KenCCID Connects at Kessler Foundation Fall Fest
Celebrating Inclusion, Community & Connection
At KenCCID, we believe strong communities are built through connection, collaboration, and opportunities for people of all abilities to participate and belong.
That spirit was on full display at Kessler Foundation’s Fall Fest, held October 4 at the Kessler Campus in West Orange, New Jersey. The event brought together people with disabilities, families, caregivers, researchers, advocates, and community organizations for an afternoon centered around inclusion, accessibility, resources, and fun.
KenCCID was proud to be part of the celebration, with Miles Cutler, our Community Engagement Coordinator, representing KenCCID and connecting with organizations and professionals who share our commitment to creating greater opportunities for people with disabilities.
Connecting With Kessler Foundation
Fall Fest provided a great opportunity to connect directly with members of the Kessler Foundation team and learn more about the work taking place in disability research, rehabilitation, and community engagement.
Representing the KenCCID team, Miles connected with Jackie Leddy, Research Recruitment Manager at Kessler Foundation, whose work helps connect people with opportunities to participate in research.
Additional connections included Helen Genova, PhD, Associate Director of the Center for Autism Research at Kessler Foundation, and her colleague Heba Elsayed.
These conversations are an important part of community engagement. By building relationships with researchers, advocates, service organizations, and other professionals, we can continue learning from one another and discovering new ways to support the individuals and families in our communities.
Building Connections Across the Disability Community
The connections extended beyond Kessler Foundation.
KenCCID also had an opportunity to connect with Laura Cohen from the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, another organization working within the broader disability community.
Events like Fall Fest bring many different people and organizations into the same space. While their areas of expertise may differ, they share an important goal: helping create communities where people with disabilities have greater access, opportunity, inclusion, and support.
For KenCCID, being part of these conversations helps strengthen relationships and opens doors to future collaboration.
A Day Designed for Everyone
Fall Fest offered engaging and accessible activities for people of different ages and abilities, including interactive games, hands-on activities, adaptive recreation, seasonal fun, food, and opportunities to meet Kessler Foundation researchers and staff.
Attendees could also connect with community partners and exhibitors committed to disability inclusion, accessibility, research, and innovation.
The result was more than a community event. It was an opportunity for people to meet, exchange ideas, learn about available resources, and celebrate what becomes possible when inclusion is intentionally built into the experience.
KenCCID in the Community
Community engagement is an important part of KenCCID’s mission.
Participating in events like Kessler Foundation Fall Fest allows us to share who we are and what we do while also developing relationships with organizations whose work intersects with our own.
Our team was proud to see KenCCID represented among the participating community organizations! Seeing the KenCCID logo displayed was a reminder that we are part of a much larger network working to advance inclusion and opportunity for people with disabilities.
We appreciate Kessler Foundation for creating a welcoming space where people, families, researchers, advocates, and community organizations could come together and connect.
From Fall Fest to the Possibilities Gala.
The celebration of community and inclusion doesn’t end here.
On Friday, November 20, 2026, KenCCID will bring our own community together for the Possibilities Gala at La Luna Banquet Hall in Bensalem, Pennsylvania.
The Gala will celebrate the individuals we serve, the people and organizations who support our mission, and the possibilities we can continue creating together.
Fall Fest was a wonderful reminder of what happens when organizations connect around a shared purpose—and we look forward to carrying that same spirit of inclusion, connection, and possibility into our Gala and throughout the year.
Thank you to Kessler Foundation for a wonderful Fall Fest and for bringing together organizations committed to making a difference. We are proud of the KenCCID team's continued efforts to build meaningful connections and strengthen our community!
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