New York City Council Member Rafael Salamanca Jr. partnered with the autism awareness organization Puzzlelife to host the inaugural Family Sensory Day at the Bronx Zoo on Saturday, May 31, offering a welcoming experience for autistic children from the Bronx community.
The event gave families who have children with autism the opportunity to learn more about the condition and the support services available to them.
The kids were each given sensory bags and dinosaur plushies when they arrived. They then took part in a program of family-friendly sensory awareness activities before being allowed to explore the zoo grounds and exhibits.
Kyle and Liza McLean founded Puzzlelife to support their daughter, Kourtney, who has autism. What began as a personal mission to improve her quality of life has grown into a broader effort to uplift other families navigating similar challenges, promoting visibility, acceptance and community support.
Salamanca praised the couple and the event they helped organize.
“It truly was an inspiring day full of love, laughter and camaraderie as we hosted our very first Family Sensory Day — none of which would’ve been possible without our incredible co-sponsors Puzzlelife and The Bronx Zoo,” Salamanca said.
“I thank Kyle and Liza McLean for all the hard work they put in for the autistic community in not just raising awareness, but in demanding acceptance for Bronx kids who have developmental disabilities. As an elected official, I have the ability to amplify voices that need to be heard, and that’s why I am proud to stand alongside families like the McLean’s and fight for the programs and acceptance that our kids deserve.”
Throughout his tenure in the City Council, Salamanca has worked to utilize his power in office and the New York City budget to allocate funding to support New York City’s disabled community. He has stressed the importance of not leaving this population behind to fend for themselves.
Salamanca noted that families raising kids with autism are almost always hard at work trying to support their children. He said it is important that these kids have access to programs that can provide them with much-needed assistance.
In addition to putting together and hosting Family Sensory Day at the Bronx Zoo, Salamanca has allocated nearly $13 million in funding across multiple efforts to help local kids, including those with autism.
One such allocation was $175,000 toward a new hydroponic classroom in the 2023 fiscal year for P.S. 811X: The Academy for Career and Living Schools, which has a school population of kids with special needs, including autism.
Another allocation was $500,000 to fund a state-of-the-art “living room” at P17x in the 2024 fiscal year. This room is intended to teach students with autism and other special needs how to live independently in an apartment setting.
Salamanca has also allocated $30,000 annually for the NYC Autism Charter School’s autism awareness initiative.
Additionally, in the 2022 fiscal year, Salamanca secured $12.2 million in capital funding for an all-inclusive sensory playground just across the street from one of the local schools in District 75.
