Our Work

Our Mission

Blue Raven Ministry is a Christian non-profit organization based in Long Island, New York. Our mission is to empower special needs individuals, our Blue Ravens, through job training; inclusive community activities; and disability advocacy. Together with our Blue Ravens, we also help other underserved communities in Queens and on Long Island.

Who We Serve

We serve our Blue Ravens - special needs individuals, most of whom have Autism Spectrum Disorder or Down Syndrome. Unfortunately, they often face multiple diagnoses - ADHD, OCD, anxiety, epilepsy, depression, among others.

Together with our Blue Ravens, we have served the elderly at a local nursing home, backstretch workers at the Belmont Racetrack, local churches, and even furriends at an animal rescue.

What Does the Raven Mean?

The name is inspired by the story of Elijah in 1 Kings 17:2-16. In this chapter, God sends a raven to provide bread and meat to the prophet Elijah when he was without sustenance. Oftentimes in the Bible, ravens were said to be detestable and unclean. Many cultures still consider them to be bad omens. However, God repeatedly chooses the raven to be His divine messenger and provider.

Much of society may have their stereotypical views and low opinions of individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, but we see their capacity to be a blessing to others. Part of our mission is to empower them to bless others while raising awareness of their multifaceted existence.

How We Serve

Job Skills
Blue Ravens gain firsthand experience through selling apparel and accessories designed and printed by them.
Social Skills
Blue Ravens build relationships through activities like meet and greets, running club, and Toastmasters.
Disability Advocacy
Blue Ravens actively participate in organizing and attending events to promote autism awareness and inclusion.
Community Service
We partner with local organizations to serve others: visiting senior centers, joining street cleanups, volunteering in soup kitchens, and donating handmade gifts to hospitals and foster homes.

Why Apparel?

Our job training and fundraising efforts are centered around the craft of designing and printing on apparel and accessories. The self-paced and predictable nature of this craft lends itself well to the learning differences of our Blue Ravens. They are able to learn a job skill while also making fun merch to sell at community events where we fundraise and raise autism awareness. Of course, we also love seeing people delight in their designs!

What do you use donations for?

Your generous donations fund employment and job training for individuals with disabilities. In 2026, we will hire two of our Blue Ravens on a part-time basis. Beyond that, we plan to hire a grant writer to help us expand our fundraising efforts.

Your donations also fund supplies for making merch; entry cost for community events; and community service projects.

Autistic people are significantly underrepresented in employment, with low employment rates across the globe (e.g. Australia, 27.3%; Israel, 28%; the United Kingdom, 29%; the United States and Canada, 14%). Even when employed, autistic people face underemployment and lower pay. While employment is not always the aim or appropriate for all autistic people, many autistic people report a strong desire to work. Improving employment outcomes has the potential to improve quality of life, social participation, and well-being of autistic individuals and their families, and with 36% of costs supporting autistic adults attributed to lost employment, increasing access to employment significantly reduces the economic impact for individuals and society.

— Bury, S. M., Hedley, D., Uljarević, M., Li, X., Stokes, M. A., & Begeer, S. (2024). Employment profiles of autistic people: An 8-year longitudinal study. Autism : the international journal of research and practice, 28(9), 2322–2333. https://doi.org/10.1177/13623613231225798