Blog Stories

For Allen Cohen, YAI wasn’t just a place where he received support, it was a place where he found a second family and left a lasting legacy in the field of intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD). “When Allen first came to YAI, there was still a lot of stigma surrounding people with I/DD,” said Bonnie Cohen, Allen’s younger sister. “But YAI saw his potential and he thrived because of it.”

On August 8, a group of job-seekers from YAI Westbury got a taste of what it’s like to work for one of the nation’s largest clothing retailers. During their visit to Old Navy’s store in Hempstead, New York, participants spent the day shadowing employees as part of the retailer’s ON the Job program.

As YAI Headquarters prepares to relocate, staff at Premier HealthCare and YAI’s Center for Specialty Therapy (CST) are making sure that the people they support are equally prepared. The move, which facilitates YAI’s evolution into a more modern and agile organization, will take place over Labor Day weekend and will transition YAI’s administrative offices as well as the Manhattan offices for Premier and CST from Tenth Avenue to the East Side.

Vanessa Alicea and her son are no strangers to the stress and frustration that comes with trying to communicate during a crisis. Diagnosed with autism as a toddler, Alicea’s son has often struggled to convey his emotions and needs in a way his mother could understand.

On July 25, YAI’s annual Leadership Summit drew 305 of the organization’s senior staff for a day of team building, professional development, and valuable insights from a world-famous leadership coach.

On July 18 and 19, the International Academy of Hope (iHOPE) held its fifth and largest annual Olympics at Harlem’s DREAM Charter School.

On June 26, a man at YAI’s Alan Butger residence in Queens got a special visit from some old friends. As a child, Heimowitz spent 8 years in the Boy Scouts. Ever since he left, he has longed to reconnect with the organization that played such an important role in his early life.

Mary Cronin, a woman who attends YAI Brentwood’s Day Habilitation Program, is eager to share her stories. Between her many interests and large network of friends and family, she has no shortage of material.

On June 30, the first wave of 20 campers arrived in the Catskills for their first day of YAI's Mainstreaming at Camp (MAC) program.

On June 27, YAI staff threw a summer-themed party to celebrate people we support who completed this spring’s Life Skills, a class provided by YAI’s Transition to Independence program.