Caribbean Life, Mar. 31-Apr. 6, 2022 Years of Helping People With Autism
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with special needs in Little Neck, Queens
— with half of the residents coming
from Willowbrook and others from the
Queens community. This facility would
soon become a model used across the state
for humane and adequate care for this vulnerable
population.
“Following the lawsuit, it paved the
way for new laws on the books to allow
for a new concept, embraced by the care
providers of this vulnerable community,
known as group homes,” Schneps said.
“We laid the groundwork to revolutionize
the industry, bringing dignified care to
these individuals, while leaving the largescale
wards in the past. What this did was,
it allowed group home settings to become
lifetime homes for individuals with special
needs, with peers and friends, activities,
and recreation. When we purchased the
first group home, there was resistance in
the community, and we won the case in
Queens Supreme Court that ruled that
group residences have rights to be in R1
and R2 residential neighborhoods.”
The state now funds group home settings,
where qualified and certified caregivers
with expertise, knowledge, education
and training all contribute to the
quality-of-life and independence-focused
care model.
“Our biggest challenge, on the industry
wide level, is continuing to fight for
New York State to properly staff and
fund group homes,” Schneps stated, about
where advocacy has been most impactful
of late. “Many people in our community
involve intense, personal care, which is
costly, but critical. Group residences provide
a warm home, where individuals can
take pride in the progress they are making
on a daily basis, and expand their personal
horizons.”
While her involvement may have started
50 years ago, the advocacy continues
for Schneps, whose life has been dedicated
to bringing support for Life’s WORC. In
recognition of her efforts, Life’s WORC
will be honoring Schneps at their 50th
Anniversary Celebration Gala slated for
April 1, alongside Geraldo Rivera. The
sold-out, star-studded gala is slated to take
place at the Garden City Hotel.
Funding has poured in from many of
New York’s most notable, including but not
limited to a $50,000 donation from honoree
Rivera and his current and former Fox
News Channel colleagues. Top-rated news
anchor Sean Hannity donated $50,000, as
did former host Bill O’Reilly. Various other
Long Islanders and New Yorkers have
opened their wallets, and their hearts, to
give to a cause that continues to thrive
after five decades of changing lives for the
better. Also contributing the maximum
donations are The Koufakis family, the
Rogan family, Subaru of America, and the
Manes Peace Prize Foundation.
“Life’s WORC has become my life’s
work, literally,” Schneps said, “preventing
atrocities like Willowbrook from ever happening
again. It takes vigilance, it takes a
commitment of a whole community, and
it takes the generosity of those who are
willing to support our cause. The support
that Life’s WORC has gotten for our 50th
Anniversary Gala is more than just overwhelming
and humbling, but a statement
that we remember Willowbrook, and we
care to make sure that this never happens
again.”
“This 50th Anniversary Gala is really a
celebration of people living with dignity
in this vulnerable community, in comparison
with what happened in the past,”
she continued. “It’s a celebration of a new
chapter that began with the bravery and
courage of a few, and the dedication of
many more to make sure that what happened
in the past is never forgotten.”
Schneps said that Life’s WORC now
operates 50 group residences, day programs,
and family centers for those with
autism, and will soon open a job-training
employment center.
“The Family Center for Autism in Garden
City is offering art classes, music
classes, cooking classes — all things that
develop life skills for individuals,” Schneps
added. “At our family centers, we are helping
not just those with autism and special
needs, but also their families, with counseling
and other resources.”
Schneps is now a community newspaper
publisher, owning and operating 88 newspapers
in the New York metropolitan area,
with her son, Josh Schneps. That began
in 1985 with her flagship publication The
Queens Courier, but now includes such
papers as amNew York Metro, the Long
Island Press, and Dan’s Papers, serving
New York City, Long Island, Westchester
and Rockland Counties, Philadelphia, and
Palm Beach County, Fla.
Vicki said her inspiration to join the
news media was the reporting done by
Geraldo nearly five decades ago, which
gave a voice to the voiceless, and taught
her the power of the press in affecting
change.
“I found purpose in publishing,” Schneps
said. “Our publications are the beacons of
reporting by which New Yorkers and people
around the world gather information
and make informed decisions, find opinions,
and become inspired to act.”
Geraldo Rivera.
“While I see this as my job, my love and
devotion is, and will always be, helping
people with developmental disabilities and
autism overcome challenges and live fulfilling
lives,” she concluded. “That is my
mission, and I am proud of all those who
work with me towards this goal.”
From left, Elizabeth, Lara and Victoria Schneps.