Alliance Center for Independence
On January 28th, ACI hosted a workshop on public speaking, presented by Woodbridge Toastmasters Club. 12 participants learned about the value of public speaking and the skills needed to be an effective speaker in any situation. Thank you to Stephanie Miller and Paul Danielczyk, ACB, of the Woodbridge Toastmasters for the informative presentation!
We are planning on forming a chapter of Toastmasters. For more information, please contact ACI.
AXIS Dance Company, an integrated dance troupe based in California, recently toured New Jersey, performing at the Performing Arts Center in Newark, and conducting workshops at Lakeview School and the Minnie B. Veal Community in Edison.
The Symposium on Dance & Disability with the AXIS Dance Company was presented by Rutger University's Clement A. Price Institute on Ethnicity, Culture, and the Modern Experience, and the Alliance Center for Independence through funding from the the National Endowment for the Arts’ (NEA).
"We were so fortunate to have such a talented and renown company of dancers sharing their skills and expertise with us in NJ", says Marisa Pierson, Senior Program Coordinator at Rutger's Price Institute and chief organizer of the symposium.
Several ACI volunteers recently completed a series of independent living workshops that focused on shopping and meal preparation. Topics included healthy eating, how to read product labels, comparison shopping, budgeting and menu planning. Travel training was incorporated into the classes thanks to the NJ Travel Independence Program (NJTIP). Participants also enjoyed an informative shopping experience at ShopRite of Edison, whose staff provided assistance and help them become familiar with the store.
AmeriGroup gave a presentation on healthy eating to ACI's women's peer support group and volunteers. AmeriGroup is a large insurance corporation that offers health education workshops along with many other services including medicaid, personal preference program and management of long term health care.
On October 28th, over 20 people attended Career Workshop presented by Pfizer in Peapack, Somerset County. The workshop, co-sponsored by ACI and NJDVRS, focused on resume, job search and interview tips for those seeking professional positions. Participants also learned about how to use LinkedIn. Thank you to Pfizer for the informative presentation!
In recognition of National Voter Registration Day, ACI sponsored a workshop, entitled "Voters Rights for People with Disabilities," presented by Mary Ciccone, Esq, of Disability Rights New Jersey. In addition, Seth Stevenson from the Middlesex County Board of Elections demonstrated one of the county's accessible voting machines. "This was very informative, I will feel very confident the next time I vote," said Cheryl Schweitzer, one of the attendees.
