Viscardi and Hofstra to host entrepreneur workshop series for Long Islanders with disabilities

A partnership between the Viscardi Center and Hofstra University aims to educate aspiring Long Island entrepreneurs with disabilities through an upcoming workshop series.

Viscardi, an Albertson-based nonprofit network serving disabled Islanders, will be hosting a five-session virtual education program covering marketing, online sales, and how to launch a business without venture capital. The series is being done in partnership with Hofstra’s Institute of Innovation and Entrepreneurship.

The online sessions are open to Islanders with a wide range of disabilities, both visible and not, and are free. Participants are not required to attend all five sessions.

Chris Rosa, president and chief executive of the Viscardi Center, said the program is part of a broader recognition that entrepreneurship offers individuals with disabilities a potential avenue for financial security outside of traditional employment.  

“We know that this is a really richly viable opportunity for people with disabilities to create a pathway to economic self-sufficiency,” Rosa said.

Creating those options is crucial, Rosa said, especially in an environment where disabled individuals often struggle to find consistent employment.

The New York State unemployment rate for workers ages 16-to-64 with disabilities was 11.9% in 2022, according to an analysis of federal stats by the State Comptroller’s office. That was 7.6 percentage points higher than for non-disabled state residents.  

The workshops start Oct. 10 and will continue on Oct. 17, 24, Nov. 7 and 14.

Participant openings for the series are limited and require registration. To register, visit ViscardiCenter.org/workshops.