On June 17th, ACI hosted a workshop designed to help participants make better financial decisions. Stephany Kim, Branch Manager of the Bank of Woodbridge, in Colonia, presented tips for banking and budgeting to a group of 11 individuals in the first of two parts. Part 2 of the class will take place on June 24th at the Bank of Woodbridge in Colonia and will consist of a tour of the bank. Thank you Stephany!
On June 8th, ACI hosted the first Core Advisory Group (CAG) in New Jersey. Individuals with disabilities, FEMA, the Middlesex County Office of Emergency Management (OEM) and interested organizations met to discuss the unequal treatment people with disabilities receive in disasters.
The intention of the Core Advisory Group (CAG) is to meet on a monthly basis and partner on solutions and recommendations for people with disabilities to be better prepared and respond to disasters. This is a great opportunity to make effective changes in how emergency services are provided in the event of a disaster. If you are a Middlesex County resident and would like to get involved, contact Carole at ctonks@adacil.org.
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.
