Helen Keller Services, a national non-profit working with individuals who are blind, DeafBlind and with vision loss to live, work and thrive, saluted the Oscar-winning film “CODA” and Best Supporting Actor Troy Kotsur, who became the first Deaf man to win an Academy Award in an acting category. Helen Keller Services is headquartered in Port Washington.

“The Deaf Community won big at the Oscars and we couldn’t be happier,” said Sue Ruzenski, CEO of Helen Keller Services. “We congratulate the team that created Best Picture “CODA” and Academy Award winner Troy Kotsur for their beautiful and compelling work. We celebrate the outstanding contributions of the Deaf community and their representation in this extraordinary film. We are so excited to see the world recognize the brilliant talent of the cast with special attention to the power of inclusion on the big screen for Deaf actors and others not widely represented.”

Last year, Helen Keller Services was nominated for its own Academy Award for its work in “Feeling Through,” a short film by writer and director Doug Roland.

Former Helen Keller Services employee Robert Tarrango co-starred and was the first deafblind actor to ever star in an Oscar-nominated film.