New Jersey invests $3.25 million in disability programs
The state Department of Human Services announced Tuesday that $3.25 million in grants were awarded to 13 programs that aim to improve daily living for New Jersey residents with disabilities.
A range of projects will be funded including an upgrade of a performing arts facility and providing healthy meals to people who face financial challenges. Other projects include workshops to enhance civic involvement for individuals with disabilities and improvements to the accessibility of trails and facilities.
The money came from the state’s Inclusive Healthy Communities (IHC) Grant Program overseen by the state’s Division of Disability Services (DDS), which has awarded $7.4 million to 32 organizations since 2021.
“The IHC Grant Program continues to invest in both innovative and evidenced-based ideas that promote healthier and more inclusive New Jersey communities,” said DHS Commissioner Sarah Adelman. “We are excited to support the 2023 grantees as they work to improve health outcomes and provide meaningful opportunities for individuals with disabilities in the places in which they live and work.”
Bright Side Family will begin a program called “Community Begins at Home” in Teaneck with the money. The program will focus on addressing housing accessibility.
The Kaplen Jewish Community Center on the Palisades in Tenafly will widen its outdoor basketball court and make other modifications, like installing ramps and railings so the space is accessible to wheelchair users looking to play basketball and other adaptive sports.
The Children’s Specialized Hospital in Mountainside will use the money to implement outreach programs for emergency responders and residents with disabilities.
The Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy at Rutgers University partners with DDS to manage the grant program with the goal of promoting change by “addressing pre-existing physical, environmental, social and economic challenges that prevent people with disabilities from having full access to the conditions that support health and well-being,” according to the announcement.