The Disabilities Network of New York City (DNNYC) is working to re-design its website and increase housing advocacy, transportation and media projects as a volunteer organization.
DNNYC defines its mission as, “To bring people, organizations, government and industry together to find solutions to the challenges faced by New Yorkers with disabilities.”
DNNYC became an all-volunteer organization in May 2010 when expected funding sources failed to materialize, including one funder’s decision not to renew the second year of a grant. This left the Fund for the City of New York, DNNYC’s fiscal conduit, with an $80,000 deficit for supporting its work. The Fund could no longer afford to subsidize the organization without additional funding sources.
Paul Feuerstein, board chair, Nancy Miller, former board chair and Susan Scheer, a long-time disability activist make up the central organizing team for DNNYC’s steering committee. They released a statement praising the Fund for its help.
“We are extremely grateful for all of the support and encouragement that the Fund has given to the Network over the years. We continue to have a strong working relationship with its leadership and staff as an incubator project and the promise to continue to be our fiscal conduit. In order to give us a fresh start, the Fund has generously forgiven the past debt so that all present and future contributions could be devoted to rebuilding DNNYC,” the statement said.
In board meetings since the transition began in May, a decision was made to focus on three key issues: housing, transportation and media. Feuerstein is working with Don Rickenbaugh of the Center for Independence of the Disabled, New York on housing advocacy. Judith Goldiner, an attorney for Legal Aid, has joined the committee to work on housing issues.
Chris Noel, president of the 504 North Star, will co-chair the transportation committee, which is still in formation. DNNYC is also working with the Manhattan Borough President’s Disability Task Force.
For media outreach, DNNYCC is focusing on maintaining an active listserv and working on images of people with disabilities in the media. Edith Prentiss, vice president for legislative affairs of Disabled in Action, will maintain the listerv. Chris O’Donoghue, a retired WWOR-TV reporter, is working with Prentiss to continue collaboration projects with college students that Lawrence Carter-Long had done.
DNNYC is working to raise $6,000 to complete a re-design of its website to enable more frequent content updates. VISIONS continues to donate space for forums and meetings.
Anyone who would like to donate money can send checks with “DNNYC” in the notes section to: Fund for the City of New York, 121 Avenue of the Americas, 6th Floor, New York, NY 10013.
This article was published in the February 2011 issue of Able News.
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