FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Thursday, February 07, 2019

Four Non-profits Receive Grants to Advance Sports Training and Athletic Competition 

TRENTON, NJ – The New Jersey Department of Community Affairs (DCA) today announced that four New Jersey non-profit organizations received a total of $330,000 in grants through the Athletics for Individuals with Disabilities program administered by the Office of Recreation within DCA’s Division of Housing and Community Resources. The grants are designed to increase the availability of sports training and athletic competition for New Jersey residents with disabilities.

“Athletic training and competition can play an integral role in the lives and well-being of all people, including individuals with disabilities,” said Lt. Governor Sheila Y. Oliver, who also serves as DCA Commissioner. “Each grant ensures the provision of a variety of athletic sports to children and adults with special needs, regardless of ability.”

Special Olympics New Jersey, Inc. (SONJ) will receive $260,000 for athletic training and competition in 24 sports for up to 25,000 individuals with intellectual disabilities. SONJ provides year-round sports training and athletic competition in a variety of Olympic-type sports for children and adults.

Three additional awards will go to Blind Sports Inc., Association of Blind Athletes of New Jersey, and New Jersey Titans Team, Inc.

A $10,000 grant will help Blind Sports Inc. to provide athletic opportunities to those who are blind and visually impaired.  This award will provide training and competition in track and field, Beep Baseball, soccer for the blind and visually-impaired, swimming, speed walking, and power lifting.

The Association of Blind Athletes of New Jersey, which works with the blind and visually-impaired to provide athletic and training competition, will receive $30,000 to offer skiing, track and field, judo, Beep Baseball, goal ball, and audio darts to the people they serve. The grant will also provide athletes with specialty or adaptive equipment and uniforms for their team sport and support efforts to increase participation in the 5- to 15-year age group.

A $30,000 grant will go to New Jersey Titans Team, Inc., a non-profit Beep Baseball organization, which provides individuals with visual impairments and blindness the ability to engage in Beep Baseball, an adaptive version of baseball. The grant will support training to improve the athlete’s technique, batting, sprinting, and methods of defense skills and field layout. The funding will also allow the team to participate in weekly practices, local tournaments, and championship games.

The Division of Housing and Community Resources strengthens and revitalizes communities through the delivery of affordable housing, supportive services, and financial and technical assistance to communities, local government, and community-based organizations. For more information on the Athletics for Individuals with Disabilities program, visit:
https://www.nj.gov/dca/divisions/dhcr/offices/community.html.

DCA was established in 1967 and today offers a wide range of programs and services, including affordable housing production, fire safety and building safety, community planning and development, local government management and finance, and disaster recovery.

For more information about DCA, visit https://nj.gov/dca/ or follow the Department on social media:

   DCa on Twitter

 

CONTACT:
Tammori Petty
Gina Trish
Lisa Ryan
(609) 292-6055