Alliance Center for Independence
Beverly Burns, Director of Prevention Education at Advancing Opportunities/CP of NJ presented a workshop on Drug and Alcohol prevention. After the class, Beverly led the group in a unique exercise routine called Laughter Yoga. Laughter Yoga combines laughter exercises with yoga breathing (Pranayama) which brings in more oxygen to the body and brain making one feel more energetic and healthy. Thanks Beverly for the laughs!
As part of our Health and Wellness Program, Carole Tonks and Salma Harris provided 20 minute Reiki sessions to ACI members. Reiki is a technique for stress reduction and relaxation that allows everyone to tap into an unlimited supply of "life force energy" to improve health and enhance the quality of life.
On May 28th, ACI held a drum circle activity for members of Miss Joy's Exceptional Dancers dance troupe. The children learned about ways to express themselves through music and drumming!
ACI participated in Career Options Day on April 29th. The event, sponsored by the Vocational Rehabilitation Department at JFK Rehabilitation Institute, drew hundreds of job seekers with disabilities and dozens of government agencies, businesses and non-profit organizations interested in filling vacancies.
Representatives from the human resources department at Pfizer gave an informative workshop on resume writing and job search tips to a group of job seekers at ACI. Thank you to Janice Burke and Joel Knippel of Pfizer and to everyone who attended.
Casino gaming and its expansion into northern New Jersey continues to raise questions from all corners of the state, with considerable discussion about the billions in private investment, thousands of jobs, and hundred of millions in state revenues. While these components are crucial, one issue that has not been discussed often enough is the impact gaming expansion would have in terms of aid to New Jersey's disabled and senior communities.
The Casino Revenue Fund (CRF), which as the name suggests receives funds from the tax revenues gained from New Jersey casinos, has a constitutional mission of directing valuable funding to programs that support low-income seniors and disabled residents.
As gaming revenue continues its declining trend, these necessary programs are put under increased financial stress. Paired with an increase in demand, the mission of the CRF and the vital services it provides, which assist individuals with disabilities and seniors who want to live independently in New Jersey, are being put into great danger.
Thank you to organizations from NJ, PA and NY for participating in the Peter Singer Demonstration at Princeton University!!
More than 70 people with disabilities, parents, family members and service providers gathered together to protest Singer's most recent statements on the Aaron Klein Investigative Radio show. Singer believes in the euthanizing of disabled babies.
Prior to the demonstration, a coalition of 30 groups sent a letter to all of the Princeton Trustees with a list of our demands: Princeton should call for Singer’s resignation, Princeton should publicly denounce Singer’s comments, Princeton should hire a bioethicist from the disability community in a comparable position to provide a platform for views that contrast to his.
