President's report. december 2023

Dear Friends,

I am pleased to submit this Report about the current work of Partners in Hearing in this our 9th year of operations. Since 2017 we have expanded our Mission to include not only providing supplementary care to children who are deaf or hard of hearing but now also by providing education to their parents, caregivers and the professionals serving them.  They all face the same issues: how to obtain the care and education needed to succeed in the mainstream.  We recognize this in our grantmaking process.   I am proud of our accomplishments and achievements of our wonderful Board, as well as the support of all of you, our generous donors. 

Our Accomplishments. 

We presently support several very promising programs with grants among prestigious institutions:

At Westchester Medical Center’s Cochlear Implant Center, we support the Center’s new Bridging the Gap program.  It is part of an ongoing series of educational initiatives designed for families of children with cochlear implants and the professionals who care for them.  This innovative, two-tiered program provides caregivers with essential information about available resources to help them support children with severe hearing loss.  It also educates community professionals involved in the care and support of children with cochlear implants.  During 2026, the program expanded its focus to include teens and tweens, helping them develop self-advocacy skills, build confidence, and take an active role in managing their hearing needs and navigating their hearing journey.  The program operates under the guidance and supervision of Katrina Stidham, MD.   We are confident that Bridging the Gap will continue to make a meaningful and lasting impact on the families, young people, and supporting professionals.

Our current grant to Clarke Schools for Hearing and Speech in New York City (Clarke New York) supports the School’s Birth to Age Three Program, an early intervention service for infants and toddlers who are deaf or hard of hearing and their families.  Through this program, parents and other primary caregivers of children newly diagnosed with hearing loss discover how to enrich their baby’s life with meaningful sound and language through individualized sessions, while also connecting with other families in a supportive environment.  We also help Clarke New York transition between public reimbursements of needed services and their actual costs.  In so doing, Partners in Hearing ensures that Clarke can employ an adequate number of speech-language therapists to support the Birth to Age Three Program, and that no family will be waitlisted or denied service due to a lack of staffing or administrative delay.  

Francis de Sales School for the Deaf (SFDS) is a school for students from birth through 8th grade who are deaf. We support its Family and Child Empowerment Saturday Program which brings students and families together for a day of learning, recreation and connection.  Open to all SFDS students and their families, the program offers adapted recreational activities for students while caregivers participate in educational workshops, support groups and family learning experiences designed to strengthen communication and confidence at home.  From sports and arts to language-rich activities, the program creates opportunities to connect with other families.  In doing so, Empowerment Saturday creates a welcoming space where every family benefits.

These programs are well within our Mission and are all doing well.   Looking ahead: We hope to design and underwrite a scholarship program designed to partially defray the cost that therapists face in obtaining the enhanced education, mentoring and licensing required to provide LSL services.  More about this initiative as it develops during 2027.

Our Board Expansion. We’ve made an important addition to our Board this year:  Jennifer Weitzman joins our Board as a New York–based writer and communications strategist with expansive expertise in hearing loss advocacy and hearing health communications. She is the parent of a daughter who has been bilaterally implanted and is now thriving. These insights shape how she supports and connects families navigating similar paths. Professionally, Jennifer deepened her hearing-health focus as Social Media Manager at The Children’s Hearing Institute, where she led strategy across several well known social media platforms. She elevated children’s success stories and hearing-technology innovations, built an editorial series that increased community engagement and supporter retention, and partnered with internal teams and health influencers to extend reach.  She has spoken at Iona University about her family’s experience and serves her community through the Chappaqua School District’s Special Education PTA.  We’re fortunate to add Jennifer to our team!

So, by any measure, 2026 has been a successful year for us.  We know there is more we can do and we are busy considering new ideas while keeping our Mission top of mind – helping children with severe hearing loss. 

And of course, a special thanks to all of our donors and supporters and to our dedicated volunteer Board.  Simply put, without each and every one of you we would not be able to succeed.

Respectfully submitted,

Michael G. Tannenbaum, 

President

November, 2026