AHRC NYC’s 76th Annual Meeting celebrated the last year of successes and accomplishments for our agency, while pledging to confront the challenges ahead head-on with determination and resolve.
“We are parents and siblings and people who have been brought together with a single purpose,” said outgoing Board President, Ray Ferrigno. “We believe that institutional and societal norms could and should be challenged. We are called to speak truth to power. I know that many of us here tonight have great concerns about the existential threats to our work and our shared values. And although those fears are indeed real, I am confident that the universe will bend towards justice.”
Looking Back and Looking Ahead
Marco Damiani, AHRC NYC’s CEO, reviewed some of the year’s past accomplishments:
- The Partnership for Inclusive Internships received a Zero Project Award in Vienna, achieving global recognition for a program promoting disability employment and excellence
- The Crisis Respite Transition Program, a specialized transitional housing program supporting safe hospital discharges for people who no longer require hospital-based medical or psychiatric care but are not able to return to their place of residence because their families or caregivers are unable to support their needs
- The publication of AHRC NYC’s latest Annual Report, highlighting 75 years of history supporting people with developmental disabilities and their families
“76 years ago, our founder Ann Greenberg envisioned something better for her child and in doing so creates something better for generations to come,” Marco said. “Together, we are writing the next chapter with innovation, with courage, and with community.”
Presenting Awards
The Annual Meeting also recognizes people receiving services from AHRC NYC who are nominated by departments for their accomplishments. This year’s honorees were:
- Delia Amanuel, Residential Services
- Kareem Andrews, Residential Services
- Ava Brugnolotti, Educational Services
- Pierre Davila, Home Care Services
- Denise Goodman, Family & Clinical Services
- Joseph Ethan Jones, Individualized Support Services
- Alissa Lontoc, Employment & Business Services
- Eddie Morel, Camping & Recreation
- Pascual Santiago, Adult Day Services
Pascual Santiago said, “I’d like to thank everyone for supporting me. I’ve been in AHRC for 11 years, and I’m proud of myself for everything I’ve accomplished.”
The Anne Kraus Award was presented to Henry J. “Hal” Kennedy, an attorney and advocate whose daughter lives in an AHRC NYC residence on Staten Island.
“This award, I’m humbled and grateful, is very, very meaningful to me and made more so because I knew Anne Kraus. She was a dynamo…when you saw Anne Krause at an event like this, you knew you were in the company of a woman who really had that energy and the focus, and you felt good being around her.”
An important part of every year’s Annual Meeting is the installation of the Board of Directors. This year, former OPWDD Commissioner, Kerri Neifeld, did the Board installation. Patricia Murphy was installed as the new incoming Board President.
