Adults & Children with Learning & Developmental Disabilities, Inc.

ACLD (Adults and Children with Learning & Developmental Disabilities) has been a prominent non-profit organization on Long Island since 1957. We are dedicated to supporting individuals with autism, learning and developmental disabilities, and their families. Our goal is to empower these individuals to lead enviable lives, enhancing their independence and nurturing community relationships.

From the tender age of three, ACLD offers a spectrum of support and services. These range from Special Education Preschools to lifelong programs including Day Habilitation, Vocational Training, and Residential Services.

What constitutes an enviable life? It varies from one individual to another. At ACLD, we embrace a person-centered approach to understand and prioritize what is most important to each individual we serve.

The roots of ACLD trace back to two separate initiatives that eventually converged. In Nassau County, George Lehr and Abraham Greenberg, both fathers to children with disabilities, established the Nassau Chapter of the New York State Association for Brain Injured Children (NYABIC) in 1957. Simultaneously, in Suffolk County, Jack and Beverly Darcy, also parents of children with disabilities, started the Suffolk Chapter of NYABIC in 1962. Both chapters were united by a common mission to advocate for the educational and social needs of children with disabilities.

By the mid-1970s, both chapters had adopted the name Association for Children with Learning Disabilities (ACLD), and in 1984, they merged. The organization was renamed in 1991 to Adults and Children with Learning and Developmental Disabilities, reflecting our broader mission.

Despite numerous changes over our 65-year history, our core commitment remains unchanged: to ensure that children and adults with autism, learning and developmental disabilities have every opportunity to lead fulfilling, independent lives within an inclusive community.