More than 100 community members participated in the first-ever Autism and Developmental Disabilities Awareness Walk at Phil Rizzuto ‘Smokey Oval’ Park in Richmond Hill on Sunday, May 7.
The event, hosted by Senator Joseph Addabbo Jr. and Community Board 9, brought together elected officials, members of local organizations and families with special needs children who walked around the perimeter of the park four times to raise awareness for those with autism and developmental disabilities.
Community Board 9 Chair Sherry Algredo, who is the mother of a son with autism, said she is grateful to Addabbo who helped plan the event and to everyone who came out to the park to show their support for their friends, neighbors and children with special needs.
“I am so grateful for all of my friends that came out and most of all, my amazing husband who always supports and shares me with the community, and my daughter who is always cheering me on,” Algredo said. “My son, who was diagnosed with Autism at 4, is the reason why I advocate so much and want to help other families. He taught me how to look through the lenses of a person who has special needs and how to advocate and love unconditionally.”
According to Addabbo, the walk was created to raise awareness of what must be done in government — such as providing more robust funding for organizations and creating policy that protects and provides more care and opportunities for those individuals and their families.
“When we all come together like this, we show them that they have support from a wide range of groups, agencies, elected officials and other sources,” Addabbo said.” I want to thank Community Board 9 for helping to make this day happen, all of the volunteers and organization that came by to hand out food, water, snacks and giveaways and all of the people of the community that walked with us around Smokey Oval!”
Attendees at the event included Senator Leroy Comrie, Councilwoman Lynn Schulman, Deputy Borough President Ebony Young, students from Richmond Hill High School and members of Boys Scout Troop 117.
The Federation of Hindu Mandirs presented a check of $500 to Perfect Piece of the Puzzle, a nonprofit that offers support to autistic and developmentally disabled people. Another organization, Heart of Gem, held a raffle for a Swarovski jewel puzzle piece.
Sponsors of the event include Sam Esposito and Angela Nocerino of the Ozone Park Residents’ Block Association, A Better Jamaica, Friends of Phil Rizzuto (Smokey) Park, Federation of Hindu Mandirs, NYFAC, and the Woodhaven Residents’ Block Association. Local organizations such as River Fund Inc., Heart of Gems, the Trinidadian and Tobagonian USA group, Bena Homecare Agency and EmblemHealth, were also partners of the event.
