Disability Opportunity Fund Celebrates 15th Anniversary

*** DOF also gave away $250,000 to companies from across the country as part of a Shark-Tank-Like Pitch Competition, Underscoring Its Commitment to the Disability Community ***

As part of The Disability Opportunity Fund’s (DOF) 15th anniversary celebration, Maidenbaum Property Tax Reduction Group announced the contribution of $75,000 in grants to 15 Long Island nonprofit organizations that support people with disabilities. The grants were made possible through the sponsorship of Maidenbaum Property Tax Reduction Group's "From the Community, For the Community" Program. Each organization received a $5,000 grant as part of the Disability Opportunity Fund's commitment to supporting their valuable work. Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman was also on hand to assist in the distribution of the checks to the nonprofits.

A community development financial institution (CDFI), DOF provides specialized services to a broad range of business sectors and nonprofits supporting the disability community. The grants were also given in recognition of National Disability Employment Awareness Month, a time to recognize the contributions of workers with disabilities and the important role they play in our communities.

“We are in this community and want to be supportive of this community,” said Maidenbaum founder Shalom Maidenbaum. “This was an obvious donation that will be incredibly beneficial to the disabled community.”

“This is the type of program that gives people just the kind of help they need,” said Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman. “We are thrilled to be able to provide these nonprofit organizations with the financial resources they need to continue to make a difference in the lives of people in the disability community here in Long Island.”

“We are proud to be a part of this initiative by providing much-needed financial support to organizations that serve and, in some cases, employ people with disabilities,” said Disability Opportunity Fund President and CEO Charles Hammerman. “These organizations represent a diverse range of services and support for individuals with disabilities, and we are excited to contribute to their missions.”

The 15 Nassau County-based non-profit organizations receiving $5,000 grants from DOF are Community Mainstreaming Associates, Inc. (CMA), Family & Children’s Association, The Marion & Aaron Gural JCC, Karen’s Hope, Kulanu, La Fuerza CDC, Long Island Sled Hockey, Inc., The Lisa Beth Gerstman Foundation, The Hagedorn Little Village School, Mill Neck Family of Organizations (MNFO), The Nicholas Center, North Shore Autism Circle, Backyard Players & Friends, Sunrise Day Camp-Long Island and YAI.

“These grants give us the opportunity to help the disabled community,” said Co-Founder of The Nicholas Center Stella Spanakos. “We are very grateful, to be celebrating with all of these non-for-profits, and we're very proud of the work that's being done by the county executive, Charlie Hammerman and Maidenbaum.”

As part of its 15th anniversary celebrations, DOF also selected eight companies to compete in a unique Shark Tank-style pitch competition, with the chance to win up to $250,000. The first-place prize was awarded to Delaware-based Valence Vibrations, which walked away with $50,000. Other participating companies that received smaller award totals included Guiding Technologies, Wave Therapeutics, Exokinetics, JoyDew, JelikaLite, ASD.ai (Rootines) and RightHear.

“Thank you so much to Disability Opportunity Fund for this opportunity,” said Valence Vibrations Co-Founder and CEO Chloe Duckworth. “This capital is going to accelerate our growth to be able to support more neurodiverse people and help in building digital accessibility.”

These companies, each with unique projects and proposals, are determined to make a difference in the lives of those with disabilities. DOF's selection is a testament to their commitment to innovation and the development of groundbreaking solutions within the disability community.

To learn more about the Disability Opportunity Fund, please visit thedof.org or their Facebook and Instagram pages.