Sexual Assault Awareness Month Events

This April, ACI collaborated with the Middlesex County Center for Empowerment in hosting two events in observance of Sexual Assault Awareness Month. On April 12th, ACI hosted the Clothesline Project during which ACI staff, volunteers and community members came together to decorate sexual violence awareness shirts to be hung in the conference room throughout the month of April. On April 26th, ACI hosted Denim Day to create denim crafts and encourage community members to wear denim in support of sexual violence survivors.

Kean University and ACI Partner for Sins Invalid Viewing Party

On the evening of April 27th, Kean University and ACI joined together to present a screening of Sins Invalid’s performance of Birthing, Dying, Becoming Crip Wisdom. The artistic performance included dance, spoken word, poetry, storytelling, and music. Each part of the performance touched on the stages of life of an individual with a disability from birth to death. It explored topics like body acceptance, sexuality, race, gender identity, ableism, discrimination, community activism, and peer support, among others. The audience consisted of both individuals with and without disabilities including many different demographics. After the screening, the audience had a spirited conversation about the topics of the film and how they had experienced or viewed them in their own lives. They also spoke about the importance of marginalized groups working together to create a unified community.

Auditory Screenings and Caption Display Phones

Thank you to St. Peter's University Hospital's Community Mobile Health Services for conducting auditory screenings at our office on April 25th. 15 people got their hearing checked by Betsy and Jenn, Community Mobile Health Services staff. We would also like to thank Terry Hurley of ClearCaptions for providing information on the company's caption display phones for people experiencing hearing loss.

Rutgers Master Gardeners Showcase the Health Benefits of Gardening

On the evening of Friday, April 21st, Rutgers Master Gardeners Jerri Barclay and Anne Ryder presented a wonderful program about the health benefits of various vegetables, fruit, and herbs. They explained the benefits of each plant and answered questions about how to care for them. Anne and Jerrie gave tips about how to use parts of certain plants to continue to grow more! The session ended with a great hands-on activity of potting and decorating a lavender plant. Thank you Jerri and Anne for showing us how to be a bit healthier!

Holocaust Survivor Recounts Survival Story at ACI

Recently, ACI hosted a workshop on the Holocaust & People with Disabilities. Guest speaker was Sol Spierer, a Holocaust survivor from Poland, who was imprisoned in a work camp in Siberia, USSR. His remarkable story of survival was inspiring. Moderating the workshop was Susan Rosenthal, a volunteer with the Holocaust Council/Jewish Federation of Greater Metrowest NJ. Thank you both for the important and emotional presentation. The workshop was founded by a grant from the NJ Council for the Humanities.

Rutgers Student Sight Savers Program Conduct Free Vision Screenings at ACI

ACI wishes to thank Dr. Ben Szirth and the Student Sight Savers program, which is made up of students at Rutgers University Medical School in Newark. The program came to ACI and conducted vision screenings for over 20 participants on Thursday, April 13th.

ACI Celebrates National Public Health Week 2017

ACI volunteers, members and staff celebrated National Public Health Week by making signs encouraging people to exercise and by walking (and rolling) up and down Amboy Ave in Edison/Fords. "This is a great way to enjoy the sunshine and meet our neighbors!" said Christina Barcalow, one of the participants.