Jill Valli honored by The Nicholas Center

You may not know the name Jill Valli, but she has touched the lives of everyone in Malverne over the past decade, serving as village clerk. But her service goes beyond the village: Jill and her husband, Robert, have long been involved with the Nicholas Center, a support system centered in Port Washington for adults with autism that has opened new doors for their son, Robert Jr.

“We are about showing up,” Valli wrote in an email to the Herald. “If there are letters that need to be written, we write. If there are parents who are overwhelmed and need advice and support, we call.”

“Mrs. Valli has been an amazing support to us in a variety of ways,” Lee Anne Vetrone, the center’s director of development, said. “If we ever need anything, from raffles to coming on site to a quote for the press, she’s just right there.”

The Vallis were honored for their contributions at the Nicholas Center’s annual Night in White Gala at the North Hempstead Country Club on July 25. Malverne Mayor Tim Sullivan and Trustees Perry Cuocci, Scott Edwards and Carl Prizzi were there to support them as they were honored during the gala.

“Jill is a gem and a true professional to anything she takes on,” Trustee Lori Lang said in a statement to the Herald. “If she is handling a task, you know it will be completed with attention to detail, fairness and most importantly, integrity.

“Both Jill and Robert have offered their leadership and mentorship to countless individuals with disabilities,” Lang added, “in order for them to reach and surpass all of their goals.”

The Nicholas Center, whose headquarters are in Port Washington, supports community inclusion for those on the autism spectrum or who have other intellectual and developmental disabilities. The center, which partners with local employers and teachers, specializes in teaching life skills, vocational training and job placement to make people with disabilities active members of their community.

The Vallis have been active supporters of the center since 2018, when Rob Jr. graduated from Nassau Community College. The Center gave Rob Jr. opportunities to explore his interests in the fine arts, gain confidence in his abilities, benefit from vocational training and make friends with those with similar special needs.

“There’s that terrible concern about your child with autism graduating from high school to your basement,” Robert Sr. said in a video on the Center. “The Nicholas Center was there. And it provided an opportunity and a place for our son to thrive.”

Thanks to its dedicated assistance and inclusion programs, Rob has flourished and found his voice. He is now a co-host of the center’s podcast, “Agents of Humanity,” whose participants share their perspective on a range of topics.

“I never thought I would get a chance to be able to express myself in the ways that I have through the podcast,” Rob Jr. said in the video. “We call ourselves the ‘Agents of Humanity,’ and if there’s one person who’s an agent of humanity, it’s my father. He fights for people like me, for people who are marginalized in the world, all the time.”

Robert Sr. joined the Nicholas Center board of directors in June, to continue contributing to the success of not only his son, but all those with disabilities.

“Across the board, everybody agreed that the Valli family should definitely be honored,” Vetrone said. “Families such as the Vallis that get involved, that jump in, put their all in, make all the difference in the world.”

Given the support that the center has offered Rob and others with disabilities, the Vallis are determined to help out in any way possible. They want everyone with special needs to receive the same support their son did, and foster a community where they can thrive and reach their full potential.

“We are a small part of a larger group of people who know,” Valli said, “if you show up and say yes, you can make all the difference.”

— Additional reporting by Nicole Formisano.