at YAI in Queens has reinvented itself to better serve families of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) in need during the COVID-19 crisis. The program caters to native Spanish speakers, providing instruction on the use of English-based resources such as OPWDD online portals or immigration documents.

YAI’s Central Park Challenge is New York’s largest event celebrating people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD). The roots of this one-of-a-kind gathering go back more than 30 years. In 2020, for the first time, the Central Park Challenge is going online. Although the decision was spurred by COVID-19, it also provides a unique opportunity to be the most accessible celebration YAI has ever held.