Enabling the potential of people with developmental disabilities, enriching our communities
Kacey Mitchell—Receives Goldman Award
NHR’s Director of Program Services, Kacey Mitchell is the 2025 recipient of the Goldman Award! The Goldman is NHR’s highest honored conferred on staff. Kacey’s nomination read as follows:
“Kacey Mitchell has exemplified the very best of leadership, compassion, and commitment. Her influence reaches far beyond her official role, touching the lives of co-workers, individuals, and the community in ways that are both profound and lasting.
From the beginning, Kacey has led with heart. She approaches every challenge with unwavering dedication, balancing the needs of the organization with the dignity and well-being of those we serve. Her decisions are guided not by convenience, but by integrity. Always asking, “What is the right thing to do?” and following through with action.
Under her leadership, our workplace has become not just a place of employment, but a place of belonging. She sees the potential in people, nurturing growth through mentorship, encouragement, and leading by example. Kacey has a rare gift for making each person feel valued, heard, and understood, whether they are staff members, residents, or community partners.
Her vision has driven innovation, her resilience has guided us through challenges, and her compassion has brought light in moments of hardship. Time and again, she has stepped in, not because she had to, but because she genuinely cares. This consistency of character, paired with her ability to inspire trust and unity, has made her an vital foundation of our organization. The Golden Memorial Award is more than recognition, it symbolizes a legacy of excellence. Kacey Mitchell’s legacy is one of kindness, courage, and a relentless pursuit of bettering the lives of others. Her impact will be felt for generations, and this honor would serve as a lasting testament to the extraordinary leader and human being she is.
What is the Goldman Award?
The Goldman Award is the highest honor conferred by NHR. It is presented to a person within NHR in memory of Israel Goldman. Mr. Goldman was a loving husband, stalwart yet gentle advocate for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, a man loved for his active and personal interest in others, a person who taught everyone around him that a successful life is defined more by who you are than what you have done, and a participant in New Horizons’ services.
The Goldman Award honors an individual in the NHR family who has exhibited extraordinarily unselfish, principled and mission-driven behavior. Some examples are: demonstrating heroic intervention in difficult circumstances, protecting life, advancing human rights in a notable way, achieving accomplishments in the field that enhance services and supports, trail blazing worthwhile innovative services and lifestyles, and providing substantial and exceptional positive influence on the lives of others.
NHR Hosts SANYS U!
This year, NHR has partnered with SANYS to host SANYS U which is a six-session series of self-advocate led learning sessions where people receiving supports can learn to become/develop their skills as self-advocates. SANY U sessions are being held at NHR’s WOW hub in Hyde Park in May and June. People from NHR, Abilities First, Devereux and the ARC are attending.
SANYS stands for the Self Advocacy Association of New York State. SANYS is a not-for-profit organization, run by people with developmental disabilities. SANYS’ mission is to help people with disabilities learn to speak up for themselves, individual-ly and collectively, as leaders in the community. Their activities include annual regional and statewide conferences Every year people look forward to learning more about speaking up for themselves and others and having a great time meeting up with old friends and making new ones. NHR is a proud sponsor of the 2025 SANYS conferences.
For more information on SANYS, please see: https://sanys.org/news-and-events/.
What Rain? Family & Friends Picnic a Success!
On Saturday, June 7th, several hundred people gathered together under a pavilion at Cluett Schantz Memorial Park in Milton, NY to celebrate the remarkable community that is NHR at our 2025 Family & Friends Picnic! In addition to good company and good food, the West Road Band provided entertainment for all.
While the weather conspired against us with rain (heavy at times!), the feedback from picnic goers was that people had a good time and that as people were congregated under the main pavilion, that there was more opportunity to socialize and catch up. See the wonderful photos by clicking the link below see the gallery and you will probably come to the same conclusion!
The picnic was a success because of the hard work of NHR staff who took on planning and staffing the event as extra duties and several volunteers who helped as well.
Many thanks to the following NHR staff and volunteers (some pictured in the gallery) who made the Family & Friends Picnic a success!
Katie Briggs, Steve Constable, Dottie Denunzio, Malorie Greenspan, Ricky Fareira, Vickie Fitzpatrick, Ed Fitzpatrick, Tatyana Hargrove, Darryl Hey, Nancy Howell, Mahlon Groom, Nick Malcuit, Najiba Meskadi, Andrew Petrovitz ,Fran Sitter, Nancy Slauson, Alicia Smith, Aaron Swan, Sandi Swan, Dave Tanguay, Amelia Williams and Austyn Wolford.
Click here or the cake to view the picnic gallery!
Alicia Smith and Sade Rowley Graduate from Executive Leadership Program
Felicia Brown, Tatyana Hargrove and Janna Welsh Complete FLS Training Program
NHR’s Ada Drive IRA Open Now!
