ACI recently held it's first ever Youth Game Night for on Friday, July 24th, 2015! It was an exciting night of competitiveness as the group played a fun and fast paced magnetic board game YIKERZ, as well as Tumbling Towers and a huge ice-breaker dice game. ACI plans on holding these youth groups every month, so stay tuned!
The following is an article from njtvonline.org
Nybil Ghanem recalls when he went to Atlantic City several months ago, it was hard to get some places.
“I just thought it was very unfair that someone couldn’t get up to certain card table venues because of the stairs,” he said.
Ghanem encountered examples of what the Justice Department says it discovered in a four and a half year review: violations of the Americans with Disabilities Act at five Atlantic City hotels, casinos and restaurants — Resorts Casino Hotel, Tropicana Casino and Resort, Sheraton Atlantic City Convention Center Hotel, The Rainforest Café at the former Trump Plaza and Trump Taj Mahal.
The violations include doors that require too much force to open, doorways that are too narrow for passage, gaming tables that are too high for wagering and disability parking spaces without signage.
But, instead of suing the businesses for damages, the Justice Department has reached settlement agreements. “The agreements require the hotels and casinos to remedy any violations, enabling people with mobility impairments to fully access these facilities.” The agreements include training staff and give businesses six months to two years to comply.
July 26th 2015 marks the 25th anniversary of signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). ACI salutes the pioneers, activists and leaders in the disability community as well as the ordinary people who championed for passage of this significant civil rights law.
Now 25 years later, a new generation of people with disabilities are working to ensure that the promises of the ADA are fulfilled. In ADA@25 and Beyond, we interview several people with disabilities to highlight the continuing struggles they face.
A big thanks to those who shared their thoughts with us...James A. Michels, Christine Riva Hines, Ethan Ellis, Nybil Ghanem, Sarah Rizzuto and Jim Dickson.
On July 9th, ACI presented a 90 minute webinar entitled "Overnight Shelter Experience for People with Access and Functional Needs". This was part of the promising practice for the FEMA/ADA National Network webinar series on Emergency Management and Preparedness: Including People with Disabilities. Thank you FEMA for the opportunity!
The Alliance Center for Independence is putting together a social media campaign that depicts the continuous struggle for our civil rights. When the ADA anniversary celebrations are over, we need to focus on what needs to be done for the next 25 years and beyond!
From July 25th to August 1st, post a picture of yourself holding a sign expressing what needs to be improved under the ADA. Post your pictures on social media using the hashtag #ADA25Selfie.
These photos will be enlarged and displayed at the NJ Disability Pride Parade on October 2nd in Trenton.
Some examples of what you can write on your sign:
The Alliance Center for Independence (ACI) is bringing Get FIT to Edison with the goal of providing inclusive healthy living opportunities for people of all abilities. Get FIT which was launched in 2008 by The Family Resource Network, is a national movement of organizations all of whom are connected in the mission to increase health and wellness opportunities for people with disabilities, chronic illness and their caregivers. Get FIT provides evidence-based programs that have been tailored to meet the specific needs of people with varied ability levels. Get FIT participants have reported that they experienced an improved quality of life, increased independent living skills, improved health outcomes, increased physical activity levels, an increased consumption of fruits and vegetables, and a decreased risk of chronic health conditions after being in the program for 12 weeks.
For more information on Get FIT, please contact ACI or visit getfitnj.org.
