BINA is excited to announce valuable additions to our staff which will expand and enhance our services, both in scope and location.

We are very pleased to welcome Avi Krakauer as our new Director of Development. With his talent and experience, Avi has "hit the ground running". He will be working to educate the community about BINA's critical services, and to create and develop opportunities for the funding needed to support our exponential growth.

As the Florida community continues to grow, the need for a BINA satellite office in the area became clear. With the hiring of Rochel Zoldan, an experienced physical therapist, BINA will now be able to address the comprehensive needs of brain injury, stroke and spinal injury survivors in south Florida. We extend a warm welcome to Rochel who will be starting her work researching rehab options and networking with top providers and professionals in mid-September.

Our case management department has expanded greatly over the years, and with the ever-changing world of insurance and entitlements becoming increasingly complicated, the decision was made to add an insurance specialist to our staff. We welcome Leah Horowitz, whose extensive experience with healthcare billing will serve her well in her new capacity at BINA. We are proud that with her help, we will be able to comprehensively address the critical area of benefits and coverage going forward.

Please call the BINA office at 718-645-6400 to reach out to our staff - both new and old.

Our annual crowdfunding campaign took place on August 1-3. Amidst both tension and excitement, we were successful in raising nearly $730,000. The campaign theme, "See the Unseen: After a Brain Injury the Struggle Continues" shared the perspective of people whose lives have been greatly impacted by the stroke or brain injury of a close family member.

Thank you to our wonderful "Matchers" and "Raisers", and of course to all our generous donors, without whom the campaign would not have been possible. The funds raised will go a long way in helping us to fulfill our mission of ensuring that no brain injury survivor is alone while on the long and difficult road to recovery.

The campaign page may be viewed here.

A large crowd gathered on July 17th for a "pre-campaign" evening in support of BINA's upcoming crowdfunding campaign. The elegant event took place at the home of Ari Oppenheimer in Jackson, New Jersey.

The beautiful outdoor surroundings enhanced by Premiere Events lighting, the delicious dinner prepared by Tessler catering, and a Capella singing by Mendy Weinreb and Noah Solomon and Friends were enjoyed immensely by all in attendance.

Thank you to Mr. and Mrs. Ari Oppenheimer for graciously hosting and to all the friends of BINA who participated and lent their support to our work.

A popular series of webinars has been hosted by BINA for the community at large, presented by leading specialists in a variety of fields.

The most recent webinar focused on driving rehabilitation and was entitled, "Safety Behind the Wheel After a Neurological Injury or Illness: An Overview of Return to Driving Procedures."

The highly informative lecture was presented by Avrielle Rykman Peltz, MA, OTR/L, of Rehabologym, and Eli Shore, Driver Rehab Specialist at Tri-Boro Driver Rehab & Mobility Services.

Recordings of this webinar as well as previous lectures are available here. Please send us an email to be notified of future webinars and other BINA news.

BINA continues to present a monthly Zoom meeting for families recently affected by a stroke or brain injury. The meeting is scheduled for the first Wednesday of every month at 12:00 p.m., and is hosted by Elchanan Schwarz, LMHC, BINA's Director of Crisis Intervention and Caregiver Support.

The meeting provides an educational overview of brain injury and what to expect during the recovery and rehabilitation process. A Q&A follows the presentation.

Registration is required; all close family members (18 and up) are welcome. Please click here to register for the next session.

BINA offers a variety of support group opportunities for brain injury survivors and caregivers. Groups are held via Zoom and are a valuable source of professional counseling, peer support and information-sharing. Participants report that they have benefited immensely and feel greatly supported and heard by both the facilitators and fellow group members. Please contact BINA by email or at 718-645-6400 to learn more about support groups.