By Jenna Lebovits
Kristen Teodoro never set out to build a nonprofit; she was simply trying to take care of her son, Hudson. Now 10, Hudson is nonverbal and affectionate—a “people collector,” says Teodoro, who connects through touch rather than words.
While roughly 1 in 31 children in the United States is diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder, the world isn’t always designed for them. “It’s easy to feel invisible when your child can’t attend a Christmas tree lighting due to sensory overload,” Teodoro says. “It’s harder for a special needs parent to do simple things. And then where is your village? You don’t have one.”
The COVID-19 pandemic was the turning point. As in-person therapies vanished on the East End, so did the support and real connection families like hers relied on. In 2020, Teodoro and her husband, Augie, founded Hudson’s Helping Hands. What began as a way to help their own son naturally grew into a community lifeline.
The nonprofit’s growth was organic, evolving from virtual support groups to popular seasonal events such as the Sensory Santa Express. “It was a community effort to carve out a space where special needs families feel included,” Teodoro explains. “Their kids can just be their kids and they don’t have to say ‘sorry’—they don’t have to explain their behaviors.”
In a few months, the organization will open the doors to its first permanent center, in Water Mill, a nearly 4,000-square-foot space with therapy rooms, playrooms and classrooms—a place for children to come as they are, and parents to connect with one another. “We want it to be a beautiful, safe space for our kids to grow, and parents to actually have a moment,” says Teodoro.
To support this mission, Hudson’s Helping Hands will host a Wellness Day fundraiser at Montauk’s Hero Beach Club on June 6. The event is an invitation for parents to reset—a necessity Teodoro learned the hard way after experiencing burnout. “Having a life outside of being a special needs mom is something that can so easily get lost,” she says. To meet the physical and emotional demands of Hudson’s care, Teodoro had to prioritize her own health. Today, she finds that balance through strength training at Post House and quality time with family and friends. hudsonshelpinghands.org