Mill Neck Launches Groundbreaking ASL Literacy Program for Employees, Families and the Community

MILL NECK, NY — May 6, 2025 — The Mill Neck Family of Organizations, a 75+ year nonprofit serving the Deaf and Hard of Hearing community, proudly announces the launch of its innovative Teaching and Testing ASL Literacy (TTASLL) program.

“Too often, Deaf individuals live in isolation even within their own homes because their loved ones don’t know ASL,” said Voula Serres, TTASLL Committee Member. “Without a shared language, their interactions with hearing family members are limited and lack the richness of meaningful connection. We wanted to change that.”

Born from the creative brainstorming of Mill Neck employees, TTASLL was designed to tackle a pressing challenge: hiring and training staff who lack American Sign Language (ASL) skills. With today’s tight labor market, finding qualified employees is difficult — but finding candidates already proficient in ASL has been like searching for a needle in a haystack.

Rather than wait for perfect candidates, Mill Neck’s team took action. They worked through numerous hurdles to develop an in-house training program to bring ASL literacy to new hires. But as the work progressed, the team realized this training was just as vital beyond their walls — especially for parents, families, and friends of Deaf and Hard of Hearing individuals.

To celebrate the official launch of TTASLL, Mill Neck hosted a community-wide kickoff event on May 1st, featuring keynote speaker Dr. Bill Vicars, a celebrated Deaf educator and founder of LifePrint.com, one of the most widely recognized platforms for learning ASL and Deaf culture.

The partnership between Mill Neck and Dr. Vicars is a natural fit. “If you’ve ever Googled, ‘How do you sign good morning in ASL?’ you’ve probably ended up on his site or YouTube channel,” said Gabriella Lupi, TTASLL Committee member. LifePrint will serve as the cornerstone platform for TTASLL’s training — not just for Mill Neck employees, but also for families and the broader community who want to strengthen their connections with Deaf and Hard of Hearing loved ones.

The event was a big success, drawing high school students from across Long Island studying ASL as a language, as well as large groups from the Deaf and Hard of Hearing community. Alongside Mill Neck staff, students and adult individuals, all attendees enjoyed a vibrant and engaging presentation by Dr. Vicars, making the kickoff a memorable celebration of language, connection, and inclusion.

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About Mill Neck Family of Organizations
The Mill Neck Family of Organizations, founded by Lutheran Friends of the Deaf in 1947, includes Mill Neck Manor School for the Deaf, Mill Neck Services, Mill Neck Interpreter Service, Lutheran Friends of the Deaf, and Mid-Island Audiology at Mill Neck. Mill Neck is dedicated to creating a world in which Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing individuals are included, empowered, celebrated, and embraced as equals through quality and accessible education, sign language, spiritual development, employment, and habilitation programs and services. To learn more about the Mill Neck, please visit millneck.org or call 516-922-4100 / SVRS® 516-558-3315.