Pryor Cashman Provides Pro Bono Counsel to Sensory Gym for Special Needs Children
In 2015, a team of Pryor Cashman attorneys began providing pro bono services to Sensory Beans, a Long Island-based nonprofit on a mission to develop an “open play” concept sensory gym for children of all ages and abilities.
On March 25, 2017, Sensory Beans celebrated its grand opening with a ribbon cutting ceremony at its new facility in Wantagh, New York. The parent-facilitated gym – the first of its kind on Long Island – will operate as a secure indoor playground at which children with special needs, their families, as well as typically-developing children from the local community can interact and engage with a functional play environment tailored to their unique needs.
On hand at the ceremony from Pryor Cashman was Partner Dyan Finguerra-DuCharme, a native of Port Washington who has been advising Sensory Beans from its inception. In addition to helping the organization obtain 501(c)(3) status, Pryor Cashman assisted with its corporate formation and handled numerous tax and real estate matters, including securing a lease for the new facility.
Conceived of by Rachel and Brett Roslow, parents of a six-year-old son on the spectrum, Sensory Beans is made possible solely by the generous donations of others.
“The grand opening was a huge success. Families left very excited, many stating that they've waited so long to find a place where their child can be themselves and socialize with other kids. Dyan and the entire team at Pryor Cashman have been the foundation of this dream coming to life. They believed in our mission and helped us provide this much needed resource to the community,” Roslow said.
Sensory Beans accepts donations through its website, and share updates on its progress, future events and fundraisers on its Facebook page.
Additional pro bono services were provided by the following Pryor Cashman attorneys: Partner Karin Lundell and Associate Nir Gozal, who handled the nonprofit’s corporate formation, Partner Neil Weisbard and Associate Amanda Links, who negotiated the lease for the space, Counsel Muzamil Huq, who assisted with trademark prosecution, and Associate Ryan Klarberg, who managed several trademark enforcement matters.
