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About Us
You make each day special by just being you. -Fred Rogers
Purpose
ASL Friends, Inc. (formerly ASL Readers, Inc.) was incorporated on October 3, 2005 and received tax exempt 501(c)3 status from the Internal Revenue Service on November 3, 2006 for the purpose of adapting spoken and written English educational materials into American Sign Language creating accessibility for deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals.
Background
Although the idea of adding American Sign Language (ASL) to Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood has been on the drawing board since 1992, it became formalized in 2005 when ASL Friends, Inc. (formerly ASL Readers, Inc.) incorporated into a non-profit organization with the intent of making Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood accessible through American Sign Language. The Fred Rogers Company (formerly Family Communications, Inc.) granted permission for an episode of Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood to be utilized for research purposes.
Deaf-award winning director/producer James DeBee produced the pilot Mister Rogers’ ASL Friends “Love” DVD in 2008 made possible by a grant from The Scaife Family Foundation. ASL Friends, Inc. collaborated with Brenda Schick, Ph.D. of the University of Colorado to conduct a National Parent Survey in 2009, indicating the need for future productions. By 2012, a segment of the Mister Rogers’ ASL Friends “Love” DVD had over 20,000 views on YouTube. Today, ASL Friends, Inc. continues to be powered by skilled volunteers.
A Note from our Founder:
Welcome to 2018! I hope your year is filled laughter and love surrounded by family and friends.
ASL Friends, Inc. is looking forward to turning a page in 2018 with creative programming on the horizon for deaf children and their families. With new neighbors bringing fresh ideas to the table, we look forward to sharing our plans with you.
Do you have ideas to share? Please visit us on FaceBook or email me at kim@aslfriends.org.
Keep Signing!
Kim Nussbaum
Board of Directors
Board 2017-2018: click name for bio and email
| President | Kimberly Nussbaum | |
| Vice President | Susan DiIorio Miller | |
| Secretary | Christi Dowd | |
| Treasurer | Laura Clark |
Media
Articles
- Hathhorn, R (June, 2011). PRHS Students Develop Website Designs for ASL Readers, Inc. Pine-Richland School District.
- Nussbaum, K., & Schick, B. (Fall, 2010). It's A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood. The Endeavor, pg 51.
- Levine, M. (October 13, 2010). Today's the Day! Of Giving! Go to PittsburghGives.org and give early, give often.
- Rowley, J. (April, 2009). Pilot Project Introduces Sign Language to Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood. Neighborhood News.
- Locklin, K. (October 30, 2008). Nonprofit group welcoming deaf children into 'Mister Rogers' Neighborhood'.
Awards
- Best of Pittsburgh Award for Community Organizations (2015, 2016, 2017)
Blogs
- Author Tim Madigan Shares His Friendship with Fred Rogers with 150 Deaf Teens from Florida School for the Deaf and Blind.
Video
- World News - 2010.
Affiliations
- The Fred Rogers Company
- Center for Hearing Speech and Deaf Services
- PittsburghGives
- University of Colorado
Links
Home | About Us | DVD| Research | Support | Contact
ASL Friends Inc. ©2018
PO Box 31
• Wexford, PA 15090 • contact@aslfriends.org