On February 5th, ACI office assistant, Argenys Caba, testified at the Middlesex County Board of Freeholders meeting regarding installation of audio crosswalk signals along Amboy Avenue in Fords, NJ. The board approved the installation, which would allow people with visual and other disabilities cross the busy street safely and independently. Congratulations Argenys!
Posts filed under Advocacy
ACI Meets with Assemblywoman, Nancy Pinkin, to Revise Accessible Parking in NJ
Luke and Carole with NJ Assemblywoman, Nancy Pinkin (middle)
On August 19th, Carole and Luke met with state assemblywoman, Nancy Pinkin of the 18th Legislative District, which includes Edison. Among other topics, the assemblywoman was asked to sponsor a bill to revised NJ's accessible parking to eliminate the word "handicapped" and to replace the old wheelchair symbol of accessibility with a modern symbol of active wheelchair user. All new accessible parking signs will be subjected to this change. A bill, which is based on NY's new accessible parking law, is currently being drafted by the Office of Legislative Services.
Last Chance to Register for the Emergency Preparedness Overnight Exercise!
PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES HAVE OFTEN BEEN AN AFTERTHOUGHT DURING A DISASTER
On Friday, August 22nd, the Alliance Center for Independence (ACI), Middlesex County Office of Emergency Management (OEM), FEMA and the American Red Cross will bring together 50 adults with all types of disabilities to spend the night at the Livingston Campus at Rutgers University in a mock overnight emergency shelter experience.
ACI's Middlesex Advocacy Group conducts Advocacy Tour
Members of ACI's Middlesex Advocacy Group recently conducted an accessibility tour of the Shop Rite Shopping Plaza on Route 1 in Edison. The goal of the tour was to ensure that the stores in the plaza were accessible and to advocate to make the necessary changes. Armed with tape measures, door pressure scales, and the ADA Checklist for for Existing Facilities, the group looked at the parking lot, aisle space, counter tops and curb cuts. Nybil Ghanem, Christine Hines, Lois Lebbing and Luke Koppisch participated in the event.
Interested in joining our efforts? Contact Nybil, Advocacy Group facilitator, at 732-738-4388 ext. 121 or nghanem@adacil.org.
"The tour was a good opportunity to educate business owners about the Americans with Disabilities Act, but also a great way to ensure that they comply with it." - Lois Lebbing, Advocacy Group Participant
Attention Voters with Disabilities!
On Primary Election Day, Disability Rights New Jersey will have attorneys available by telephone to answer your questions concerning any disability-related voting problem you might experience.
Please call 800-922-7233 or 609-633-7106 (TTY) or email Mciccone@drnj.org on June 3, 2014 between 7:00 AM and 8:00 PM.
The Faces and Facts of Disability
A message from SocialSecurity.gov
We are proud to announce the launch of Social Security’s disability education and awareness initiative, “The Faces and Facts of Disability.” Through this campaign, we hope to educate the public about the Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) program and dispel common misconceptions. To learn more about the campaign, visit our Faces and Facts of Disability website at www.socialsecurity.gov/disabilityfacts.
Please help us spread the word. Please share this information with your staff, clients, colleagues, and the general public. If you are able, please post this information on your website or other social media sites.
SOUTH PLAINFIELD BANK MAKES ACCESSIBILITY IMPROVEMENTS
Thanks to the help of ACI, the Wells Fargo Bank in South Plainfield, NJ recently installed ramps and lowered its check writing table to accommodate wheelchair users. Nybil Ghanem of ACI worked with the bank to make this change.
