Helen Keller Services

We were honored to welcome NYC Council Speaker Julie Menin, Council Member Lincoln Restler, and members of the Council's Brooklyn delegation to our HKS Brooklyn office this morning.

CEO Sue Ruzenski welcomed the group and spoke to the longstanding partnership between HKS and the City Council, and to the work we do for children, adults, and seniors who are blind, have low vision, or are DeafBlind across the five boroughs and Long Island. Council Member Restler shared his appreciation for our team and the people we serve, and Speaker Menin voiced her support for HKS, recognizing the importance of our work across the city.

Children from our Children's Learning Center, joined by their teacher and Principal Dr. Avien Henry, presented Speaker Menin with original artwork created for the occasion. Avien and Liz Meade led a tour that included a stop in a preschool classroom, where the Speaker spent time with some of our youngest learners.

From early childhood at the CLC, through vision rehabilitation, assistive technology, and employment services, to our Adaptive Living Program supporting seniors with vision loss in living independently, HKS serves New Yorkers at every stage of life. Thank you to Speaker Menin, Council Member Restler, and the Brooklyn delegation for the visit, for recognizing our work and the communities we serve, and for your continued support of Helen Keller Services.

Image descriptions in comments.

|

Tech Blitz 2026 is one week away.

On May 21 — Global Accessibility Awareness Day — members of the blind, DeafBlind, and low vision communities will come together at Helen Keller National Center in Sands Point, NY for a day of hands-on demos and direct conversation with the developers and companies behind the latest assistive technology.

Attendees come to find technology solutions that address real challenges in education, employment, and independent living, and to put their questions directly to the developers behind it.

For vendors and sponsors, it's direct access to the community their technology is built for, alongside the rehab specialists, vocational counselors, and educators who influence adoption decisions every day.

Full accessibility support on-site all day, including ASL interpreters, tactile interpreters, and accessibility specialists.

Learn more and register to attend: www.helenkeller.org/techblitz2026

Image description:
Promotional graphic for Helen Keller Services Tech Blitz 2026 featuring a photo of an attendee using a magnification device at a previous event. Text reads: Tech Blitz, May 21, 2026, Global Accessibility Awareness Day, , HelenKeller.org/TechBlitz2026. The HKS logo and Tech Blitz logo appear on the graphic.

Last month, Joseph Melillo, HKNC's National Employer & Business Relations Specialist, was joined by HKNC participants Justin Gaines and Anthony D'Artui for a presentation to the Nassau County Legislature. 19 of 22 legislators were in attendance.

The visit was arranged by Legislator Delia DeRiggi-Whitton, whose district includes HKNC's Sands Point campus. Legislators learned about Justin's and Anthony's training in HKNC's Comprehensive Vocational Rehabilitation Program, their career trajectories, and their workplace accommodations.

Joseph presented on HKNC's mission and the employer partnerships that connect participants to careers in their communities. HKNC's vocational team designs individualized training plans built around each participant's skills, interests, and career goals, placing participants at community worksites matched to their objectives. On-site coaching, workplace accommodation planning, and job search preparation, including resume development, interview readiness, and professional self-advocacy, equip participants to transition to employment independently.

We thank Legislator DeRiggi-Whitton for the invitation and look forward to continuing this conversation with Nassau County legislators about employment opportunities for individuals who are DeafBlind.

Image description: Three men stand side by side inside the Peter J. Schmitt Legislative Chamber at Nassau County. On the left, Anthony D'Artui wears a blue and white checkered short-sleeve shirt and dark sunglasses and holds a white cane. In the center, Joseph Melillo wears a gray blazer over a light blue shirt. On the right, Justin Gaines wears a black polo shirt and holds a white cane at his side. The HKNC logo appears in the lower right corner of the image.

| Delia DeRiggi-Whitton - Nassau County Legislator

Last night, supporters from across Long Island gathered at The Stone Goat in Saint James for our first Children's Learning Center Long Island fundraising event.

Guests had the chance to interact with sensory kits and augmentative communication devices at hands-on tables staffed by therapists and educators from our Brooklyn CLC program, getting a real look at the tools and techniques that make a difference for the children we serve. Thank you to The Stone Goat for hosting us, and to our event sponsors G Builders and Mojo Stumer for making the evening possible.

This was our first event on Long Island and we are grateful for every person who showed up, asked questions, and learned about what we're building. Two new specialized preschool centers are opening in Nassau and Suffolk Counties in 2026, and evenings like this one are how we get there. More to come.

Learn more at helenkeller.org/clclongisland.

Image description: A four-photo collage from the Children's Learning Center Long Island fundraising event at The Stone Goat. Top left: Guests mingle and converse at round tables in a warmly lit dining room with exposed brick walls. Top right: A wide view of the venue showing a full house of attendees seated and engaged. Bottom left: A guest interacts with a staff member at the sensory table, exploring one of the hands-on materials on display. Bottom right: CLC staff members pose together in front of HKS Children's Learning Center signage

| G Builders NYC

We look forward to welcoming our friends and supporters tonight at The Stone Goat Restaurant & Brewery in Saint James.

Join us from 6 to 9 PM to support the Helen Keller Services Children's Learning Center Long Island expansion, bringing specialized preschool services for children with complex developmental needs closer to home for families across Suffolk and Nassau Counties.

Tickets are $100 at the link below.

CLC Long Island Fundraiser Join us as Helen Keller Services brings our community together to build support for two new specialized preschools in Suffolk and Nassau Counties—serving children ages 3-5 with visual impairments, autism, Down syndrome, and complex developmental needs.

Happy ASL Interpreter Appreciation Day!

Today we're celebrating the incredible ASL interpreters at Helen Keller National Center who make communication access possible for our entire community, every single day.

Through visual and tactile ASL, you ensure that our participants and staff can connect, collaborate, and engage fully, whether in training sessions, workplace settings, meetings, or community events.

To our interpreting team: your skill, dedication, and presence make a real difference. Thank you for everything you do for HKNC and the DeafBlind community.

ID: An HKNC interpreter and a participant sit facing each other, with their hands connected in tactile ASL communication. The HKNC logo appears in the upper left corner, and bold white text across the bottom reads "Happy ASL Interpreter Appreciation Day."

What an incredible day at the Long Island Autism Connections Walk!

We were so glad to be part of NSASA's first-ever walk, and the turnout was truly something special. Seeing so many families, advocates, and community members come together made for an unforgettable inaugural event.

We had a great time sharing information about the two new Children's Learning Center preschool locations opening on Long Island in 2026, and we're looking forward to staying connected with so many of the families we met.

Thank you to the Nassau Suffolk Autism Society of America for having us and congratulations on an amazing first walk!

Want to learn more or support the CLC expansion? Visit us at www.helenkeller.org/clclongisland, and join us this Thursday, May 7 at The Stone Goat Restaurant and Brewery in Saint James for an evening benefiting the CLC Long Island expansion. Tickets at www.HelenKeller.org/Events/CLCLongIsland.

Image description: Two HKS team members at the Nassau Suffolk Autism Society of America's inaugural Long Island Autism Connections Walk, staffing the HKS Children's Learning Center table. The bright blue branded tablecloth displays the CLC logo and HelenKeller.org/CLCLongIsland. The table features branded giveaways and enrollment information for the two new CLC preschool locations opening on Long Island in 2026.

| Nassau/Suffolk Autism Society of America- NSASA

Proud to be an On the Move Sponsor for NSASA's Long Island Autism Connections Walk this Sunday. We look forward to meeting families and sharing what's ahead as we bring our Children's Learning Center preschools to Long Island. See you at Sunken Meadow!

Thank you On the Move Sponsor: Helen Keller Services
https://www.helenkeller.org/

Last week, our Helen Keller National Center Regional Representatives came together at our headquarters in Sands Point for their bi-annual group meeting.

For individuals who are DeafBlind, their families, and the agencies that serve them, an HKNC Regional Representative is an advocate and a life-long point of contact to specialized services and resources. Through 11 regional offices covering all 50 states and U.S. territories, they provide consultation, advocacy, training, and referrals. They also work alongside HKNC's DeafBlind Employment Specialists, who provide individualized career planning, job readiness training, placement, and ongoing job retention support directly in people's home communities.

Whether partnering with vocational rehabilitation counselors, schools, healthcare providers, or employers, our regional reps are often the first point of contact for anyone seeking specialized DeafBlind services in their area.

Find your regional representative at www.helenkeller.org/hknc/regional-network.

Image Description: Group photo of Helen Keller National Center Regional Representatives and senior leadership at HKNC headquarters in Sands Point, NY.