Advancing Opportunities for Those with Special Needs

Before You Go

By Anthony Bucci, Assistant Editor On Apr 29, 2015

For 65 years, Advancing Opportunities has strived to advance the independence of adults and children with disabilities by providing services, education, support and advocacy throughout communities in New Jersey.

Originally founded in 1950 as United Cerebral Palsy Associations of New Jersey, Inc. by a group of parents whose children suffered from the disability, the organization changed its name in 2001 to Cerebral Palsy of New Jersey, Inc. and became a founding member of Disability Service Providers of America. However, in 2008, the agency changed its name again to Advancing Opportunities to better reflect its mission of helping individuals with all types of disabilities, says the agency’s CEO Jack Mudge.

“We did not want people to be put off by us being called Cerebral Palsy of New Jersey,” he says. “We have changed so much over our lifespan. So, we want to make sure that all individuals with disabilities and their families know we are here to support them.”

Today, along with its headquarters in Ewing, the agency has locations in Barrington, Woodstown, Budd Lake and Little Falls, and has grown from 150 employees to 325 statewide due to the expansion of most of its services, Mudge says.

“We provide assistive technology services where we evaluate and train individuals to help them communicate and function better with the help of technology; employment services, where we work with employers to help make it possible for men and women with disabilities to find work and earn a living; as well as family support services, personal assistance services and prevention education. We also work with schools and teachers to help make classrooms and curricula accessible to students of all abilities.

“But perhaps our largest program today is our residential services,” Mudge continues. “We currently have 17 residential programs, 13 of which we opened in the past three years. We own and operate these apartment centers and group homes, where individuals with special needs can live independently, but have access to a fully-trained staff to assist them, as well as around-the-clock emergency services.”

According to Mudge, Advancing Opportunities is funded by a variety of sources that includes: the New Jersey Department of Labor; the Division of Developmental Disabilities; the Division of Children and Family Services; Commission for the Blind and Visually Impaired; 80 school districts around the state; and many other foundations and grants. Mudge says, however, that there is a “bigger need than ever” for what the agency offers, and continued funding is necessary for continued growth.

“The expansion for quality services for individuals that need assistance is constantly growing,” he concludes. “And, our organization will continue to grow because of that need. In the next year alone, we have five more residential homes to open and we need continued support. … People with disabilities should never let their disabilities stop them from reaching their goals, and we are here to help provide them with what they need to do just that.”

 

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