Main Office Building Dedication

On October 18, 2023, the Life’s WORC Main Office in Garden City was dedicated in honor of our founder, Victoria Schneps-Yunis, in recognition of not just her efforts to create a better life for people with special needs and change the standard of care back in 1971, but her decades of support to Life’s WORC and the Intellectual and Developmental Disabilles community.

The building dedication ceremony included the honorable Mayor Eric Adams, who shared his thoughts about Victoria and her impact in New York City, Queens, and Long Island, as well as Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman, and Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone.

NY State Assemblywoman Rebecca Seawright, Chair of the People with Disabilities Committee and Life’s WORC supporter also spoke about Victoria’s commitment to the community, Assemblywoman Jodi Giglio, and Assemblymember Charles Lavine, whose recent, very generous donation will help us continue our mission to make a difference in the lives of people with IDD and autism.

Of course the ceremony was not complete without a few words from Geraldo Rivera, whose reporting exposing the atrocities at the Willowbrook School and partnership with Victoria in their mission to make a change for the children and young adults living there have created a lasting impact on the IDD community and Life’s WORC.

Victoria, who was accompanied by her children and grandchildren, reflected on her experiences with Life’s WORC and her personal drive to succeed on behalf of those who were unable to fight for themselves. Her dedication to making a difference is an inspiration to this day.

 Thank you to Life’s WORC Direct Support Professional David Walker and Joe P., a person supported, along with special guest Avril Howell from the NYC Department of Education, for singing “Up Where We Belong” during the dedication unveiling. Additional thanks to family, friends, community members and supporters for joining us for this special ceremony, ribbon cutting and dedication.

To conclude the ceremony, Victoria quoted George Bernard Shaw, “Some people see things as they are and say why? I dream things that never were and say, why not?”Congratulations Victoria! We can’t think of a more worthy person for such an honor.