Newsletter for the JESPY Community
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2018 GALA RAISED FUNDS FOR CLIENT ASSISTANCE
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A huge success, the
JESPY 2018 Gala
raised $180,000 for financial assistance to clients and other essential services. Held at the Mountain Ridge Country Club on July 31, the Gala honored long-time board member, Patsy Perl. 160 guests enjoyed an evening of camaraderie and gained further knowledge of JESPY’s programs and services from four client speeches.
Shown here: JESPY Executive Director Audrey Winkler with Honoree Patsy Perl; Board Fundraiser Co-Chairs Susan Weinstock and Judy Peskin; and Board President Ron Brandt.
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JESPY JOINED KESSLER'S STROLL 'N ROLL
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JESPY was happy to participate in
Kessler Foundation's Stroll ‘N Roll
on September 23, 2018 in Verona Park. The goal of the yearly walk is to advance rehabilitation research and employment initiatives that help individuals with disabilities return to their homes and jobs.
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Clients, staff, and Board members volunteered for the event.
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CONGRATS TO GOOD NEIGHBOR AWARD RECIPIENT ANNETTE EVANS!
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JESPY House
board member and parent,
Annette Evans
, received Honorable Mention for the Good Neighbor Award from the
National Association of Realtors
. As part of the award, a grant of $2,500 was given to JESPY House. The National Association of Realtors received close to 300 entries from across the country. Annette was one of 10 recipients chosen in recognition of her volunteer work with JESPY. Both Annette and JESPY will be included in the nationally-distributed
Realtor
magazine.
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JESPY NAMED SOUTH ORANGE GOLF
INVITATIONAL HONOREE
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JESPY House
has been selected by the
South Orange Golf Invitational
. To be held on September 16, 2019 at the East Orange Golf Course in Short Hills, the event will raise funds in support of JESPY House. Begun in 2017, the invitational chooses honorees based on their non-profit status and service to the South Orange community. “By selecting JESPY as the 2019 honoree,” said Audrey Winkler, executive director of JESPY House, “the selection committee showed us that they recognize the importance of our clients to the community and appreciate the work that we do to help our clients stay in South Orange.”
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CONSIDER A GIFT OF STOCK
TO JESPY HOUSE IN 2018.
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To make a meaningful gift to JESPY that has significant tax advantages, consider a gift of appreciated assets such as publicly traded stock, bonds or mutual fund shares.
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You may eliminate capital gains taxes on the securities you donate.
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You may receive a federal income tax charitable deduction based on the current fair market value of the securities on the date of the gift.
For greater tax benefits, please make your gift of appreciated assets directly from your broker to JESPY’s pre-qualified broker instead of selling them first and donating the proceeds.
We encourage you to discuss this kind of charitable gift with your advisors.
Please contact Amy Engel, Director of Development at 973-437-3770 or
aengel@jespy.org
to let us know of your plans and for further information.
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WORLD GAMES, HERE COMES
JESPY BOWLER JANE CLARK!
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Jane Clark, who has been a
JESPY
client for 20 years, will compete in the
2019 Special Olympic World Games
from March 14-21 in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. Jane has been bowling every Friday for five years. After much practice and many games, we’re proud that she will participate with over 7,000 athletes from 170 countries who will compete in 24 sports. “I love bowling because it’s competitive and fun,” Clark said in an interview with
Matters
. “I love having people cheer me on. I love getting a spare and a strike.”
To view an article on Jane that appeared in
Matters
Magazine, click here:
Photo by Ken Smith. Courtesy of Special Olympics.
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JESPY PARTICIPATES IN THE
SOMA HOLIDAY POP-UP SHOP
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JESPY
clients will participate in the South Orange
Holiday Pop-Up Shop
. The event, which takes place from November 23
rd
to December 24
th
, is now in a new location at 14 South Orange Avenue. Run by the
SOMA General Store
, the Pop-Up will feature crafts and items from local artisans, craft makers, and stores. JESPY clients will be selling greeting cards, cookbooks, and more. Perfect for holiday gifts, the Pop-Up is a great one-stop shopping opportunity while supporting local businesses and JESPY clients. For more info, visit
somageneralstore.com
.
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JESPY
House held a successful two-day symposium at SOPAC titled
“Aging in Place: Innovative Strategies to Support Adults with Intellectual/Developmental Disabilities”.
The event featured eleven guest speakers, who are some of the most renowned experts on aging and I/DD, to discuss issues of great importance to service providers and families. Some of the key topics highlighted during the symposium were: changing physical conditions such as dexterity challenges; nutrition and eating disorders; aging with dignity; home modification; special needs trusts, and life plans;
anxiety and depression among older adults with I/DD; and preventable causes of mortality in community-based settings.
Here are several links to the press JESPY received prior to and after the symposium:
NJTV segment that aired October 12, 2018.
TapInto
Patch
Photo: Michelle Putnam, MFS, PhD, addresses attendees.
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NJ OMBUDSMAN, PAUL ARONSOHN, VISITS JESPY
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Issues around support for adults with I/DD are of great importance to
JESPY
, our clients, and their families. To address several needs, JESPY invited
Paul Aronsohn
, the NJ Ombudsman for Individuals with Intellectual or Developmental Disabilities and their Families, to be the guest speaker at the JESPY House Family meeting on October 28, 2018.
Aronsohn listened to the many questions and concerns of clients and their families. Among the issues were:
1)
Allocation of state resources;
2)
Housing assistance and fair market value calculations;
3)
Challenges of Medicaid qualification and service reimbursement;
4)
Unreliable/reduced transportation.
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JESPY ATHLETIC & FITNESS PROGRAM
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Clients enjoy participating in a Monday morning Dance Aerobics class.
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The
JESPY Athletic & Fitness program
is growing under the direction of Athletics Coordinator Jerica Best. “I am enjoying my time at JESPY House and am receptive to the clients’ needs,” she says. “I am looking to enhance our Athletics & Fitness department by adding variety and accessibility to the program.”
Jerica works in conjunction with Head Coach Tabatha Richardson-Smith. On a weekly basis, they work with clients as they participate in everything from dance aerobics, volleyball and group exercise to basketball and soccer. One of Jerica’s goals for the program is to also highlight non-competitive activities such as boxing, ping-pong, swimming, and endurance training. The clients, who call themselves
JESPY Thunder
, are enjoying being a part of group sports as well as Special Olympics.
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Clients and staff had a wonderful time at the
JESPY Halloween
party at the South Orange Elks Lodge. This year, the Elks not only planned and hosted the party, they cooked an entire dinner for nearly 70 clients. JESPY House greatly appreciates all that the Special Needs Committee of the South Orange Elks does for our clients and we value our long-standing relationship.
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More than 100 JESPY clients will give
SHOUT OUT Awards
to the 50 businesses or business owners in South Orange who they feel are most helpful and welcoming. As part of the first annual awards, clients have written, drawn, and painted thank you messages and art on the front windows of the former Blockbuster store on South Orange Avenue. Clients will make award presentations at the location of each business. JESPY clients are very excited to show how much they appreciate local businesses and owners, many of whom have also become like caring friends or extended family.
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JESPY GARDENERS SHOW
OFF THEIR GREEN THUMBS
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Members of the
JESPY Planters
have had a great growing season this year. The proof of the group’s toils can be seen in the potted plants that helped beautify the front of the various JESPY buildings. Lead by Holly Scalera, our Horticulture Therapist, the JESPY gardening club has grown plants, flowers, and herbs; made natural bug repellent; participated in the South Orange farmer’s market; and maintained the green house.
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The
JESPY Women’s Book Club
meets regularly at J2 and at local restaurants for dinner or coffee. They recently donated a copy of the book
The Wind in the Willows
to the South Orange Library in honor of the victims of the Tree of Life Synagogue tragedy in Pittsburg, PA.
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PHILANTHROPIC GIFTS THAT KEEP GIVING
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Donations from individuals, organizations, businesses, foundations and corporations provide
JESPY House
with essential philanthropic support, for which we are enormously grateful. Recent gifts from the
West Orange Elks
, the
Monroe Township Knights of Columbus
and the
Livingston Sunrise Rotary Club
, all recommended by client families, demonstrate how much others care about the important role JESPY House plays in the lives of our clients.
Pictured here, from left to right: Amy Engel, JESPY’s Director of Development, Livingston Rotary President, Jay Freireich, and Helen Engel, JESPY parent.
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WELCOME ABOARD!
Meet the new employees at JESPY House
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Randi Berner
- Judi House Administrative Assistant;
Je
rica
Best
- Athletics Coordinator
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Jarell Brown
- Overnight Weekend DLS;
Jamise Canty
- DLS/WREE Department
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Rene Rose Dubisson
- WREE Coordinator;
Sonya Kimble-Ellis
– Communications Specialist
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Angelo Montoya
-WREE Specialist;
Shavonnah Moss
- General Support Professional
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Tabatha Richardson-Smith
- Head Coach
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JUDITH PARNES TALKS AGING IN PLACE
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A noted expert and lecturer on concerns of the aging, JESPY parent
Judith Parnes
spoke at a recent staff meeting, making comparisons of aging within all populations and the specific aspects that may affect or impact adults with I/DD. Parnes is a noted expert and lecturer on concerns of the aging. Such trainings are important to JESPY staff's understanding of the changing needs of our clients.
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JESPY ROCKS THE BLOCK!
Fun at the recent Family Appreciation Day
Festival.
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Funding for Rock the Block, a music and family-friendly event, was provided by the Judi House Fund. The event showcased JESPY's J Street Band and Disabled American Performers, whose musicians include bands from various agencies.
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TRANSITION ADDITIONS
Expanding our young adult transitions program.
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We've added to
the daily activities and program goals for clients who participate in
Transition, Day Habilitation
, and
Life Skills
services. A primary reason for the additions is because our number of young adult participants in the program has recently tripled. Among the goals and activities are Creative Writing, Current Events, Self-Reflection, Goal Setting, Social Etiquette, Community Safety, Internet Safety, Problem Solving, and more.
“Our plans are to further integrate the use of technology," said Interim Day Program Supervisor Shaleice Jenkins. “The goal is to incorporate things like Smart Boards and various apps to enhance what we're already doing. It’s helpful because 18-25 year olds have learned, with the advancement of technology, to become even more independent.”
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HOLIDAY CRAFT-MAKING WITH VOLUNTEERS
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Fifteen volunteers from
Next Dor
, a group of young adult community members from the
Jewish Federation of Greater MetroWest NJ,
recently visited with
JESPY
clients. As part of their Fall Volunteer Bootcamp, Next Dor joined with clients to make Thanksgiving placemats and turkey door decorations, and Fall/Thanksgiving centerpieces. Items were donated to senior citizen centers. Seated at eight stations, the volunteers, JESPY staff, and clients enjoyed making gifts that will be enjoyed by others.
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We look forward to sharing with you more exciting happenings at JESPY House as we strive to enable our clients toward success in independent living within the community.
Sincerely,
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Audrey Winkler
Executive Director
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for more information about JESPY House services.
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