residential living

As the election season draws to an end, months of debates, lawn signs, and TV ads have given way to “I Voted” stickers. The 2020 election is taking place in the middle of a pandemic, which has claimed more than 200,000 lives in the U.S. alone. People of all walks of life have been affected, but vulnerable groups have borne the brunt of the casualties.

“I don’t speak with words, and my friends don’t speak in sign, but they will stand by me and make contact, we gesture to make ourselves clear,” said Luis Mandato, resident at YAI’s Flatbush residence in Brooklyn and a former graduate of the American School for the Deaf (ASD).

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.

On a brisk February evening, 22 people trickled through the doors of YAI’s Tarrytown Day Habilitation Center, teeth chattering from nerves and the chilly air. Though they represented a broad range of ages, backgrounds, and abilities, they were united by the same goal: to make a meaningful connection with others at YAI’s inaugural Get 2-Gether celebration.

Even as the sky darkened and puddles collected on the lawn of their apartment complex in Westwood, New Jersey, Lisa Zabielski and Jenna DeNoble didn’t let the weather drown out their Halloween plans. “We love having friends over, so we’re throwing a Halloween pizza party tonight,” Zabielski said, smiling. “We’ll have a bucket of candy and put on some movies so no one has to go out in the rain.”

From the moment they were born 33 years ago, fraternal twins Andy and Michael Platt have been inseparable. For years, the brothers shared a room in their father’s house in Suffolk County, Long Island, and attended YAI’s WAVE day program.

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.

As Emily Heiss approached the U-shaped brick home, her heart raced. It was her first day on the job as a Direct Service Professional (DSP) at YAI’s Old South Path residence

Thanks to quick thinking and seamless coordination among YAI’s Long Island staff, residents at YAI’s Sprucewood location are settling back into their routines after an electrical fire destroyed part of their home on March 25. The bright spring day turned ominous when smoke alarms sounded throughout the rooms at Sprucewood. Although there was no immediate sign of fire, the home’s staff leapt into action to make sure everyone was safely evacuated.

Phone calls are a constant in a residential program. Whether it’s the bus matron giving a heads up on an arrival time, a family member calling with a question, or a robocall offering an extended car warranty, the phone is always ringing. Recently, one phone call at YAI’s Foothill residence in Queens brought some heartwarming news.