At NYFAC Holiday Party, A Celebration of Family

Juan Cuevas, fron right, and his brother, Ezequiel Cuevas, spend time with Santa, NYFAC President Andrew Baumann, back left, at the nonprofit’s annual holiday party. Anna Gustafson/The Forum Newsgroup

For the hundreds of people who gathered for New York Families for Autistic Children’s annual holiday party in PS 232 in Lindenwood Sunday, the afternoon of festivities was about more than sitting on Santa’s lap and downing cookies: It was a celebration of family.

“It’s about a time we can all come together and celebrate our children,” said NYFAC President Andrew Baumann said of the 16th annual holiday fete that drew more than 350 people from throughout Queens, as well as other parts of the city.

For much of the afternoon, parents, caretakers, and children munched on holiday treats, got their faces painted, gasped at a magician’s tricks – and spent time with hundreds of people whose lives have been touched by NYFAC. A Howard Beach-based nonprofit, NYFAC runs numerous programs for people with autism – a developmental disorder that is often characterized by social interaction impairment and a general difficulty with communication. According to federal statistics, about one in 100 children will be diagnosed with autism this year.

“The things they’ve helped me with have made my life so much simpler,” said Maribel Ramos, who has two sons – Juan and Ezequiel Cuevas – with autism and who has been involved with NYFAC for about 14 years. “It’s helped my sons to be independent – and helped me to find resources. Being a single parent with two sons with autism can be very difficult, and they really helped me.”

Michael McKeon, of Lindenwood, and his wife, Barbara, have also worked with NYFAC for the past 14 years – since their son, Michael, was born.

“They’re very caring,” McKeon said of Baumann, Baumann’s wife Pamela – who also helps to run NYFAC, and the other employees at the nonprofit. “They’ve done a lot with me and my family. Andrew is like a giant Santa Claus.”

More than 30 businesses and organizations helped with the nonprofit’s holiday party, including the Southwest Queens Rotary Club – members of which served the food at the event, Cross Bay Diner, Frank Russo, Jr., Lenny’s Pizzeria, Angelo Gurino of Ragtime Deli, Aldo’s, Ohlert-Ruggiere, the Ozone Park Civic Association, the Queens County Savings Bank, Sapienza Deli, Sugar Bun Bakery, Tony Modica of La Bella Vita, and Girl Scout Troop 4993, among others.

By Anna Gustafson