The Viscardi Center announced the creation of the Kornreich Institute for Disability Studies (KIDS) at its signature fundraiser, Celebrity Night, on May 16th. It’s named in recognition of the lead donors, John and Janet Kornreich, well-known philanthropists who reside on Long Island and support some of The Viscardi Center and Henry Viscardi School’s most impactful, transformative initiatives. “To whom much is given, much is expected,” quoted Janet Kornreich as the couple introduced the vision for the Institute. The Institute will promote a culture of disability equity and inclusion for people with disabilities.
“I think this will be the largest single project in the history of Viscardi,” shared John Kornreich. “Its mission is to inform, educate, inspire and entertain.” Its museum-style content, oral history components, and interactive technology will be incorporated into the curriculum at Henry Viscardi School, which serves medically fragile students with severe physical disabilities. This will serve to build students’ confidence and promote social and emotional learning.
Further, the Institute will be a resource to educate nondisabled students and the public about the disability experience, as it will be made available to local schools, colleges and universities, businesses, organizations, disability scholars, and government entities. The goal is to facilitate increased awareness about the accomplishments of people with disabilities on Long Island, in New York, and throughout the United States.
During his remarks about the Institute, Mr. Kornreich provided a compelling example of the type of educational content that will be a part of it, presented in an entertaining way. He told the story of Jim Abbott, a one-handed, American professional baseball pitcher who exceeded everyone’s expectations except his own. He noted Abbott enjoyed an award-winning college career at the University of Michigan, led the U.S. Olympic team to a gold medal in 1988, was drafted by Major League Baseball’s California Angels, and threw a no-hitter in 1993 as a New York Yankee in a 4-0 win against the Cleveland Indians. Following this impressive list of accomplishments, Mr. Kornreich introduced video of Abbott’s no-hitter, which brought the significance of the project to light.
Viscardi’s President and CEO, Dr. Chris Rosa, described KIDS as the Kornreich’s boldest venture yet. “This Institute will focus on teaching students enrolled in K-12 about disability history and disability culture. Henry Viscardi School students will not only learn social studies and culture through a disability studies lens, they will be empowered to teach their peers without disabilities about disability history and culture from their own distinctive perspectives and in their own authentic, resonant voices. “Alluding to a larger, national element of the project focusing on preserving disability history, Dr. Rosa added, “At the heart of KIDS will be something unique and, quite literally, historic.”
In an interview after his no-hitter, Abbott shared a pertinent reminder: “Just because you do things a little bit differently, it doesn’t mean you can’t do them just as well.” That’s just the message the Kornreich Institute for Disability Studies, set to open fall 2025, is meant to drive home for all who visit.