The Golisano Foundation has presented its prestigious Move to Include Award to Dalmath Associates. Dalmath Associates President Jean Dalmath and Vice President Amanda Antinore accepted the award at the Foundation’s Board of Trustees Meeting April 26.
“Fifteen years ago, the Golisano Foundation and Dalmath Associates established an extraordinary partnership, starting on a journey together to build a more inclusive society for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD),” said Ann Costello, Golisano Foundation Executive Director. “With expertise in public relations and communications, Dalmath Associates positioned the Golisano Foundation as the preeminent supporter of services for people with IDD by effectively articulating our mission for social justice in all facets of everyday life – access to quality health care, the opportunity for sport, recreation and fitness, pre-vocational training and employment, educational supports, independent living, creative arts, and friendships.
“Dalmath Associates’ reporting and messaging helped encourage and inspire others to join us in this movement. Reaching regional, national, and global audiences, they helped advance our work to ensure more people with IDD could live an enhanced quality of life. Together, we dared to imagine and challenged others to imagine a different world, one that is inclusive, kinder, and accepting of people with different abilities. A world that puts human dignity, respect, and compassion above all other things.”
In accepting the award Dalmath said, “What an incredible honor. We are grateful to have the opportunity to work with you Ann, to be your partners for all these years and to help open the doors to inclusion in all aspects of our world. Your dedication and passion for what you do has made your mission our mission. Our sincere thanks to you, to Tom, Erica and Kaitlin, and all the Foundation Trustees.”
The Move to Include Award is not given to individuals and organizations that strive to “fit people in,” and “make room” for people with intellectual disabilities. It is given to those who both “believe” and “act” in the purest realm of the essence of “move to include.” It is given in the hope that the ideation of “include” can be elevated, promoted, ingrained, and demonstrated at the highest levels of human behavior.
Dalmath Associates has provided public relations and marketing communications support to the Golisano Foundation since 2008. The full service agency was founded in 1996.