Saturday, June 14, 2025
Rescuing Families, a Franklin Square-based charity that repairs homes for disabled families, has begun major renovations on a disabled family’s home in Valley Stream to better accommodate their needs.
On May 8, more than 30 volunteers from the charity and the Keller Williams Legendary real estate agency, of Franklin Square, helped clear furniture, dismantle cabinetry, and line the floors in preparation for the renovations of Douglas Reyes’s home.
Reyes, 44, has been partially paralyzed since he had a surfing accident in the late 1990s. His nephew, Justin Capera, said that a powerful wave crashed over Reyes, severely injuring his spine. He has used a wheelchair ever since.
Reyes’s father, Lorenzo Reyes, who lives with him, has Parkinson’s disease, and his mother, Alba Reyes, suffers from severe back pain. Both Lorenzo and Alba are in their late 70s.
Capera said that Douglas Reyes struggles with everyday tasks, including eating, bathing and picking things up. He works out with weights and has strong upper body strength, but his movements remain limited.
“He needs a lot of help getting around,” Capera said. “This is exactly why we got Rescuing Families on board to help us.”
Three years ago, Capera said, his mother, Jessica Reyes, Douglas’s sister, wrote to Rescuing Families requesting help. The charity responded quickly, and Jessica has maintained contact with one of the organization’s cofounders, Gina Centauro, ever since.
Centauro recalled that Jessica Reyes’s letter included photos showing leaks in the ceiling of the Reyes home and holes in the walls left by a previous contractor the family had hired.
Jessica also explained that Douglas’s parents were his primary caregivers.
“It was just way too much for elderly parents who have their own handicaps,” said Rescuing Families’ other cofounder, Vincent Centauro, Gina’s husband.
The Centauros, who are both licensed contractors, will complete the renovations with help from a number of volunteers and three out-of-state contractors.
Last Thursday, Gina, wielding a Nestorbar—a tool invented by Rescuing Families volunteer Mark Slafkovsky, of Pry Guy Levers, that can pry heavy objects from surfaces—began removing the kitchen’s countertops and cabinets.
“I think the most beautiful thing was to see Mr. Reyes’s face when he walked in the door,” she said of Lorenzo. “It was just complete joy on his face. It was a wonderful thing to see.”
Renovations will include full window replacements, new kitchen cabinets low enough for Douglas to access from his wheelchair, a handicapped-accessible bathroom and shower, a custom deck and ramp outside, and a new open floor plan to help him move around more easily. If the charity raises enough money, Vincent Centauro said, they also plan to replace the roof.
“It’s life-altering for them,” Gina said of the families the charity helps. “It gives them freedom in their own home.”
Capera, who is familiar with the charity’s work, saw the renovations Rescuing Families completed two years ago for Gina’s sister, Dina Cantone, of Franklin Square, describing the experience as “mind-blowing.”
Cantone is autistic, deaf and developmentally disabled, and suffers from knee pain that makes it difficult for her to move around her home. Gina said the renovations were tailored to Cantone’s specific needs, to make it easier for her and her caregivers to navigate the house.
Vincent explained that his own experience with his father was the reason Rescuing Families was founded. His late father, Henry Centauro Jr., was a Vietnam War veteran who was exposed to Agent Orange—a chemical used by the U.S. military to kill jungle foliage— causing irreparable nerve damage and impairing his use of his arms and legs.
Keller Williams Legendary volunteers with Rescuing Families one day a year because the charity holds a special place in the heart of the agency’s owner since 2019, Linda Chen. Chen’s son, Jason, is autistic, which presented many challenges for her and her family as he was growing up. He received speech and occupational therapy, but, Chen said, it was hard to find time for those services while she was working.
“It’s not easy,” she said, adding that she wishes more people helped those with disabilities. “I feel for other individuals.”
Jason Chen, now 27, works at Spectrum Designs Foundation, a custom apparel and merchandise business in Port Washington that offers career opportunities for autistic adults. He helps create, embroider and print designs on merchandise such as T-shirts and hats.
“I know there’s not enough education and knowledge about disabilities,” his mother said. “So I’m also out there teaching and telling people about these causes, because the disabled community needs a voice, too.”
Once a year, she explained, the agency observes Red Day, when it closes for business to volunteer in the community on various projects, including partnerships with charities like Rescuing Families.
“We just love doing it every year,” she said.
Red Day began in 2009 as a way to uphold the company’s philanthropic responsibilities to the communities it serves.
Baldassare LaRussa, a Keller Williams sales agent for the past five years, said the agency’s family-oriented culture drives its community work.
“I love to volunteer,” LaRussa said. “I feel like community is everything. If you’re not helping the people in your community, it’s not a real community.”
The Centauros, he said, are among the best people he has ever met, and he encourages others to donate to their cause.
As the renovations on the Reyeses’ home are completed, Douglas and his parents are staying with family in Huntington. Capera said he is deeply grateful for the work Rescuing Families is doing.
“It feels great,” he said. “It’s been a long time coming.”
The Centauros said they are a looking forward to seeing the family’s reaction when the work is done.
“You see a whole change in their personality,” Gina said. “It’s miraculous.”
“Honestly,” Vincent added, “I think we are excited to get this family the ease and freedom that they need.”
