Empowered. Celebrated.
Embraced as equals.
The Mill Neck Center for the Deaf serves the Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing community through every stage of life — from infancy, to K–12 education, to employment, to eldercare, and everything in between.
"To create a world in which Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing individuals are included, empowered, celebrated, and embraced as equals — through quality and accessible education, sign language, spiritual development, employment, and habilitation programs and services."Our Vision
One mission, carried forward by four organizations.
Mill Neck Center for the Deaf is the operating name of Lutheran Friends of the Deaf — a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1947 and headquartered on the historic 86-acre Mill Neck Manor estate on Long Island's Gold Coast. We are the governing organization that unites a family of nonprofits dedicated to the Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing community.
Together with our subsidiary organizations — Mill Neck Manor School for the Deaf, Mill Neck Services, and Mill Neck Foundation — we deliver education, adult services, philanthropy, and faith-rooted care to thousands of individuals and families each year. Across Long Island, across New York, and across the globe.
A world without barriers.
We envision a world where Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing individuals are not merely accommodated, but fully celebrated — where access to education, employment, faith, and community is not a privilege earned but a right honored.
That vision drives every program we run, every classroom we open, every adult we support, every interpreter we train, every dollar we steward. It is the through-line that has carried us across more than seven decades — from 19 students in 1951 to a globally connected organization today.
Our HistoryOur values guide every decision.
Five principles, lived out daily across every classroom, every program, every interaction.
Empowerment
We empower people who are Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing through resources, technology, sign language, and support services — providing every tool they need to live full and self-directed lives.
Advocacy
We advocate for the social justice and equality of people who are Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing — locally, nationally, and globally — and speak up where systems fall short.
Independence
We promote confidence and independence through specially designed educational and vocational programs that meet each individual where they are and prepare them for where they aim to go.
Stewardship
Integrity, transparency, and responsible stewardship for the resources and assets entrusted in our care — by donors, by partners, by the public, by our community.
Dignity
Respect for the worth and dignity of all individuals — regardless of ability, background, faith, or circumstance. This is the foundation under everything else we do.
Our impact, by the numbers.
From free hearing screenings to international ministry, every number represents lives touched and barriers removed.
From cradle to community.
Our four organizations work in concert to meet the Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing community at every stage of life.
Mill Neck Manor School for the Deaf
A New York State 4201-chartered school serving Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing students from infancy through high school graduation, with bilingual ASL/English instruction in a faith-rooted environment.
Visit MNMSDMill Neck Services
Vocational, day habilitation, respite, employment, and community habilitation programs serving Deaf, Hard-of-Hearing, and non-verbal adults with developmental and intellectual disabilities.
Visit Mill Neck ServicesMill Neck Foundation
The fundraising and philanthropy arm of the Mill Neck family — supporting our school and services, extending our reach globally through Mill Neck International, including ministry work in Ethiopia.
Visit the FoundationLutheran Friends of the Deaf
The founding and governing entity. LFD makes faith activities accessible through interpretation, chapel services, deaf ministry, the John of Beverley Chapel, and the John and Betty Duda Food Pantry.
About LFD
Rooted in faith. Open to all.
Mill Neck was founded by Lutheran pastors with a singular purpose: to ensure that Deaf children had equal access to education, to faith, and to a life of dignity. That faith heritage continues to shape who we are.
Yet our doors and our programs are open to all — Deaf, Hard-of-Hearing, and Hearing; people of every faith and none; families from every background. Our spiritual identity is not a barrier to service. It is the wellspring of it.
The John of Beverley Chapel — named for the 7th-century saint who, according to tradition, was the first to teach a Deaf man to speak — has stood inside Mill Neck Manor since 1958 as a place of prayer for students, staff, and community alike.
Led with care. Governed with integrity.
Four Boards of Trustees
The LFD Board of Trustees governs our 501(c)(3) — supported by three subsidiary boards overseeing the school, services, and foundation. Each brings extensive knowledge and passion for our mission.
Meet our Boards501(c)(3) Tax-Exempt
Lutheran Friends of the Deaf is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Every gift is tax-deductible to the fullest extent allowed by law. EIN 11-1726856.
Ways to GiveFinancial Transparency
Our 990 filings, audited financial statements, and annual impact reports are publicly available. Our integrity is non-negotiable.
View PoliciesNYS 4201 Institution
Mill Neck Manor School for the Deaf operates under New York State 4201 charter — providing direct accountability to NYSED and the Board of Regents since 1956.
About the SchoolJoin us in carrying the mission forward.
For more than 75 years, the support of donors, volunteers, partners, and families has kept this mission alive. Today, that work continues — and we need you alongside us.