From the start, the program, characterized by professionalism with a focus on each child’s and family’s individual needs, has blossomed into five schools located in Rockland County, Nassau County and Kings County and a camp school/summer program in upstate New York, serving the educational needs of 1,400 children from North America, Israel and Europe.
Our mission has been and continues to be, to build a brighter future for people with developmental disabilities.
In June of 2010, as an implementation of the Beth Din Settlement Agreement, a new board of directors was voted in and includes three prominent business people, a respected attorney and a renowned judge. The entire board was revitalized to continue the organization’s sacred work in an ethical, transparent and business-like manner. The organization’s financial reports — the IRS 990 Form — are available on the Internet for anyone to view.
HASC was and continues to be managed on a day-to-day basis by the exemplary three-member executive management team (EMT). They are Rabbi Shlomo Stern, Susan Slater and Paula Davis. Between them they have over 90 years of dedicated service at HASC. Starting May 1, Bernard (Moshe) Kahn will join this team as director of strategic planning.
The board has retained the legal services of David Samuels, who heads the nonprofit practice at Duval & Stachenfeld LLP. He was a deputy chief of the New York Attorney General’s Charities Bureau from 1987 to 1995. He is very active in the HASC organization and his wise counsel is sought on an almost daily basis.
The board meets at least four times a year. Each meeting is comprised of the board members, the EMT, David Samuels, outside auditors and other financial experts.
Board minutes are printed and distributed to all attendees and various governmental funding agencies.
The board and management recognize their fiduciary and moral responsibilities to our special children, their parents and donors of HASC. We have done so in the past and will continue to do so in the future.
In conclusion, as Esty Edell of Toronto, quoted in your article, said, “It’s very sad because in the end, the children lose out.” If we cannot continue our fundraising, if we cannot provide this heaven on earth, where will the special kids from Toronto go this summer?
As we sit around the table and celebrate the holiday that started with the refrain “Let my people go,” let’s make sure that we can say, “Let my children go.”
Barry Hertz
Chairman of the HASC
Board of Directors
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