The following blog post was originally presented at the 2024 NAELA Conference in Boston on…
Once upon a time, there was a little girl named Theresa who had a pink wheelchair. She had big brown eyes, fabulous pigtails, and the greatest smile on earth. Every day she would go to school in a small yellow bus.
Theresa and her friends worked very hard in school, as good grades did not come easy. Their favorite part of the day was recess because they got to play on the playground. Theresa loved motion, music, and being outside.
When Theresa died, her family and friends established the Theresa Foundation to help children like her. In her short lifetime, she was an inspiration to anyone she met. In her memory, the Foundation supports music, dance, art and recreation programs locally in Long Island, NY and all over the country.
Each year, the Theresa Foundation hosts the Theresa Awards to recognize the outstanding efforts of individuals who go above and beyond in helping and advocating for those with special needs. The Awards are presented at the Annual Theresa Awards Dinner held on the Friday evening closest to Theresa’s birthday. This is the Foundation’s main fundraiser of the year, which enables the Foundation to fund programs in the areas of music, dance, art and recreation.
To learn more about the Theresa Foundation, please visit www.theresafoundation.org.

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