More than 400 guests gathered on November 18 at the Crest Hollow Country Club for the annual Reach for a Star Luncheon, an uplifting celebration of friendship, community, and support for the Henry Viscardi School at The Viscardi Center. The event featured Broadway and TV actress, Alysha Umphress, fresh off her standout role in DC at the Arena Stage’s Damn Yankees and known for her work in On the Town, Priscilla Queen of the Desert, as well as TV appearances, including Law & Order: SVU, delivered a show-stopping performance with a medley featuring “Don’t Rain on My Parade” and “Somebody to Love.”
Guests also enjoyed a cocktail hour, a sit-down lunch, grand prize raffles, and a silent auction. The Luncheon successfully raised more than $240,000 to fund after-school and adapted sports programs that foster friendship, confidence, and independence, including Wheelchair Basketball, Friday Night Recreation, and the Independent Living House. These activities are vital as many of the Viscardi students live far away from one another or do not have accessible transportation that would allow them to spend time together after the school day.
Echoing the tenor of the event was this year’s alumni speaker, 2006 Henry Viscardi School (HVS) alumnus Eric Ryan. Eric delivered a poignant speech about how the sense of belonging and leadership skills he gained at HVS shaped his path following graduation. He recalled his favorite memories of playing wheelchair basketball and spending time with friends and shared how that foundation inspired his entrepreneurial journey. Motivated to improve accessible transportation for people with disabilities, Eric founded TRIPPR, a door-to-door wheelchair-accessible transportation company that earned him first place in the 2024 IdeaSpark Pitchfest, a collaboration between Iona University Hynes Institute and The Viscardi Center to upskill and fund fledgling entrepreneurs. “It feels so rewarding to give back and support the disability community,” he said. “I feel a sense of purpose and my true calling.”
Ms. Umphress was joined by fellow Broadway star Chilina Kennedy for a powerful duet of “For Good” from Wicked, which brought the house down. The fundraiser concluded with a heartwarming final performance by Alysha Umphress, joined by the Henry Viscardi School second graders for “You’ve Got a Friend in Me.” Their touching rendition provided the perfect ending to a joyous and inspiring event.
About the Henry Viscardi School
Founded in 1962, Henry Viscardi School at The Viscardi Center is an alternative, accessible traditional educational choice for parents and a resource to school districts that cannot accommodate the academic, health and assistive technology needs of children with severe orthopedic disabilities, many of whom require life-sustaining medical treatment and extensive support throughout the day and may otherwise need to receive instruction in their homes or a hospital setting. Located in Albertson, New York, it serves children (Pre-K to age 21) with physical disabilities who are referred from school districts in the New York metropolitan area, including those in Long Island, Westchester, and all five boroughs of New York City. A teaching community dedicated to empowering students through personal growth and leadership development, the Henry Viscardi School offers a combination of rigorous academics at a variety of levels, social-emotional learning, vocational training, transition planning, and robust cultural enrichment that enables them to be active, independent, self-sufficient participants in society. Learn more at HenryViscardiSchool.org.
About The Viscardi Center
The Viscardi Center, a network of non-profit organizations, provides a lifespan of services that educate, employ, and empower people with disabilities. Its programs and services include Pre-K through High School education (to age 21), school-to-work youth transition services, vocational training and job placement, day habilitation without walls, inclusive higher education, digital accessibility services, and entrepreneurship for children, adolescents, and adults with disabilities and businesses. It is also the publisher of Able News, a digital news platform for, by, and about people with disabilities. The Museum of Disability History opens in Winter 2026. Learn more at ViscardiCenter.org.