Official Site of The State of New Jersey
DCA Awards $585,000 in Recreational Opportunities for Individuals with Disabilities Grants
- Posted on: 02/22/2024
Local Governments Receive Grants to Support Ongoing Recreational Programs and Special Events for People with Disabilities
TRENTON, NJ – The New Jersey Department of Community Affairs (DCA) today announced the award of $585,000 in grants to five counties and 35 municipalities through the Recreational Opportunities for Individuals with Disabilities (ROID) program. ROID grants help local governments offer activities specifically designed for individuals with disabilities so they can fully participate in municipal and county recreation programs. The grants also assist local governments in meeting Americans with Disabilities Act requirements.
Programs supported through the ROID grants include athletics, performing arts, after-school programs, and other activities such as visual arts, storytelling, and cooking classes. The activities emphasize positive reinforcement, social interaction, and community awareness.
“We are pleased to make an investment in recreational programming that helps to develop and maintain activities that enhance the lives of children and adults with disabilities in New Jersey,” said DCA Acting Commissioner Jacquelyn A. Suárez. “Participating in recreational activities is essential to feeling part of the community and to improving quality of life. From sports to crafts to cooking, DCA looks forward to the rewarding opportunities that will result from these grants.”
Created in 1978, the ROID program offers two grants to assist municipalities and counties in delivering both short-term special events and comprehensive recreational services for individuals with disabilities. The Special Event Grant funds short-term events, which fulfill a specific community need, while the Comprehensive Grant supports continuous, integrated recreation and leisure service programs. Each grant requires a 20 percent funding match from the local government.
The FY2024 ROID grant recipients and projects include the following:
|
Grant Recipient |
Project Description |
Award Amount |
|
Aberdeen |
Expansion of services for the HAM Therapeutic Program. |
$20,000 |
|
Barnegat |
Provide inclusive recreation opportunities for people with disabilities in the Ocean County area. |
$20,000 |
|
Bayonne |
Expand the Ability Program, an integrated and inclusive after-school and summer recreational program for Bayonne’s teen and adult residents with developmental disabilities, to include arts programming. |
$20,000 |
|
Bloomfield |
Expand the special needs program to include art classes for participants. |
$20,000 |
|
Carlstadt |
Establish an inclusive basketball league for youth with disabilities. |
$1,393 |
|
Cherry Hill |
Expand programs to provide safe and comfortable environments for individuals with disabilities to engage in healthy social and emotional interactions. |
$20,000 |
|
Cliffside Park |
Enhance the existing summer camp so that the art class is inclusive for those with disabilities. This program will be open for all children attending the Borough’s summer camp. |
$9,250 |
|
Cumberland County |
Implement the 2024 Recreation Plan in its efforts to serve individuals with disabilities. |
$10,000 |
|
Dumont |
Increase the capacity of the Senior Center trips. |
$1,000 |
|
Eatontown |
Expand a community-based, enhanced special events program that specifically focuses on the participation of all community residents and provides opportunities for individuals with disabilities. |
$15,000 |
|
Elmwood Park |
Expand the scope of the Aftercare Program. |
$1,393 |
|
Englewood |
Expand the after school program at McCloud Elementary School, through the addition of inclusive Mad Science programs, Bronx Film Initiative programs, Minds In Motion’s Battle Bot classes, and stress management activities. |
$1,395 |
|
Fair Lawn |
Support the programming and recreational activities for participants of Fair Lawn’s Camp Shining Star program. |
$16,667 |
|
Garfield |
Expand the Sharing Garden Program by including a cooking program and professional development component. |
$16,000 |
|
Hillsborough |
Support sports programs to give individuals with disabilities the opportunity to learn the basics of different sports and team games. |
$2,500 |
|
Hudson County |
Support an inclusion program uniting individuals through creative movement, yoga, artistic media, karate, educational trips, summer camp, and social/coping skill development. |
$35,000 |
|
Jackson |
Provide inclusive recreational sports and leisure activities to aid individuals with disabilities in their mobility, socialization, independence, employment, and community integration. |
$15,000 |
|
Jersey City |
Provide inclusive recreational opportunities to Jersey City youth with varying abilities so they can learn skills associated with recreational and leisure activities. |
$20,000 |
|
Leonia |
Implement an inclusive winter basketball clinic for children and young adults with and without special needs. |
$5,140 |
|
Linden |
Create an inclusive bowling club, which will use a buddy system to pair participants with and without disabilities together. |
$20,000 |
|
Little Falls |
Offer a series of life skills and cooking classes for children and adults with and without disabilities. |
$2,500 |
|
Livingston |
Provide various recreational activities for individuals with disabilities in the Township and surrounding areas. |
$20,000 |
|
Lodi |
Provide funds to continue the bowling program for special needs children in the Borough. |
$4,800 |
|
Middlesex County |
Provide opportunities for people with and without disabilities to participate in arts and cultural programming and provide a platform for artists and participants to express and share their cultural traditions. |
$35,000 |
|
Montville |
Provide services for children of all abilities coming from Morris, Essex, Bergen, and Somerset counties. |
$35,000 |
|
North Bergen |
Expand the recreational components of the Special Young People of North Bergen Initiative to foster an inclusive community for disabled participants ages 14-65. |
$2,500 |
|
Old Bridge |
Provide recreational opportunities for youth with disabilities through the Camp ROBIN program. |
$20,000 |
|
Parsippany Troy-Hills |
Expand participation in existing inclusive programming, reinstate the PALS program, and make existing mainstream programming more inclusive. |
$20,000 |
|
Passaic City |
Develop and expand inclusive social and recreational activities for children with disabilities. |
$20,000 |
|
Paterson |
Expand recreational opportunities for individuals with disabilities by incorporating new activities into the inclusive youth after-school programming. |
$11,360 |
|
Perth Amboy |
Provide expanded or new recreational opportunities for both neurotypical youth and youth with disabilities. | $20,000 |
|
Prospect Park |
For the continuation and expansion of the special needs accessible Camp Hofstra summer camp program. |
$1,393 |
|
Red Bank |
For the purchase of a push chair to increase the inclusivity of the Red Bank Classic 5k. |
$825 |
|
Rutherford |
Continue to provide recreational opportunities for individuals with disabilities in a safe manner. |
$2,500 |
|
Secaucus |
Continue and expand inclusive, year-round enrichment programs for residents with and without disabilities. |
$20,000 |
|
Somerset County |
Expand inclusive recreational programming for youth. |
$20,997 |
|
Union County |
Provide inclusive recreational programs for persons with disabilities and special needs through the new “Arts for all Abilities” program, the expansion of the inclusive recreational camp, and expanding the County’s three inclusive social programs. |
$35,000 |
|
Union Township |
Provide a variety of trips and special events for youth and young adults with and without disabilities, and engage and involve their families as well. |
$11,050 |
|
Vernon |
Provide various recreational activities for individuals with disabilities. |
$12,337 |
|
Willingboro |
Create and provide a pathway for an inclusive recreation system in the community for all abilities. | $20,000 |
The ROID program is administered by the DCA Division of Housing and Community Resources. The mission of the Division is to strengthen and revitalize communities through the delivery of affordable housing, supportive services, and financial and technical assistance to local governments and community-based organizations. The Division’s Office of Recreation is focused on expanding and developing recreational programs on a statewide and local basis and disseminating information to governmental and other agencies engaged in fostering recreational programs.
DCA offers a wide range of programs and services, including local government management and finance, affordable housing production, fire safety, building safety, community planning and development, disaster recovery and mitigation, and information privacy.
For more information about DCA, visit https://nj.gov/dca/ or follow the Department on social media:
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