By Sarah Klaum

My name is Sarah Klaum, and I am the Community Relations Associate for ACLD, located in Bethpage. I am incredibly excited to be a part of PRPLI and introduce you to our organization!

ACLD, which stands for Adults and Children with Learning and Developmental Disabilities, is a leading not-for-profit agency on Long Island that supports the needs of individuals with autism, learning, and other developmental disabilities and their families. As the proud niece of a woman with Down Syndrome, finding a way to use my skills to support this community is a dream come true for me. The core values held at ACLD have been near and dear to my heart for my entire life, and I consider myself incredibly lucky to be here today.

I am a lifelong Long Islander, growing up in Huntington and Melville, where I currently live. I attended Sacred Heart University in Fairfield, CT, where I received a Bachelor’s in Media Studies with a Minor in Theatre, as well as a Master’s in Communications, concentrating in Digital Multimedia Production. In my career, I have worked at news stations, PR firms, newspapers, real estate brokerages, and freelanced as a graphic designer, video editor, photographer, voice actor, and writer before beginning my role here at ACLD.

My true passion is storytelling, with an affinity for telling the stories of people who may not be able to tell the stories themselves. One of the proudest moments in my career thus far was at the New York Post, where I pitched, filmed, edited, and produced a video profile on the Off-Broadway play Amy and the Orphans. This play was the first professional theatrical production in New York City history to star a person with Down Syndrome in the leading role. I hope to continue to use my skill set, talents, and creativity to serve our communities on Long Island.

At ACLD, I get to put that ambition and passion into action. Daily, I am writing content to present our agency and the people we support to the world around us while also connecting with local businesses, schools, organizations, and individuals to help the people we support to plug into the communities around them.

I am very much looking forward to connecting with fellow members of PRPLI. If you or your company is ever interested in volunteering or supporting ACLD in any way, please feel free to reach out to me any time!