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Cheryelle Cruickshank Executive Director
Owen King Board Chair
NYC NYC
PROGRAMS
PARENT AND FAMILY ENGAGEMENT:
Providing the guidance, tools, and assistance caregivers need to best support and advocate for their child.
HELP LINE delivers individualized direct assistance by skilled staff who provide information, guidance, referrals, and support in English, Spanish, and 200+ other languages on wide-ranging disability topics.
WORKSHOPS AND TRAININGS foster skill-building and knowledge in sessions (online and in-person) led by staff and guest presenters who have expertise in key disability topics.
PARENT SUPPORT GROUPS, in English and Spanish, offer caregivers the opportunity to provide mutual support, share resources, celebrate successes, and build a sense of community, while promoting awareness of and access to disability services.
EARLY CHILDHOOD INITIATIVE addresses the unique needs of parents with children age 5 and younger who have known or suspected disabilities and developmental delays. Through targeted workshops, Help Line, multilingual resources, and support groups, we increase knowledge and connection to critical support.
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT and ORGANIZATIONAL TRAINING supports schools and other organizations in building their skills and systems, to engage families as partners in improving student outcomes.
YOUTH AND TRANSITION SERVICES:
Designed to help youth with disabilities (ages 14-26) explore and pursue postsecondary goals while developing life and self-advocacy skills.
PROJECT POSSIBILITY provides intensive, individualized support to help young adults with disabilities draft and implement a personalized postsecondary action plan based on their strengths, skills, and aspirations.
BRIDGES experiential workshops and activities build soft skills that are essential for success in college, employment, and independent living.
CAREER LAUNCH offers professional development and technical assistance to help staff at job readiness, college-based, and community related workforce development programs more effectively support youth with disabilities.
COLLEGE IS POSSIBLE is an annual event that encourages young people and their families to consider college as a viable postsecondary option.
PROGRAMS
PARTNER AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT:
Building a network of allies and collaborators who bolster our capacity to disseminate resources and connect with the community.
INCLUDEnyc FAIR is New York City’s oldest and largest resource fair of educational, recreational, and program service providers for young people with disabilities, where families can meet with representatives from more than 70 exhibitors in a single day.
OUTDOORS FOR AUTISM offers an afternoon of engagement, connection, and fun activities for families of children on the autism spectrum. This event brings families together in a supportive, welcoming environment.
MULTILINGUAL RESOURCES provide up-to-date materials with crucial tools, information, and guidance. Navigator, Navegador, and ACCESS are comprehensive email roundups providing families and professionals with vital disability related news, information, and events.
Watch
INCLUDEnyc in action
As both a professional and parent of a young adult son with developmental disabilities, there has never been a more important time than now for INCLUDEnyc to bring the parent perspective to policy, and for elected and government officials to hear our voices.
-Lori
Podvesker, MS Ed. Director of Disability and Education Policy at INCLUDEnyc
Public Partners
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Parent Training and Information Center Collaborative member for New York City and Long Island, providing free support and information on disability-related issues, rights, and resources. Authorized by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), Parent Training and Information Centers (PTICs) offer free support to families of children with any known or suspected disability, to help them understand their rights, navigate special education, and effectively participate Community Parent Resour Bronx and northern Manha training for families, youth
INCLUDEnyc’s public sector connections are robust and include federal, state, and city partnerships that support our work with families and professionals.
REAL Transition Partners is a partnership of five organizations leading a network of 26 PTICs and CPRCs across the northeastern United States and the Caribbean, providing young adults with disabilities and their families with information and support as they transition to postsecondary education or employment.
NEW YORK STATE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT, OFFICE OF SPECIAL EDUCATION
Family and Community Engagement (FACE) Centers for New York City’s five boroughs promote meaningful family involvement within the educational system, building collaborative community relationships, and providing information and training about service options and systems for early childhood and school-age youth.
NEW YORK CITY COUNCIL
Autism Awareness Initiative is a leading provider of autism-related programs, offering direct assistance, training, events, and information for families with a child on the autism spectrum.
At A Glance
3,205
Top 5 Workshop Topics:
What is an Individualized Education Program (IEP) For Families of School-Age Students?
Explicit Vocabulary Instruction (EVI) for Parents
Positive Solutions for Families
CPSE to CSE for Parents
What is an Individualized Education Program (IEP) For Families of Preschool Students ?
Our Impact
92% of respondents said they felt more confident after participating in the training
97% of our workshop attendees said the training “increased my knowledge and/or skills on the topic.”
99% of Project Possibility participants created individualized transition plan.
100% of Career Launch participants reported developing new knowledge.
97% of attendees identified one or more strategy they will use to increase the effectiveness of their work with youth with disabilities
On our Help Line, 97% of English-language respondents and 98% of Spanish-language respondents said the information shared was useful, and high quality. The same constituents said that we helped them feel more confident. Also 96% of participants who spoke English/89% who spoke Spanish reported increased knowledge.
INCLUDEnyc: Building Communities within our Community
“Our journey is more than just a timeline of events; it is a testament to what happens when mothers refuse to give up, and instead, lean into one another,” Karlen says.
As of 3/1/26
As of 3/1/26
Board of Directors
Owen P.J. King, Chair President and CEO, Stonehurst Management, LLC
Alana Cheeks-Lomax, Secretary Entrepreneur
Eduardo S. F. Alves, Treasurer
Senior Director, Head of Credit Intelligence, KBRA
Ellen Miller-Wachtel
Retired Vice President and Deputy General Counsel, Major League Baseball
Jamie Klein
CEO, North Fifth Services
Shon E. Glusky
Partner, Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton LLP
Marie Hill
Partner, KPMG LLC
Richard Hofstetter
Retired Partner, Frankfurt, Kurnit, Klein, & Selz, PC
Yi Han Coogan Executive Director Life Insurance Case Management 2 @JP
Donors & Funders
The Esther and Pedro Rosenblatt Foundation shares INCLUDEnyc's mission of improving the lives of children with disabilities and their families. INCLUDEnyc expands access to vital services and opportunities for children with disabilities and their families through advocacy, education, and system navigation. Through its programs, the organization amplifies family voices and provides essential support that strengthens communities and creates spaces where children with disabilities can thrive.
- Lilly Davis, US Consultant
The Esther and Pedro Rosenblatt Foundation
What Your Gift Supports
How to Support Us—and Why!
All of INCLUDEnyc’s work is grounded in this mission, vision, and statement of values. Everything we do is only possible because of our generous family of supporters like YOU.
Mission
INCLUDEnyc’s mission is to promote positive futures and enhance the quality of life for New York City children and youth with disabilities, ages birth through 26, and their families. INCLUDEnyc empowers families of children and youth with disabilities with the knowledge, confidence, and skills to make informed decisions, effectively access and navigate systems and services, and advocate for themselves and other young people with disabilities and their families. INCLUDEnyc supports educators, youth workers, and other professionals to partner with families for successful, person-centered services, and to support and promote a family voice in the policy process.
Vision
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2503, New York, NY 10018
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Donate through a Donor-Advised Fund (DAF)
We envision a world where there is love, equity, and access for all young people with disabilities.
Values
We ground ourselves and our work in the values of TEACH: Teamwork, Empathy, Accountability, Commitment, and Honesty.
DAF Direct enables you to donate to INCLUDEnyc (formerly Resources for Children with Special Needs) directly from your DAF. If your DAF sponsoring organization does not participate in DAF Direct, please contact Laura-Ann Pafundi at LPafundi@includenyc.org or 212-6774650 x20.
