Hundreds of Long Islanders golfed to support children & adults with autism and other developmental disabilities
 
(Smithtown, NY) Developmental Disabilities Institute (DDI), the leading service provider for children and adults with autism on Long Island, hosted its 22nd Annual Golf Classic at two of the North Shore’s most prestigious courses, the Pine Hollow Country Club and the Woodside Acres Country Club on Monday, June 11th. The post-golf reception took place at the Pine Hollow Country Club where golfers enjoyed a gourmet cocktail reception and dinner spread followed by the awards presentation and live auction.
 
Thanks to a dedicated committee led by Nick Racanelli and Joseph Schmidt of Carter, De Luca and Schmidt, LLP, the annual Golf Classic was a success.  Both courses and the post-golf reception was filled with hundreds of men and women from across Long Island who share a common commitment to raising money and awareness for Autism.  Former New York Mets and Yankee star Darryl Strawberry took part in the action to raise money for the worthy cause.
 
Autism is the most common condition in a group of developmental disorders known as the autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and is typically diagnosed before the age of three. According to the Centers for Disease Control, the alarming rate of autism is 1 in every 110 births and a child is diagnosed on the spectrum.  ASDs occur in all racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic groups and are four times more likely to occur in boys than in girls.  When autism is detected earlier and appropriate intervention is taken, children with ASD can become more functional and learn to adapt to the world around them.  No matter the age of the diagnosis, children and adults with ASD are constant learners and significant improvements can be made at any age.
 
DDI is a not-for-profit agency headquartered in Smithtown, NY, with more than 30 locations throughout Suffolk and Nassau Counties.  Serving nearly 1,000 children and adults with a diagnosis of an autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), DDI is the largest provider of services for individuals with Autism on Long Island.  It provides special educational, vocational, day and residential programs, as well as healthcare services for over 5,000 children and adults with autism or other developmental disabilities.  DDI also operates family-centered preschool programs for both children with disabilities as well as typically developing students.  DDI was founded in 1961 by a group of parents to address the special educational and therapeutic needs of their children with autism or other developmental disabilities.  DDI is a member agency of the United Way of Long Island.  For more information about DDI, visit www.ddiny.org.