treatment of individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorders
May 18, 2019 was a picture perfect day for NSSA’s 13th Annual 5K Run Walk for Autism Awareness. The sky was blue, the sun was shining and a light breeze kept everyone cool while running.
This was a special year as the run was moved to beautiful Eisenhower Park in East Meadow. This is a more central location for many people as well as a scenic spot with generous shade trees and grassy picnic areas for relaxing after the run. We hope this made for a great experience for our runners and their friends and families.
The day began with a generous breakfast spread of bagels, bananas, oranges and Entenmann’s and home baked goods by our own Connie Grassle. Gatorade, orange juice and water was available to quench our guests’ thirsts. Thank you to all our Breakfast Sponsors for keeping our runners fed and refreshed!
Volunteers from Global Facility Management & Construction, Inc. and both Lynbrook and Half Hollow Hills High Schools were on hand bright and early, balloon filling, course marking, table cleaning, muffin cutting, tee shirt dispensing – all the things that need to happen before a successful run. NSSA families and staff were also on hand to help out where needed. We couldn’t do it without their tireless help.
The race went off right on time at 8:30am and runners sped around a 3.1 mile course.
And as always, we welcome walkers too!
We were excited to see so many NSSA students and adult program participants joining in the race after training with the NSSA Run Club this year.
Post-run, Mike Miranda announced the overall and category winners.
Congratulations to James Gallagher for being the overall race winner and Top Overall Male with a time of 19:18 and to Courtney Koleda for coming in as Top Overall Female with a time of 22:50.
You’re ALL winners in our book!
Thanks to the Slone and Miranda families for all their support of Jack’s Run and NSSA.
We couldn’t put on an event like this without the help of our sponsors, volunteers, donors, families and runners. Your generosity means so much to so many.
You can see all the finishers below!
From the time students and clients arrive at NSSA in the morning til the time they leave, their days are filled with learning, job sampling in the community, recreation and physical activity.
NSSA offers Parent Training workshops to help foster learning with challenges at home. In-home respite, a Saturday recreation program and a week-long summertime day camp are available to provide them with enjoyment, structure and leisure activities.
NSSA’s reach also extends beyond our walls with outreach in the form of consultation services to Long Island school districts and twice-yearly Adventureland events and training workshops for teaching professionals.
Your support allows NSSA to offer valuable school, adult and outreach programs such as these. Will you join our Give $5 Tag 5 Campaign for #GivingTuesday on November 27 to help NSSA raise money and spread awareness?
Here’s How!
NSSA celebrated the 20th anniversary of its wonderful Wine Tasting & Auction event on Saturday, November 3, 2018 at the beautiful Garden City Country Club. Friends, families, volunteers, local residents and staff all joined in for the celebration.
There were raffles and other games of chance offering guests many opportunities to win fantastic prizes, such as Frozen on Broadway tickets, a 55” Smart TV and a $1500 Amazon gift card. Many guests went home happy with prize baskets in their arms!
There was, of course, an amazing selection of delicious wines generously donated by Fidele Miranda and Empire Merchants. Thank you Fidele and Empire for supporting our event for 20 years!
Event founders Mary Beth and Pat Miranda were honored for their longstanding support of not only this event but of all NSSA events. Thank you, Mary Beth and Pat, for all you do for NSSA!
In addition to the extravagant wine bar, there was a sumptuous buffet and pass-around appetizers throughout the evening, followed by dessert and coffee.
The astounding generosity of guests was evident throughout the event. Thank you so much to everyone who attended and donated!
Bracelets hand-made by NSSA’s Adult Clients, for sale at the money booth, were the hit of the evening!
Thanks also go to Rob and Laurie Rogers of Tobay Printing for their ongoing support of NSSA and for printing our beautiful event journals.
We have so much gratitude for everyone who attended, donated, volunteered and worked so hard to make this year’s Wine Tasting a success. Special thanks go to our generous sponsors: Champagne Event Sponsors: Mary Beth & Pat Miranda; Wine Sponsors: Fidele Miranda and Empire Merchants; Chardonnay Sponsors: Richard & Merry Slone; Merlot Sponsors: The Cahill Family; Pinot Sponsors: Phil & Carolyn D’Avanzo, The Liggio and Haiduk Families, Mark & Lorraine Healey; Grand Raffle Sponsor: Maureen Fanning and Printing Sponsor: Tobay Printing. Thank you all!
Temperatures soared on Saturday, July 28, but guests still had a good time at NSSA’s 2nd Annual Brew-B-Q at the Great South Bay Brewery in Bay Shore, NY.
Delicious food was prepared by Fireside Caterers of East Northport and people dined throughout the afternoon on grilled burgers, hot dogs and barbecued chicken, side salads and corn on the cob, with cooling watermelon for dessert.
Families and friends played corn hole, can jam, ladder ball, giant jenga and badminton, while younger kids jumped in the bounce house.
The dunk tank was a popular attraction.Thanks to all our “dunkees”!
Some tried their hand at winning prizes at soccer darts and the wheel of chance, and many walked away with whimsical inflatable coasters, gift cards, light-up beer stein pins and more. There were two great prizes raffled off: A Coolest Cooler filled with craft beer from local Long Island breweries and a tour for 14 on Riverhead’s Brew Crew Cyle. Congratulations to the winners and thanks to everyone who bought raffle tickets!
Soar Photo‘s photo booth was a popular spot.
Talented local bands The Big Happy and Arnold on Mars performed throughout the afternoon keeping the atmosphere festive.
Even the kids were transfixed!
And may I just say…NSSA Volunteers Are the Best! They spent the day in sweltering heat, checking people in, selling t-shirts, running games and just in general making sure things went smoothly and guests were fed and having a good time!
Brewery staff helped guests try the different beers and wine.
And friends and families just hung out together and generally had a good time enjoying the festive atmosphere.
We can’t thank Jen O’Malley and Tori Ardito enough for all the hard work, long hours, enthusiasm and love they poured into this event. Thank you!
We especially thank Great South Bay Brewery for their amazing space and all their support in the planning of the event, as well as our generous sponsors – thank you, everyone!
Thanks to everyone who attended, volunteered, sponsored, donated and worked this exciting event!
In spite of threatening skies, Mother Nature graciously held the rain off til just after the last award was handed out, and NSSA’s 12th Annual Jack’s Run for Autism Awareness went off without a hitch.
Over 150 runners came out to run and support NSSA.
Staff, families and even clients participated in the run…
As well as behind the scenes…
Jack himself had a great time running!
There were enthusiastic runners of all ages.
Congratulations to Overall Winner: 12-year-old Alex Addison and and Top Overall Female: 13-year-old Ishil Kirkhan
This gentleman has run Jack’s Run every one of its 12 years – thanks for your support!
We are grateful to the Miranda and Slone families for starting Jack’s Run 12 years ago in support of their nephew and NSSA.
We are so appreciative of everyone who helped make this event a success: runners, volunteers, donors, staff and sponsors.
Thanks to everyone who participated – we look forward to seeing you at future events!
NSSA’s 26th Annual Dinner for Our Children was held on April 14, 2018, the most beautiful day of the year! Guests were greeted at Leonard’s Palazzo by borders of cheerful pansies and daffodils.
Inside, tables were set for over 400 guests, the sumptuous cocktail buffet was open and the bar was taking drink orders.
A casino room, raffles, wheel of chance, prize balloons and prize boards offered guests opportunities to win prizes.
The Money Booth was open to let guests know what activities were available to them, how to play, and to redeem casino money for raffle tickets.
We welcomed familiar faces and made new friends.
Thank you to Carley Shore and Carley’s Kicks for Cure for donating another five iPads to NSSA!
The highlight of the evening was the generosity of our guests when we did a special fundraiser to raise $35,000 to commemorate NSSA’s 35th anniversary. With everyone’s help we not only reached our goal but surpassed it! Thank you to everyone!
And as always, there was an inspiring and moving video which you can see here.
We have so much gratitude for everyone who helped make this night possible – sponsors, donors, guests, families, volunteers, vendors and staff.
Events like this are so important in helping NSSA continue to offer the programs and services that are so needed by individuals and families touched by autism.
THANK YOU.
NSSA held it’s 19th Annual Wine Tasting & Auction at the beautiful Garden City Country Club on Nov. 4, 2017.
The attendance of friends, families, staff member, volunteers and local residents gave the event a real party atmosphere.
There were games of chance and auctions with wonderful prizes to be won…
An amazing buffet…
As always, we thank Fidele Miranda & Empire Merchants for their generosity in donating a wonderful selection of delicious wines.
The astounding generosity of guests when it came time to donate using the thermometer app blew us all away – in just a matter of minutes over $19,000 was raised!!! Thank you so much to everyone who donated!
We also thank Champagne Sponsors, Mary Beth and Pat Miranda, for their generous support – congratulations on another spectacular event.
Thanks also goes to Rob and Laurie Rogers of Tobay Printing for their ongoing support of NSSA.
We have so much gratitude to everyone who attended, sponsored, donated, and worked so hard to make this year’s Wine Tasting a success. Thank you all for helping to make the event a success!
NSSA held it’s first ever Brew-B-Q at the Great South Bay Brewery on Saturday, August 12.
Guests enjoyed unlimited barbecue, beer and wine.
There were plenty of games and activities to keep everyone busy.
Friends and families socialized…
The Fearless performed throughout the afternoon keeping the atmosphere festive.
The photo booth was a popular spot.
But without a doubt the most popular spot was the dunking booth! Adults and kids alike tried their hand at dunking volunteers. Thanks, Stacey, for being such a good sport!
There were two great prizes raffled off:
a 125-quart Igloo cooler filled with craft beer from local Long Island breweries: Great South Bay Brewery, Sand City Brewing Co., Fire Island Beer Company, Oyster Bay Brewing Company, Port Jefferson Brewing Company and Montauk Brewing Company. Thanks to all who donated and helped to make the event a great one!
And two Paul McCartney concert tickets
We thank Great South Bay Brewery for their amazing space and all their support in the planning of the event, as well as our generous sponsors – thank you, everyone!
We’re already thinking of ways to make Brew-B-Q bigger and better next year, so we hope to see you there!
Our April 1 Dinner Dance was no joke, as over 400 guests attended the annual fundraising event. Old and new friends helped celebrate the event’s 25th anniversary at Leonard’s Palazzo in Great Neck, NY.
There was dancing….
Games of chance with wonderful prizes.
We celebrated two graduations from The Martin C. Barell School program into NSSA’s Adult Services program.
Executive Director Nicole Weidenbaum and Event Chairperson Paul Raguso inspired generosity in the crowd and we were able to raise more money than ever before. Thank you to everyone!
Overall, people just had a wonderful time celebrating NSSA and helping to support our programs and services.
Thank you to all the amazing, hardworking people who brought this event to life, as well as our generous sponsors:
If you would like to receive an invitation to next year’s Dinner For Our Children, or any of our events, email dinnerdance@nssa.net.
November 5, 2016 was the night of NSSA’s 18th Annual Wine Tasting at the elegant Garden City Country Club.
We had a wonderful turnout of friends old and new. Families, staff, volunteers, local residents – everyone added to the party atmosphere.
Guests were greeted by our friendly and helpful staff. A new system made check-in and bidding much easier for guests.
Games of chance were manned by enthusiastic volunteers.
There were plenty of wonderful prizes to be won.
We thank Fidele Miranda & Empire Merchants for the wonderful selection and delicious wines.
We are so deeply grateful to everyone present at this year’s Wine Tasting & Auction. Thanks to your incredible generosity, we have reached our goal and will be able to purchase two new vans. This will make a significant difference in the lives of our students and clients. We thank you from the bottom of our hearts!
Thanks to everyone who attended, sponsored, donated, and worked so hard to make this year’s Wine Tasting a success….and a special Thank You to Champagne Event Sponsors Mary Beth and Pat Miranda for another fabulous event!