Adaptive Design Hudson Valley

12/15/2025

Justin and Adam from Ramapo for Children picked up paintbrushes for the very first time while working in our shop — and jumped right in. This is their first big project with Adaptive Design Hudson Valley, and they’ve been involved every step of the way, learning new skills and taking real ownership of the work.
Most recently, they tackled painting these stackable perch rocking seats. Each chose their own color (which just so happened to match their shirts). Their attention to detail has been incredible throughout the process. That care is really showing now, with the finished pieces just a few steps away.
We’re so proud of the work they’re doing and grateful to be learning alongside them.

12/13/2025

❄️ Event Update ❄️
Our Cardboard Gingerbread House crafting event has been canceled. While we were really looking forward to building and decorating together, sometimes plans have to shift.
Thank you so much for your understanding and continued support of Adaptive Design Hudson Valley. We can’t wait to bring more creative, hands-on events to the shop soon — stay tuned!

12/03/2025

Join us for a creative holiday crafting event at Adaptive Design Hudson Valley! On December 13th from 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM, we’re turning our shop into a cardboard gingerbread wonderland at 32 Cedar St, Kingston.

Come design, build, and decorate your very own gingerbread-style house made from cardboard — a keepsake you can display year after year without worrying about crumbs or melting frosting!

All ages welcome (children must be accompanied by an adult)
$20 per crafter at the door — all proceeds directly support ADHV’s mission to provide free adaptive devices and inclusive learning programs

Whether you’re feeling crafty or just want to support a great cause, we’d love to celebrate the season with you!

❄️🎄

12/02/2025

Giving Tuesday is a global day of generosity — a moment to come together and support nonprofits doing work you believe in.

This year, if Adaptive Design Hudson Valley has inspired you, we invite you to be part of that generosity. Your support helps us continue to design and build free assistive devices, offer inclusive educational programming, and move us closer to a major goal: installing a wheelchair lift so our shop is fully accessible to everyone.

You can read the full fall edition of our newsletter and donate directly through our website adaptivedesignhv.org. Every gift big or small truly helps us keep this work going.

✨ Thank you for believing in access, creativity, and community.

12/01/2025

Cardboard Art Auction Highlight: Grasshoppers Are as Old as Dinosaurs
This playful, kinetic piece by Lauren “Finn” Iacovelli brings cardboard to life with moving parts inspired by animated wooden toys — reimagined using our favorite accessible material. Created from cardboard, wood, and fabric, it celebrates curiosity, experimentation, and the joy of trying something new. Finn’s work reminds us that creativity thrives when we apply skills from one area into another — and when we challenge ourselves to explore unfamiliar territory.

11/25/2025

The Fall Edition of the ADHV Newsletter just dropped — and it’s all about funding, growth, and the big goals ahead. From new grant pursuits to exciting gift-in-kind support, we’re sharing the latest on how our community is helping us move adaptive design forward in the Hudson Valley.
Read the full newsletter on our website: adaptivedesignhv.org
Thank you for being part of this growing, generous, creative community.

11/18/2025

Another batch of our custom seat inserts is heading to the Saugerties School District! These are one of our most-requested items because so many standard school chairs just aren’t built for posture, comfort, or sustained focus. By eliminating the “bucket seat” shape and adding a gentle forward slant, students get better alignment — which often means better comfort and improved attention in class.

These simple, repeatable cardboard solutions make a big impact for local students and educators. We’re grateful to support our community, and we’ve got even more custom builds teed up to share with you soon. Stay tuned!

11/12/2025

We recently delivered a custom wheelchair tray table for Mackenzie, a Saugerties student whose teacher and school OT reached out for support. This simple but powerful device makes schoolwork more accessible and comfortable — showing how adaptive design can create setting-specific solutions. Mackenzie may not need a tray at home, but in class, it’s already made a big difference! We’re thrilled it’s been such a success that her team has already requested another device. Being designed so she can get in and out of her wheelchair independently, stay tuned to see how Mackenzie’s new access stairs turn out!

11/04/2025

The Tube Crush Challenge!
At our Grand Opening Party, guests got hands-on with a challenge that put cardboard’s strength to the test!
We assembled 25 paper tubes — representing the corrugation inside cardboard — and invited everyone to guess how much weight it would take to crush them. Each scoop of quarters added weight to the bucket… until, at last, the tubes gave way. If you’d like to guess, lock your answer in now before you keep reading.
A huge thank-you to everyone who donated, guessed, and cheered us on — and congratulations to our closest guesser, who took home a brand new ADHV T-shirt!
The final weight? 154 pounds!
That’s just over $3,000 in quarters! Thank you to Executive Director Greg Dette, who pledged to donate the full bucket if our fundraising matched the amount, we just barely did!

11/03/2025

We recently had an inspiring day at Adaptive Design Hudson Valley hosting staff from Bard College’s Nursery School & Children’s Center!
Together we explored accessible design, got hands-on with cardboard, and dove deep into the importance of positioning and inclusion in the classroom.
Their program’s philosophy is rooted in progressive, play-based learning, respect for every child’s abilities, and meaningful hands-on experience which aligns beautifully with our own values.
During the session, Bard staff identified adaptive tools like slant boards and custom seat inserts for their classrooms and even built some right here on the spot! These tools highlight how cardboard-based design can be affordable, accessible and powerful.
If your team or school is interested in hosting a professional development day at ADHV, we’d love to talk with you — send us a message and let’s get creative!

10/27/2025