October 13, 2015 - Christie Administration Awards $330,000 for Individuals with Disabilities
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Tuesday, October 13, 2015
Grants Provide Opportunities for Sports Training and Athletic Competition
Trenton, NJ – New Jersey Department of Community Affairs (DCA) Commissioner Charles A. Richman today announced that four New Jersey nonprofits received $330,000 in grants through the Athletics for Individuals with Disabilities program. Athletics for Individuals with Disabilities grants are designed to increase the availability of sports training and athletic competition for individuals with disabilities living in New Jersey. The program is administered by DCA’s Office of Community Resources.
"These awards demonstrate the Christie Administration’s continued commitment to expand opportunities available to athletes with disabilities," said Commissioner Richman. "Sports have the power to transform the lives of those who participate - that’s why it’s important to support programs that raise the issue of access for disabled athletes."
A $238,327 grant will go to the Special Olympics New Jersey, Inc. (SONJ) for athletic training and competition in 24 sports for more than 24,000 individuals with intellectual disabilities. SONJ provides year-round sports training and athletic competition in a variety of Olympic-type sports for children and adults with intellectual disabilities. The New Jersey Titans Team, Inc. promotes exercise, good health, confidence, skill-orientation and recreational enjoyment to the blind and visually impaired. A $16,673 grant will provide the team with the opportunity to participate in weekly practices, local tournaments and the World Series of beep baseball, an adaptive version of baseball for the blind, low-vision and legally blind.
Two additional awards will go to the Wheelchair Sports Council of New Jersey and the Association of Blind Athletes of New Jersey. The Wheelchair Sports Council of New Jersey will receive $50,000 to provide resources and opportunities for training, competition and development of athletic and social skills for at least 75 wheelchair athletes. The funds also will be used to establish new programs for junior and adult athletes. The Association of Blind Athletes of New Jersey, which works with the blind and visually to provide athletic and training competition, will receive $25,000 to help approximately 40 individuals with the opportunity to participate in swimming, track and field, judo, power lifting, beep ball and goal ball.
The Division of Housing and Community Resources strengthens and revitalizes communities through the delivery of affordable housing, supportive services and the provision of financial and technical assistance to communities, local government and community-based organizations. The Office of Community Services distributes federal funds to community agencies that help income-eligible households with health, education, employment, and housing needs. It also oversees the Office of Recreation which distributes state funding, certifies professionals, offers conferences, and provides technical assistance on recreation.
For more information about the Division, visit http://www.state.nj.us/dca/divisions/dhcr/
CONTACT:
Tammori Petty
or Emike Omogbai
(609) 292-6055
