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The Arc of NJ & Local Chapters Attend and Present at Summer Leadership Institute in Nevada | |
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Last month, The Arc of New Jersey and representatives from local county Chapters of The Arc headed to the Summer Leadership Institute for networking and professional development. Hosted by The Arc and the National Conference of Executives of The Arc (NCE), the event was held in Las Vegas, Nevada July 24-26. Two Chapters from New Jersey, The Arc of Monmouth and The Arc of Union, presented at the event, sharing their expertise on the topics of "Creating the Roadmap for Your Future," and "Cyber Security Awareness for the CEO," respectively.
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The Arc of Warren Hosts Triathlon in Liberty Twp
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The Arc of New Jersey congratulates The Arc of Warren County on their 7th Annual TRI Mountain Lake Sprint Triathlon which took place on July 15, in Liberty Township. The event included a 1/4 mile swim in Mountain lake, a 15 mile bike ride, and a 3 mile run. The Arc of NJ's Executive Director Tom Baffuto had a lot of fun attending the Triathlon and supporting the Chapter! Proceeds from the event will go toward supporting individuals with IDD who receive services from The Arc of Warren County. Additional photos can be found here.
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Employee Spotlight: Samantha Goldfarb Joins The Arc of NJ as Director of Training & Consultation Services | |
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The Arc of New Jersey is excited to introduce you to our new Director of Training and Consultation Services: Samantha Goldfarb. Samantha started at The Arc in May, and is already doing a great job providing staff training and technical assistance to supported employment providers, support coordinators, and self-advocates, among others. Here we take the opportunity to learn more about Samantha and her vision for the TCS program.
1. Where did you work before joining The Arc of New Jersey and what attracted you to the role of Training and Consultation Services Director? Before coming to The Arc of New Jersey, I worked as a Career Coach for Project SEARCH at UConn Health (run by a county branch of The Arc in Connecticut). I've been passionate about disability rights and advocacy for many years, but the time I spent coaching showed me just how impactful employment can be on a person's development and sense of self. I wanted to continue promoting and accommodating employment for people with disabilities, but I also wanted to help improve the execution of this service on a larger scale. Combined with wanting to rejoin my college friends in New Jersey, this position seemed heaven-sent! To continue reading, click here.
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Horizon Foundation for New Jersey Funds 10th Year of Healthy Lifestyles Project
The Arc of NJ would like to acknowledge and thank The Horizon Foundation for New Jersey for the generous grant which will be used to fund the Healthy Lifestyles Project. This is the 10th year in a row that our organization has received grant funds for this very special Project. The Healthy Lifestyles Program offered 55 webinars and 446 virtual events in the past year, reaching a total of 21,815 people. HLP helps adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities learn how to live a healthy lifestyle through diet, exercise and stress management. The New Jersey Self-Advocacy Project, which operates HLP, is looking forward to another exciting year and we are very grateful to The Horizon Foundation for New Jersey for their many years of support.
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The Arc of Salem County Hosts Annual Meeting
As part of their Annual Meeting on July 27, The Arc of Salem County held a thank you lunch for all the people who assisted with the Chapter's Walkathon. Also during the event, The Arc of New Jersey's Associate Executive Director Celine Fortin provided an update from our organization on statewide issues and news. Pictured from left to right: Celine Fortin, The Arc of Salem County's Executive Director Patty Irwin, and The Arc of Atlantic County's Chief Executive Officer Scott Hennis.
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The Arc of Mercer Honors Tom Baffuto in Recognition of Milestone Anniversary
As part of their monthly "Happy Hour" for staff, The Arc of Mercer honored The Arc of New Jersey's Tom Baffuto in recognition of his 25th anniversary as the Executive Director of the organization. In addition to an award, Tom also received proclamations from Hamilton Mayor Jeff Martin and Trenton Mayor Reed Gusciora, and a joint ceremonial resolution from the Assembly and Senate. Congratulations to Tom on this wonderful occasion!
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Governor Murphy Declares July to Be Disability Pride Month | Last month, Governor Murphy declared July to be Disability Pride Month in New Jersey. This occasion is an opportunity to honor the history, achievements, experiences and struggles of the disability community. Disability Pride Month is celebrated in July because it marks the anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act on July 26, landmark legislation that broke down barriers to inclusion in society. | |  |
Staff Celebrate Longevity Milestones at Annual Picnic | |
At The Arc of New Jersey's annual end of year picnic, several staff were celebrated for significant anniversaries of service to our organization. Congratulations to all of the individuals who were recognized:
5 years
Deidre DerAsadourian - Project HIRE
Gretchen Ritota - Planning for Adult Life
10 Years
Gail Riker - Project HIRE
Sharon Levine - Govt Affairs & Communications
15 Years
Carla Tiongson - Project HIRE
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Camp Jaycee Delivers Wonderful Summer for People with IDD | |
Summer Webinars with the New Jersey Self-Advocacy Project | |
Summer is upon us, but you can still sign up for the Stay Healthy at Home webinars and Healthy Lifestyles Project LIVE! events happening throughout July. Registration links for Stay Healthy at Home can be found here. This webinar series covers a variety of topics related to advocacy, life skills, employment, and civic engagement. Sessions are designed to be accessible to self-advocates, parents, and support staff. Live viewers can share comments, ask questions, and access resources. Live transcription is available. Healthy Lifestyles Project LIVE! events can be found here. This interactive series of events is hosted by the NJ Self-Advocacy Project and focuses on activities to promote health and wellness education for students and adults with IDD. Live viewers will be able to share comments, ask questions, and participate in activities led by professionals in real time.
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Reminder to Monitor ABLE Account Statements: This is a reminder for everyone who has an ABLE account that it is important to review the account regularly, and this includes the debit card statement. It is prudent to monitor the ABLE account statements in the same way that a credit card or debit card from any other type of bank should be monitored. If you notice any unknown expenditure on an ABLE account, please contact the Fifth Third Bank to report the concern. It has come to our attention that a small number of ABLE account holders experienced a problem a few weeks ago because of unauthorized charges for Crunchyroll.com. A team at the Fifth Third Bank implemented a systematic block on Thursday, June 29th to prevent these charges from going through in the future. For more information, click here.
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ACME Selects The Arc of NJ to Benefit: The Arc of New Jersey has been selected by the Store Leadership Team at ACME in Milltown. This means that our organization will receive $1 from every $3 reusable GIVE BACK WHERE IT COUNTS Bag sold during the month of August 2023 so don't forget to buy your bag during your next shopping trip and support our organization at the same time!
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Catch Up on Previously-Recorded Webinars: From February through June, The Arc of NJ's Mainstreaming Medical Care Program ran a monthly webinar series focused on individuals with dual-diagnosis - a co-occurring developmental disability and mental health issue and/or substance use disorder. The 5 part series is available on our website. From October 2022 through June 2023, The Arc of NJ's Criminal Justice Advocacy Program ran a monthly webinar series focused on a number of topics relevant to individuals with IDD and the criminal justice system. The 10 part series is available on our website.
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Free Special Education Advocacy Curriculum: The Arc of the United States is offering FREE access to The Arc@School's Advocacy Curriculum. This online program will help families learn about the special education system, Individualized Education Programs (IEPs), 504 Plans, and how to better advocate for their children. The curriculum is available to families statewide, but there are only 85 free spaces, so register as soon as possible. More information available here.
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