Exceptional Family Resources

What Exceptional Family Resources does

ARISE-EFR is a Central New York 501(c)(3) nonprofit human services organization formed from the 2022 merger of Exceptional Family Resources (founded 1976 in Syracuse as Parent's Information Group for Exceptional Children) with Onondaga Community Living, combined with ARISE (founded 1979 as one of New York State's eight original Independent Living Centers). Headquartered at 635 James Street in Syracuse, the organization employs more than 1,400 staff and delivers 50+ programs across 8+ counties (Onondaga, Oswego, Madison, Cayuga, Seneca, Oneida, Herkimer, Jefferson, Lewis, St. Lawrence, Cortland). It serves individuals with developmental and intellectual disabilities, physical disabilities and traumatic brain injuries, seniors, veterans, students with disabilities, and their families. Services are organized into four categories — Accessibility/Disability/Aging Services (CDPAP, NHTD Waiver, TBI Waiver, Veteran Directed Care, Long-Term Care Ombudsman, housing), Advocacy (systems change, adaptive design, education advocacy, ramps, benefits advocacy, medical equipment loan), Developmental and Intellectual Disability Services (employment programs, community habilitation, respite, self-direction, family support), and Recreation and Art (ARISE at Doc Marshall Farm 77-acre accessible horse farm, ARISE & Ski adaptive winter sports, UNIQUE Magazine).

The business model is a hybrid of Medicaid-billed fee-for-service and donation-supported nonprofit operations. Primary revenue flows through New York State Medicaid waiver programs administered by OPWDD and the Department of Health (CDPAP, NHTD, TBI, Self-Direction, Community Habilitation, Respite), supplemented by donations, grants, government contracts (VA Veteran Directed Care), and a small fee-for-service component (Therapeutic Recreation at $125/hour intake and individual sessions, ARISE & Ski at $275 per season, plus corporate sponsorships for UNIQUE Magazine). Services are delivered directly by ARISE-EFR staff in homes, community settings, and at 7 facility locations including the headquarters, satellite offices (Lemoyne Ave, Oswego, Auburn, Madison County/Truxton, Labrador Mountain ski facility), and the Doc Marshall Farm. The go-to-market motion is community-led and referral-driven — agencies (OPWDD, county social services, NYS Department of Health, schools, VA Medical Center, schools) and peer networks generate demand.

There is no proprietary software platform underlying the operation; the technology stack is conventional (Blackbaud donor CRM, PPL@Home fiscal intermediary system, an IT Manager role). The core differentiators are regulatory designations (ILC, RRDC, OPWDD, NHSC Site, CQL Accreditation 2017, PATH Intl. member), a consumer-controlled workforce where more than half of staff have a disability themselves, and unique physical assets such as the 77-acre accessible farm and adaptive ski operations. Strategic posture is forward-looking — building expanded capacity via the 2019 headquarters renovation, 2020 farm consolidation, 2022 Cayuga ramp expansion, and planning a 2026 rebrand to "Indera." The combined ARISE-EFR entity is currently the largest ILC-anchored DD services provider in Central New York by staff count and geographic reach.

Name

Exceptional Family Resources

Legal name

Exceptional Family Resources

Website

https://contactefr.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1976

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

ARISE-EFR is a Syracuse, NY-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit providing disability services — including Medicaid waiver programs, advocacy, employment support, and adaptive recreation — to individuals with developmental, intellectual, and physical disabilities, seniors, and veterans across 8+ Central New York counties, with over 1,400 staff.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Disability Support Services

NAICS

Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities (624120), Vocational Rehabilitation Services (624310), Individual and Family Services (6241)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Disability Services & Independent Living Support (BPAGACAG)

Keywords

• Disability support services
• Independent living services
• Developmental disability services
• Community habilitation services
• Home and community based services

Headquarters

HQ city

Syracuse

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices7 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Government Funded Medicaid Programs: ARISE-EFR is primarily funded through Medicaid waiver programs administered by the New York State Office for People With Developmental Disabilities (OPWDD) and the NYS Department of Health. Services such as CDPAP, TBI Waiver, NHTD Waiver, Self-Direction, Community Habilitation, and Respite are funded through Medicaid.
2. Donations and Grants: ARISE-EFR is a nonprofit 503(c) organization relying on donations from the community to support programs, events, and general agency operations. The organization also receives funding through government contracts and may pursue grants for specific initiatives.
3. Program Fees and Sponsorships: Some programs such as ARISE & Ski charge a fee ($275 per season). Corporate sponsorships support UNIQUE Magazine and other events. Some therapeutic recreation services are self-pay.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

ARISE-Exceptional Family Resources (EFR) is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization that delivers disability, aging, and independent living services to individuals with developmental and intellectual disabilities, physical disabilities, traumatic brain injuries, seniors, veterans, and their families across Central New York. Services span consumer-directed personal assistance, community habilitation, respite, employment support, self-direction, advocacy, accessible housing, ombudsman programs, and adaptive recreation including adaptive skiing and therapeutic horseback riding.

Product overview

ARISE-EFR is a non-profit human services organization that is not a technology product company. It provides a comprehensive portfolio of disability services organized into four main service categories: Accessibility, Disability & Aging Services (including CDPAP, housing assistance, nursing home transition, TBI waiver, and veteran care); Advocacy Services (including adaptive design, education advocacy, benefits advocacy, and systems change); Developmental & Intellectual Disability Services (including employment programs, community habilitation, respite, and self-direction); and Recreation & Art Programs (including therapeutic recreation at Doc Marshall Farm, adaptive skiing, and the UNIQUE Magazine art publication). These services are delivered across Central New York through a network of programs designed to promote independence, community inclusion, and quality of life for individuals with disabilities and their families.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Consumer Directed Personal Assistance Program (CDPAP) Medicaid-funded program that enables individuals with homecare needs to live independently by recruiting, hiring, training, and managing their own personal assistants.
• Nursing Home Transition and Diversion (NHTD) Waiver Medicaid waiver program supporting individuals who are nursing home eligible to stay in or return to their homes with additional support services.
• Traumatic Brain Injury Waiver HCBS waiver program allowing individuals with traumatic brain injuries or strokes to stay in or return to their homes while maintaining choices about their care.
• Regional Resource Development Center (RRDC) Administers NHTD and TBI waiver programs covering Onondaga, Oneida, Herkimer, Jefferson, Lewis, St. Lawrence, Oswego, and Madison counties in Central New York.
• Veteran Directed Care VA program providing veterans with personalized home and community-based services in a consumer-directed manner, with budgets they manage to recruit and hire their own caregivers.
• Expanded In-Home Services for the Elderly Program (EISEP) New York State program providing consumer-directed in-home services to individuals 60+ who are not Medicaid eligible but at risk of nursing facility placement.
• Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program Advocates for the rights of people in skilled nursing and assisted living facilities, investigating concerns and supporting residents and families in Onondaga, Oswego, Cayuga, and Cortland counties.
• Accessible, Affordable, and Rapid Housing Program helping individuals find affordable, inclusive, and accessible housing within the community and apply for emergency housing assistance.
• Service Access Coordination Helps individuals with developmental or intellectual disabilities and families navigate OPWDD eligibility processes, understand services, and make informed decisions.
• Family Education and Training Workshops helping families learn about services, supports, and decision-making options including understanding OPWDD, navigating service options, and building advocacy skills.
• Family-Directed Supports Provides families with reimbursement for approved respite services and goods/services up to a designated annual amount.
• Employment Services Comprehensive employment support including vocational services, Pathway to Employment, Supported Employment (SEMP), Employment Training Program, Pre-Vocational Services, ACCES-VR, and Pre-Employment Transition Services.
• Community Habilitation Individualized support helping people with developmental disabilities build daily living skills, independence, and community inclusion in Onondaga, Oswego, and Madison counties.
• Respite Services Short-term temporary care providing caregivers relief while ensuring individuals with disabilities receive safe, supportive care including in-home respite, Take a Break Family Respite, and Community Waiver Respite.
• Self-Direction Services Empowers individuals to design and oversee their services through an annual budget, with support broker, planning team, and fiscal intermediary support.
• Family Support Services Recreational and social opportunities including Community Night Out, Friends Connection, Young Adult Club, Broadway Stars, Polar Bears adaptive skiing, Art Explorers, SibShops, and Teen Group.
• Adaptive Design Program Creates customized adaptive equipment and devices using everyday materials for children and adults with disabilities, with community volunteers and participants as part of the design team.
• Education Advocacy Supports students with disabilities and parents navigating the special education system, including IEP reviews, 504 Plans, and Committee on Special Education meetings.
• Medical Equipment Loan Closet Provides temporary loans of wheelchairs, commodes, shower chairs, walkers, crutches, and other durable medical equipment at no cost.
• Ramps Program Builds wheelchair ramps for individuals with mobility impairments in Oswego and Cayuga counties using volunteer labor and financial support from the community.
• Systems Change Advocacy Grassroots advocacy working to change policies affecting people with disabilities regarding public spaces, healthcare, housing, emergency planning, and public transit accessibility.
• ARISE at Doc Marshall Farm 77-acre accessible horse farm offering year-round inclusive recreation including therapeutic horseback riding lessons, horsemanship, cart driving, an inclusive playground, and community programs.
• ARISE and Ski Premier adaptive winter sports program offering ski and snowboarding lessons at Labrador Mountain for individuals with varying abilities, supported by over 100 volunteers.
• UNIQUE Magazine and Exhibits Annual publication celebrating original creative work by individuals with disabilities, featuring visual art and writing selected by an editorial board, with supporting exhibitions.
• Sennett Meadows Housing Facilitation Housing facilitation program for moderate- to low-income seniors aged 55+.
• Therapeutic Recreation Recreation-based interventions addressing individual needs through a strengths-based approach, conducted by certified therapeutic recreation specialists (CTRS).
• Project Explore Active outdoor recreation service for youth and young adults ages 13-28 with developmental disabilities, offered during summer and winter seasons.

Quantifiable outcome

• More than 80 participants served per ski season through ARISE & Ski
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Toggenburg Ski CentercoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1996ARISE partnered with Toggenburg Ski Center in 1996 to launch ARISE & Ski. Today, more than 80 people participate each ski season. The program has grown to become one of the premier adaptive winter sports programs in Central New York.
• SkiCNYcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSkiCNY hosts the ARISE & Ski Program at Labrador Mountain in Truxton, NY. SkiCNY provides the ski facility and infrastructure that enables adaptive skiing activities for people with disabilities.
• Everson Museum of ArtminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEverson Museum of Art served as the Opening Exhibit Partner for the 2025 UNIQUE Art & Literary Magazine exhibition, hosting the first public display of featured artworks.
• Dr. James MarshallcoreOthersIn 1998, ARISE received a 77-acre horse farm in Madison County as a gift from Dr. James Marshall. This gift enabled the creation of ARISE at the Farm, a unique facility offering accessible recreational opportunities.
• PATH Intl. (Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship International)coreOthersARISE at Doc Marshall Farm is a PATH Intl. Center Member. The farm is accredited through PATH Intl., a professional association that promotes and advances the practice of equine-assisted services.
• PPL (Public Partnerships LLC)coreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerPPL serves as the Statewide Fiscal Intermediary for the Consumer Directed Personal Assistance Program (CDPAP). ARISE-EFR is an approved CDPAP Facilitator and connects consumers and personal assistants through the PPL@Home system for enrollment, payroll, and administrative processing.
• New York State Office for People With Developmental Disabilities (OPWDD)coreOthersOPWDD is the primary state agency funder and regulator for most of ARISE-EFR's developmental disability services. The organization receives Medicaid waiver funding through OPWDD and operates under its regulatory framework.
• Onondaga Community Living (merged into EFR in 2022)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOnondaga Community Living merged with EFR in 2022. OCL had been helping persons with intellectual and developmental disabilities since 1987 and was the first 'person-centered' service provider, internationally recognized through the book 'One Person at A Time.'

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• AccessCNY: Syracuse, NY-based 501(c)(3) providing community habilitation, respite, employment, and HCBS to people with developmental disabilities in Central New York. Direct comparable in geography, mission, payer mix, and service portfolio.
• The Arc New York: Statewide chapter of The Arc serving people with intellectual and developmental disabilities across New York with Chapter 620 and 641 services. Comparable nonprofit ILC/developmental-disability provider with similar OPWDD contracting and advocacy remit.
• AHRC New York City: One of the largest NY-based nonprofits providing person-centered supports, employment, and HCBS for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Directly comparable service mix and Medicaid waiver payer model, differing primarily in geography.
• Liberty Resources: Syracuse-based human-services nonprofit providing disability services, behavioral health, and HCBS across Central New York. Overlapping service lines, geographic market, and Medicaid-driven revenue make it a tight peer for shared referrals and contracting.
• Person Centered Services: Western NY (Batavia) nonprofit operating as a CCO/HH and providing OPWDD-funded HCBS for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Similar OPWDD-aligned service portfolio and consumer-direction focus.
• Life's WORC: Long Island, NY-based 501(c)(3) providing residential, day, employment, and self-direction services for people with developmental disabilities. Directly comparable OPWDD-funded HCBS model at similar scale.
• Independence Care System: NY-based disability-led nonprofit providing managed long-term care and independent living services to adults with physical disabilities and chronic conditions. Shared consumer-controlled ILC heritage and Medicaid managed-care exposure.
• Hamaspik: New York-based nonprofit providing OPWDD, OPWDD-Care Coordination, and broader HCBS for people with developmental disabilities and chronic conditions. Highly comparable mission, payer mix, and person-centered service model.

Broad incumbents

• Cerebral Palsy Associations of New York State: Statewide association and provider network serving people with cerebral palsy and developmental disabilities across New York. Broader advocacy/incumbent role than ARISE-EFR but overlaps meaningfully in HCBS service delivery and OPWDD contracting.
• Easterseals: National nonprofit network providing disability and senior services including employment, day programs, and assistive technology. Overlaps with ARISE-EFR's employment, recreation, and accessibility offerings but operates as a federated national brand rather than a regional ILC.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/ContactEFR

Compliance5 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles19 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Exceptional Family Resources