Henry Schein donates more than $25,000 in health care products to Henry Viscardi School for children with physical disabilities

March 8, 2016

Henry Schein, Inc. today announced that it has donated more than $25,000 in health care products to the Henry Viscardi School at The Viscardi Center, a Long Island-based school for children with severe physical disabilities who often require life-sustaining medical treatment throughout the day.

The donation will support the specialized care and treatments the school provides to each student.

As a part of the donation, Henry Schein provided hygiene, pain relief and first aid supplies to help the school's medical department provide students with necessary treatments throughout the school day. The donation also included equipment for the school's physical and occupational therapy departments, which work with students on their strength, mobility and motor skills. The donation was an initiative of Henry Schein Cares, the global social responsibility program of Henry Schein, Inc.

"Henry Schein is an ideal partner for the Henry Viscardi School, as their dedication to providing all children with an education so closely mirrors our commitment to expanding access to care," said Stanley M. Bergman, Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer of Henry Schein, Inc. "We applaud the Henry Viscardi School for creating an academic environment that is caring and dignified, allowing children to manage their physical challenges in pursuit of education. It is a cause we at Henry Schein are proud to support."

The school, based at The Viscardi Center in Albertson, N.Y., enrolls about 175 students from ages three to 21 who are referred from school districts in the New York metropolitan area. Its specialized, accessible educational setting provides an enriched academic program, a variety of therapies, customized assistive technology and medical support to students who may otherwise need to receive instruction in their homes or a hospital. The facility also features a fully-equipped and staffed medical suite, wheelchair clinic and brace/orthotic clinic.

"Our students have complex medical conditions that necessitate expert care and the use of many medical supplies," said Diana V. DeVivio, Superintendent and Principal of the Henry Viscardi School. "Henry Schein's donation will assist us in meeting the students' medical and therapeutic needs throughout the school day at a time when school funding is limited. We are grateful for the Company's generosity and their commitment to the health care needs of our schoolchildren."

The Henry Viscardi School at The Viscardi Center is an accredited model school that offers parents of children with severe physical disabilities, and who often require life-sustaining medical treatment throughout the day, a traditional educational setting that provides rigorous academics and opportunities for personal growth and leadership development. Its specialized, accessible educational setting provides a fully-enriched academic program, a variety of therapies, assistive technology and medical supports to students who may otherwise need to receive instruction in their homes or a hospital.

Most students at the Henry Viscardi School use power wheelchairs and augmentative communication technology, and require constant medical supervision. Founded in 1962 by Dr. Henry Viscardi, Jr. and the first of its kind, the Henry Viscardi School was a place children with physical disabilities and rare illnesses could go to school, just like other children. Today, the Henry Viscardi School continues to be an alternative choice for parents and a resource to school districts that cannot accommodate the academic, health and assistive technology needs of children, Pre-K through grade 12, with severe disabilities.

A teaching community dedicated to empowering students, the Henry Viscardi School offers a combination of core academics and robust cultural enrichment that enables them to be active, independent, self-sufficient participants in society. Learn more at henryviscardischool.org