Richard J. O'Brien Foundation Presents $25,000 To NIS

Press release from NIS:

Feb. 6, 2023

The New Interdisciplinary School, a nonprofit preschool serving students with and without disabilities up to age five, is pleased to have received a generous donation of $25,000 from the Richard J. O’Brien Foundation. This contribution was made possible through the donations they raised at an event they held on September 20, 2022 at Bijou in Melville, NY. This funding will be used to purchase playground structures and equipment appropriate for toddlers and young preschoolers, including those that are unable to climb and may not have the gross motor skills of the older preschoolers.

“This playground will be a safe place for our younger students and some of the students in our smaller classes to grow and play. The structures will encourage imaginative play in a safe outdoor space and will enable more children to be outdoors at one time,” said Susan Cali, Director of Development.

“We are also grateful to have had our golf committee recently help us raise money to build an outdoor sensory area for our students, with equipment additions we purchased with funding raised by an alumnus’ bar mitzvah project and an art sale run by a parent of one of our students,” she continued. “Fundraisers such as this are what help our nonprofit preschool enhance all of the programs and services at our school, so we are so appreciative. We have a golf outing coming up on July 10th at the Port Jefferson Country Club we are very excited about.”

The New Interdisciplinary School (NIS) is an innovative early childhood learning center that respects the unique needs of all children and their families. Their commitment is to provide therapeutic and educational services in a nurturing environment with the highest standard of expertise. For more information, visit www.niskids.org.

NIS is part of the Kinexion network, having joined the Management Service Organization (MSO) in 2022. Kinexion simplifies the day-to-day operations of seven not-for-profit organizations that support more than 5,000 people with disabilities by providing a solid infrastructure of finance, information technology, human resources, corporate compliance, purchasing, maintenance and logistics. Kinexion provides its affiliate agencies with operational and financial strength so they can focus on what they do best: provide support and services that enable people with disabilities and their families to live their best lives, for life.

The Richard J. O’Brien Foundation is dedicated to honoring the memory of its namesake, who was active in several non-profit children’s organizations across Long Island. Started by O’Brien’s family and friends, the Foundation, an all-volunteer association, supports charities focusing on children in need of special care and bereavement counseling. It also aids organizations dealing with children’s health issues. For more information on the Foundation, visit rjofoundation.org.

This press release was produced by NIS. The views expressed here are the author's own.