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Freeholder
Liaison: Blanquita
B. Valenti
Executive Director: Thomas
M. Seilheimer
Attention
APPLICANTS FOR
Middlesex County
FREEHOLDER SUPPORT GRANTS
Veterans Forum in Woodbridge
THE DEALINE FOR SUBMISSION OF FREEHOLDER SUPPORT GRANT APPLICATIONS HAS BEEN EXTENDED. THE NEW DEADLINE IS MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 2010.
SUPPORT GRANT APPLICATIONS ARE DUE NO LATER THAN 1 PM AT THE MIDDLESEX COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES, DIVISION OF SOCIAL WORK SERVICE, 5TH FLOOR ADMINISTRATION BUILDING, 75 BAYARD STREET, NEW BRUNSWICK. APPLICATIONS WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED AFTER THE SUBMISSION DEADLINE.
PLEASE CLICK ON “2011 COUNTY SUPPORT GRANTS” FOR AN APPLICATION AND RELATED MATERIALS.
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MIDDLESEX COUNTY MARKS 20TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE ADA
On the 20th anniversary of the signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the Middlesex County Board of Chosen Freeholders celebrated this landmark legislation with a special presentation. Freeholder Ronald Rios presided over the meeting and recognized Kevin Hoagland, County Surrogate, who spoke about the tremendous changes Middlesex County has experienced during these past 20 years.
The Board of Freeholders also signed a proclamation declaring the County’s recommitment to the ADA:
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RESOLUTION
WHEREAS, on July 26, 1990, President George H. Bush signed into law the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) to ensure the civil rights of people with disabilities. This legislation established a clear and comprehensive national mandate for the elimination of discrimination against individuals with disabilities; and
WHEREAS, the ADA has expanded opportunities for Americans with disabilities by reducing barriers and changing perceptions, increasing full participation in community life. However the full promise of the ADA will only be reached if public entities remain committed in their efforts to fully implement the ADA; and
WHEREAS, the Middlesex County Board of Chosen Freeholders continues to demonstrate their commitment to the ADA through projects such as its new Administration Building, which includes wheelchair accessibility, automatic doors, an infrared listening system and accessible bathrooms on each floor; and
WHEREAS, the Middlesex County Board of Elections has worked to ensure the accessibility of polling sites, including accessible voting booths and poll workers trained in sensitivity to persons with disabilities; and
WHEREAS, the Middlesex County Department of Parks and Recreation provides a range of accommodations at their facilities, including a state-of-the-art Level Playing Field at Roosevelt Park in Edison, providing wheelchair seating and sign language interpreted performances at Plays in the Park, as well as audio description, open captioning and sensory seminars; and
WHEREAS, the Middlesex County Transportation Department incorporates mainstreamed transportation for person with disabilities on their shuttle service which has resulted in increased ridership; and.
WHEREAS, the Cultural and Heritage Commission continues to educate and advocate for access to the arts. All Commission materials are available in a range of accessible formats; and
WHEREAS, the Middlesex County Commission for Persons with Disabilities presents an annual forum on a disability-related topic; and
WHEREAS, the Department of Human Services works with municipalities and other entities to assist in their compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act. Also, the Office for the Disabled, as part of the Department of Human Services, continues to provide information and referral services for residents with disabilities.
NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE BOARD OF CHOSEN FREEHOLDERS OF THE COUNTY OF MIDDLESEX that we hereby reaffirm recognize the 20th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act and celebrate the progress that has been made by reaffirming the principals of equality and inclusion and recommit our efforts to reach full ADA compliance.
Adopted July 15, 2010
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The proclamation is part of the “2010 by 2010” campaign spearheaded by the National ADA Symposium. The drive seeks to generate 2,010 proclamations of recommitment nationwide in 2010 to signify government’s united desire to provide equality.
“In 1990, people with disabilities celebrated the independence and dignity this legislation would provide,” said Middlesex County Freeholder Blanquita B. Valenti, chairwoman of the County’s Human Services and Senior Services Committee. “Twenty years later, Middlesex County is proud of the physical and programmatic changes made, particularly by the municipalities, to include people with disabilities in facilities, programs, services, and all aspects of life.”
20th ANNIVERSARY OF THE ADA
Left tor right: John Fig, Chair, PASP Advisory Council; Debbie Hehir, PASP Coordinator; William Auer, Chair MC Commission for Persons with Disabilities.
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Thomas M. Seilheimer, Executive Director, Middlesex County Department of Human Services; Adrianne Adamo-Craven, Sign Language Interpreter. |
Left to right: John Fig; Cheryl A. Lepple-Huber, Sign Language Interpreter; Freeholder Ronald Rios; Kevin Hoagland, County Surrogate; Javier Robles,
Disability Advocate. |
Kevin Hoagland; Javier Robles; and Robert Recine, Middlesex County Senior Systems Analyst |
Proclamations were presented to Kevin Hoagland, County Surrogate; Ralph G. Albanir, Director, Department of Parks & Recreation; William Auer, Chair, Middlesex County Commission for Persons with Disabilities; John Fig, Chair, PASP (Personal Assistance Services Advisory Council); and Javier Robles, Disability Advocate & Former Deputy Director, NJ Division of Disability Services.
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URGENT REQUEST FOR ITEMS FOR
UNITED STATES MILITARY PERSONNEL
When wounded service personnel arrive from the field for medical procedures, often times their uniforms are stripped away or destroyed by invasive procedures, i.e., insertion of tubes, cleaning of burns, wounds, etc. |
Consequently, personal hygiene items are in short supply. As part of our ongoing personal items drive for deployed troops, the Middlesex County Veterans Advisory Council is requesting donations, which can be dropped off at the receptacle located in the Department of Human Services on the fifth floor in the Middlesex County Administration building. All items will be delivered to McGuire Airforce Base where they will be issued to troops operating in Iraq and Afghanistan.
The PROJECT WOUNDED WARRIOR Donations Coordinator at McGuire Airforce Base has issued an urgent request for the following items:
Men’s underwear & tee-shirts, all sizes
Women’s undergarments & sports bras, all sizes
Bath Towels
Toothbrushes
Toothpaste, Sensitive Toothpaste
Bars of Soap
Sani-wipes
Hand Sanitizer – for Active Duty operations in Haiti
Bug Spray - for Active Duty operations in Haiti
Hard Candy - for Active Duty operations in Haiti
For more information, please contact
Doug Breen, Veterans Services Coordinator, at 732-745-4051.
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DRIVING FORCES BEHIND ADULT SUBSTANCE ABUSE PROGRAM HONORED BY NEW JERSEY SENATE
On December 10, 2009, Judge Barnett Hoffman, and Ed Mann, University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey (UMDNJ), were honored and awarded a proclamation on the floor of the New Jersey Senate for their efforts in developing the Adult Substance Abuse Program (ASAP) for addicted incarcerated individuals in Middlesex County.
Pictured are the honorees, along with friends, board members, and staff representing UMDNJ and the Middlesex County Department of Human Services, Division of Addiction Services, including Addictions Services Planner, Roger Keaton. Freeholder Millie Scott, liaison to the Department of Law & Public Safety, also attended.
In the audience, and a strong backer of ASAP was Senator Raymond Lesniak, Union County, as well as Senators Barbara Buono and Joseph Vitale of Middlesex County.
Freeholder Blanquita B. Valenti, liaison to the Middlesex County Department of Human Services, also has been a committed advocate for ASAP. “The Adult Substance Abuse Program is a critical piece in the tapestry of services that helps incarcerated individuals to become productive members of our community,” she stated. “I fully support and applaud this initiative.”
The Middlesex County Department of Law & Public Safety and the Middlesex County Department of Human Services co-sponsor ASAP at the Middlesex County Adult Correction Center. |
NATIONAL RECOVERY MONTH CELEBRATED AT BOARD OF CHOSEN FREEHOLDERS MEETING
The Middlesex County Local Advisory Committee on Alcoholism and Drug Abuse (LACADA) made its second Annual Presentation to commemorate National Recovery Month, on November 23, 2009, at The Board of Chosen Freeholders meeting in New Brunswick. The Board recognizes National Recovery Month every year with a public ceremony awarding plaques to the agency and individuals who have shown exemplary work in the field of addictions recovery. These presentations are made to remind us of the importance of recovery to society, in general, but in particular to the people completing their programs and their families. This program also recognizes the agencies that work with our clients to aid them in becoming productive citizens once again.
Jim Foy, of the New Hope Foundation’s “Open Door,” is shown accepting his individual honor. The other individual award recipient was George Berry of New Brunswick. The agency award recipient was the New Hope Foundation of Marlboro, New Jersey.
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A Message From Freeholder
Blanquita B. Valenti:
The demand for supplies
to replenish M.C.F.O.O.D.S., the Middlesex County emergency food network,
is extremely critical at present. All of our regular food drive agencies
continue to do an excellent job. Even with steady donations, however,
the need for food has soared beyond the capacity of the organizations
that currently provide assistance. As outlined in the following announcement,
we are asking as many organizations as possible to join with those already
collecting for the needy families of Middlesex County. Please contact
Jennifer Apostol at the MCIA if you or your agency can sponsor a food
drive. We look forward to talking with you and thank you for considering
this vital assistance to our Middlesex County neighbors.
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M.C.F.O.O.D.S.
MIDDLESEX COUNTY'S EMERGENCY FOOD NETWORK NEEDS YOUR HELP NOW!!!
MIDDLESEX
COUNTY'S 60 FOOD PANTRIES AND SOUP KITCHENS URGENTLY NEED THE
FOLLOWING:
CANNED
MEATS AND STEWS
PASTA
CANNED MILK
TUNA FISH
CEREAL
RICE
VEGETABLES
CANNED FRUIT
PEANUT BUTTER
JELLY
SHAMPOO
TOOTHPASTE
DIAPERS AND BABY WIPES
GROCERY STORE GIFT CERTIFICATES (MAIL
TO M.C.F.O.O.D.S., C/O MCIA, 101 INTERCHANGE PLAZA, CRANBURY,
NJ 08512)
DROP OFF ITEMS AT PUBLIC LIBRARIES IN EDISON, MILLTOWN, MONROE,
NORTH BRUNSWICK, PLAINSBORO, SOUTH BRUNSWICK, WOODBRIDGE AND
EAST BRUNSWICK.
BUSINESSES,
CHURCHES, CIVIC GROUPS, SOCIAL GROUPS, SPORTS GROUPS AND SCOUTS
PLEASE GET INVOLVED AND SPONSOR A FOOD DRIVE, COLLECT GOODS
AT MEETINGS, COLLECT FOOD FOR ENTRY AT EVENTS.
CALL
JENNIFER APOSTOL AT 609-409-5033 OR E-MAIL: JA@MCIAUTH.COM FOR
MORE INFORMATION.
PLEASE CLICK HERE FOR THE M.C.F.O.O.D.S. WEBSITE |
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2ND FLOOR provides anytime anywhere support to New Jersey youth through a toll free, confidential and anonymous youth helpline: 888—222-2228. 2ND FLOOR also offers program brochures, posters, stickers, clickable links and other materials that publicize the program as the place for New Jersey youth to call and talk about their issues, concerns and problems. Call 2ND FLOOR at: 888-222-2228 or e-mail: www.2ndfloor.org. |
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