ABOUT US

The Songbird Foundation is a charitable organization that was created to raise money for Staten Island families with financial need affected by autism. Songbird’s executive board consists of Joe Saraceno, Steve Barth, Carla Buonviaggio and Yolanda Saraceno and their main fundraising event is The Staten Island Senior Games for Autism Awareness.  This event invites graduating Staten Island high school baseball and softball players to collaborate with local players with special needs on one special day each year for a great cause.

The first game was in 2012 and was born out of a marketing opportunity with a minor league baseball team. The owners of One On One Physical Therapy (now JAG-ONE) decided to become a sponsor for the Staten Island Yankees (now Ferry Hawks). As part of their sponsorship, the company was given the ballpark at St. George for a day. Instead of a company picnic or a company softball game, the owners decided they were going to do something to give back and the autism and special needs community would be the beneficiary of their fundraising efforts.

Joe Saraceno’s commitment to this cause started from his early career as a physical therapist when he worked at the Hungerford School providing therapy to children with physical disabilities. This commitment became even stronger when his wife, Yolanda, gave birth to their second child, Joseph. As a parent to a child with special needs, Saraceno was able to experience, firsthand, the challenges and obstacles these children and their families face. The One On One Charitable Foundation was created as they started to plan the first game because Saraceno and Steve Barth’s vision was always to make this an annual event that would become a staple in Staten Island. Establishing the foundation strengthened the commitment to the cause and the concept.  The first game put Staten Island public school baseball players against their counterparts of the private schools. That first year, they were able to raise a little over $20,000. Since then, the game has grown in popularity and size. It is now an annual event that’s on the calendar of many Staten Islanders. The “Game” has now become the “Games”, as graduating high school girls softball players have joined the boys, along with players from the two Challenger Leagues in Staten Island. In its 10 years the Staten Island Senior Games for Autism Awareness has raised nearly $500,000. All proceeds from the games go to local families affected by autism and organizations on Staten Island who help people with developmental disabilities and other special needs.

The One on One Charitable Foundation changed to the “Songbird Foundation” in 2017 after the passing of Saraceno’s cousin Allie Vreeland.  Allie worked for One On One for close to eight years and was a heavily involved in the Senior Games every year. Allie was also a gifted singer-songwriter, so much so that her friends and family would often refer to her as their “songbird.” She dedicated her life to helping people and truly embodied the spirit of the One on One foundation, as she was an inspiration to everyone. Upon her passing, the committee agreed that the foundation name should be changed from The One On One Charitable Foundation to The Songbird Foundation. As a group, the foundation is committed to the sustainability of the Senior Games to continue annual financial support to the Staten Island special needs community.