ACI Food Pantry is Still Operating During the Coronavirus Pandemic

If you are a low income person with a disability or are impacted by the pandemic and need food…we can help!

The ACI Food Pantry is open Monday and Wednesday from 9 AM to 5 PM during the coronavirus pandemic. We still continue to get donations of food and are fully stocked with canned vegetables, fresh milk, peanut butter, bread, water, and other essential items. We also have a limited number of masks and gloves.

Please call 732-738-4388 to schedule an appointment for curbside pickup outside of the ACI office, located at 629 Amboy Ave, Edison, NJ.

The ACI Food Pantry is a proud member of the Middlesex County Food Organization and Outreach Distribution Services (MCFOODS).

ACI strictly adheres to CDC and state health department guidelines regarding social distancing and maintaining virus-free environments.

Reopening State Parks and Limits on Accessible Parking

ACI recently wrote to the Mayor of Westfield in Union County regarding its policy on reopening its parks. Specifically, we are concerned these policies entail prohibiting parking at the parks, which unintentionally exclude people disabilities who require accessible parking.

As the state and municipal services begin to slowly reopen, ACI is closely monitoring how this gradual reopening will impact people with disabilities. Is your town not considering the rights of people with disabilities as it starts to reopen? Please let us know how the reopening has affected you.

Protect the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)

ACI was one of 40 organizations to sign on to a letter sent to Congress to protect the rights of students with disabilities. If provisions of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) are waived, even temporarily, school-aged children with disabilities and their parents could lose their rights to participate in the public education system. IDEA requires schools to educate students with disabilities. It provides these students with the tools to succeed!

Making COVID-19 Testing for Homes Operated by DDD a Priority

ACI calls on the state Department of Human Services and NJ Division of Developmental Disabilities to make COVID-19 testing of all residents of group homes, SNFs and developmental centers, and other housing programs operated by DDD a priority, whether symptoms are present or not. You can read the letter that ACI recently sent to Carole Johnson, Commissioner of the Department of Human Services, at the link below.

Nursing Home Liability in NJ

ACI continues to advocate for the health and safety of residents in nursing homes and similar facilities during the coronavirus pandemic. Our concerns were heightened when news broke of the deaths of 17 residents from coronavirus at the Andover Subacute Rehabilitation Center. We recently sent a letter to Governor Murphy expressing our concerns about the Governor's Executive Order regarding limiting liability of healthcare facilities, which he signed on April 1st. You can read the letter at the link below.

Addressing Food Insecurities of People with Disabilities During Pandemic

People with disabilities are impacted by stay at home orders and limitations on grocery delivery options due to COVID-19. SNAP online delivery is not an option available at all supermarkets. ACI has contacted the following supermarkets with suggestions on addressing the food insecurities of people with disabilities: ShopRite, Stop&Shop, Wegmans, ACME, Trader Joe's, Whole Foods, ALDI and Walmart. You can read the letter and responses at the links below.

Transparent Masks for Sale

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FOR SALE: Transparent masks for individuals who lip read or have hearing loss.

• $8.00 each

• $7.00 for bulk orders over 10

• Free shipping from NJ

Masks must be hand washed.

For questions and ordering information, please contact dmask477@gmail.com