Moving Forward to Make a Difference
We at Kessler Foundation envision a world where people with disabilities can achieve the greatest possible independence, pursue integrated, competitive employment, and live with dignity within our communities. Through groundbreaking research and innovative grantmaking, we advance recovery and foster independence to build a more inclusive and accessible world.
Our team of award-winning scientists develop and test novel interventions to transform care and optimize mobility, cognition, and quality of life for people with traumatic brain injury, spinal cord injury, stroke, multiple sclerosis, autism, and other neurological and developmental disabilities. By analyzing community and workforce participation, developing evidence-based solutions, and funding impactful community initiatives that expand employment opportunities, we address barriers to inclusion for people with disabilities.
With the support of our generous donors and research participants, we are redefining what’s possible in rehabilitation care and recovery.
Don't Miss Our Free, 3-Part Series on Life With SCI
Finding a new path forward after spinal cord injury can feel overwhelming. Join us for a special three-part series continuing through December 2025, featuring expert talks and peer discussions to help you and your loved ones set meaningful goals and find support.
Learn More Listen to Our October Event Podcast
Strong Bonds, Stronger Health: Friendship’s Role in Multiple Sclerosis Well-Being
A single close relationship may hold the key to better health for women with multiple sclerosis. Dr. Lauren Strober’s recent study — highlighted in three different articles (see links below) — shows that strong social connections lead to improved physical and emotional health, less fatigue and pain, and a deeper sense of life satisfaction.
Boost Women’s Well-Being — MS News Today Close Friends=Big Health Gains — MS-UK Social Ties Ease MS Impact — Health Central
Your Impact
Your support maximizes recovery, independence, and inclusion for people with disabilities. Thanks to you, researchers are developing home-based tools like KF-PUPIL to strengthen memory after brain injury, using eye-tracking to unlock new treatments for MS and spinal cord injury, and mentoring the next generation of scientists to reimagine aging and rehabilitation.
Fall 2025 Your Impact NewsletterListen to this newsletter
Understanding Cognition in MS: Everyday Challenges, Hidden Changes
In our latest issue of MilesStones, research is shedding light on how subtle cognitive changes in people with multiple sclerosis can significantly affect daily life. Yael Goverover, PhD, OTR/L, visiting scientist in the Center for Neuropsychology and Neuroscience Research and professor of occupational therapy at NYU, shares findings that link executive function, memory, and attention to essential tasks.
Shifting Perspectives: Prism Adaptation and Stroke Recovery
Scientists at Kessler Foundation and other centers reviewed two decades of clinical trials and real-world data on prism adaptation treatment for spatial neglect, a common but often overlooked condition after stroke or brain injury. This issue of Real-Life Science highlights the key treatment factors they uncovered and the need for continued research to refine the use of this treatment.
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KF-STRIDE® Featured on PIX11: Helping Young Adults on the Autism Spectrum Thrive at Work
Do you know a young adult on the autism spectrum ready to enter the workforce? Watch our PIX11 New York Living segment with Helen Genova, PhD, associate director of our Center for Autism Research, discussing KF-STRIDE® — a specialized program helping neurodivergent young adults improve their ability to obtain and maintain a job.
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