Community Options celebrates 30 years of service

May 14, 2019 | centraljersey.com

Community Options has been helping people with severe disabilities obtain housing and employment for 30 years.

To celebrate the non-profit organizations achievements and growth through those years, officials held the annual fundraising gala in Princeton, where the national office is headquartered.

“Tonight is so significant, it shows the support we get from Princeton and how much people care about those with significant disabilities having housing and jobs in the community,” said Robert Stack, President and CEO of Community Options, at the event that was held on May 9.

An estimated crowd of 400 people gathered inside the McCarter Theater Tent that evening at Princeton University to celebrate Community Options.

“I hope people takeaway from this gala that people with disabilities are like anyone else. They want to live with others, have the same choices as others and want to pursue happiness,” he said.

The non-profit’s mission is to develop housing and employment for individuals with developmental disabilities, according to Community Options officials.

Bernard Carolbelo is one of the people Community Options has helped.

“This place means a lot, it really does. I am proud to be here tonight. We should never again have institutions,” he said.

One of the organizations supporters is Judith Scheide, who is a philanthropist in the Princeton area.

“This is one of the most wonderful and meaningful organizations I have ever supported. This organization fills a need and I hope it continues to go on for another 30 years,” she said.

Scheide said she will continue to support the organization and help them help others all over the country.

Community Options maintains operations not only in New Jersey but in Utah, New Mexico, Arizona, Maryland, South Carolina and Texas with offices also in Nashville and the Empire State Building, according to officials.

“The changes we have experience over 30 years has just been incredible,” said Phil Lian, Chairman of Community Options Enterprises. “We are celebrating tonight the personal service and achievements of what we have been able to do for so many others.”

He said the people they have helped are able to participate in the daily life that others get to enjoy.

Community Options has a staff of more than 5,600 people that support thousands of people with disabilities, according to Stack.

“This organization is wonderful because the people that are a part of Community Options can live and work in Princeton just like the rest of us,” said Lydia Pfeffier, a long time supporter of the organization. “The organization has a committed leadership and mission that want help the individuals they serve live a full and happy life.”

Former Mayor of Princeton Phylis Marchand was also in attendance to celebrate the organization.

“I am delighted to celebrate this anniversary of Community Options. They are just amazing,” she said. “I am really thrilled to know that they will be opening a new Vaseful Flower shop right here on Witherspoon Street. Not only will the flowers be beautiful, but the employees there are individuals in the Community Options homes, which brings even more of a sense of community.”

Marchand is referring to the new flower store that will open later this month. Their first Vaseful shop was opened in Edison several years ago, according to officials. The shops are a part of the organizations effort to have employment opportunities for the people they serve.

The stores employ people with autism and other developmental disabilities, according to Andrew Park, Managing Director of Community Options Enterprises.

“As a board member and a father of an autistic young man I am glad to be with these guys to tend to the people in society we care about,” said Alec Taylor, head of the Matrix Group. “This organization is a mixture of government and private that helps those who are less fortunate. So I love this organization and could not be any happier to be here.”

Another one of the people Community Options has helped through the years’ is Bernard Krakowsky.

Since 1996 he has been a resident in his own condo in Robbinsville and used to live in an institution in Bordentown.

“I have been with them since 1994. I lived in a house with four other guys when first started with Community Options. I am just happy to be here,” he said.

Community Options Inc. will celebrate 30 years with gala May 9

May 3, 2019 | centraljersey.com

centraljersey.com

Community Options Inc. will be celebrating the organization’s 30-year anniversary with a fundraising gala on the campus of Princeton University.

The non-profit’s mission is to develop housing and employment for individuals with developmental disabilities, according to Community Options officials.

The gala will take place on May 9 in the McCarter Theater Tent at Princeton University from 5:30-10 p.m.

“Forty years ago, New Jersey had over 8,000 people with disabilities segregated in large, congregate institutions like the North Princeton Developmental Center, which originally opened as the New Jersey State Village for Epileptics. The large institution warehoused persons on the significant end of the spectrum with autism, intellectual disabilities cerebral palsy and also epilepsy, ” said Robert Stack, President and CEO of Community Options.

He said since the non-profits establishment in 1989 the organization has helped individuals who had been placed in those institutions for their disabilities.

“We were able to place people who were inappropriately left in these large institutions and purchase small homes, hire staff and help them obtain jobs or meaningful programs and return them to their local communities.” said Stack.

Community Options maintains operations in Utah, New Mexico, Arizona, Maryland, South Carolina and Texas with offices also in Nashville and the Empire State Building, according to officials.

“We are asked to expand because our services are individualized backed with low administrative costs and well-trained staff.” said Stack.

Community Options has a staff of more than 5,600 people that support thousands of people with disabilities, according to Stack.

“We bag people’s groceries, butter people’s popcorn, clean people’s offices and even deliver flowers from very own Vaseful full-service floral stores. The stores employ people with autism and other developmental disabilities.” said Andrew Park, Managing Director of Community Options Enterprises.

He said the organization is excited about their newest flower store on Witherspoon street in Princeton.

The new flower store will open next month. Their first shop was opened in Edison several years ago, according to officials.

“We also own and operate The Daily Plan which are office complexes rented to entrepreneurs staffed by persons with disabilities,” Park said.

Stack said he wants parents to know that they are not alone.

“There are agencies like ours and others to support their child regardless of the severity of their disabilities. We have a strong national infrastructure, but our expertise is developing and providing strong services for the person to live in a beautiful home and have a job they enjoy,” said Stack

For more information about the gala, please contact Kimberly Schleyer at Kimberly.Schleyer@comop.org or call 609-951-9900

Spotlight New Jersey: Cupid’s Chase 5K Charity Run

February 07, 2019 | news12.com online

The nonprofit group Community Options is celebrating its 30th anniversary with the “Cupid’s Chase 5K” charity run. The national group helps people with disabilities.

Bridge Street Cupid’s Chase 01/30/19

January 30, 2019 | LocalSYR.com

Executive Director of Community Options Cynthia Barnaby and media chair Kate Thornton discuss the upcoming Cupid’s Chase

Valentine’s “Cupid’s Chase” 5K Charity Run will Benefit People with Disabilities

January 28, 2019 | PR Newswire online |

Thousands of runners in more than 40 cities across the United States participated in last year’s Cupid’s Chase 5K Charity run to raise money and awareness for adults with disabilities.

PRINCETON, N.J., Jan. 28, 2019 /PRNewswire/ — On Saturday, February 9, 2019, over 10,000 people across 45 cities in 11 states will participate in the 11th annual Valentine’s Cupid’s Chase 5K run, presented by Community Options, Inc.

Each year, Community Options, a national nonprofit organization that provides housing and employment support to people with severe mental and physical disabilities, hosts its Cupid’s Chase 5K in various cities to support local disabled residents and their families by raising money for facilities support and programmatic social and medical services. This year’s Cupid’s Chase run will take place in:

Arizona – Phoenix, Tucson
Kentucky — Bowling Green, Paducah
Maryland – Baltimore, Wheaton
New Jersey – Bridgewater, Glen Rock, Moorestown, Morristown, New
Brunswick, Princeton, Seaside Heights, West Orange, West Deptford
New Mexico – Albuquerque, Las Cruces/El Paso, Santa Fe
New York — Binghamton, Brooklyn, New York City, Queens, Syracuse
Pennsylvania – Allentown, Bloomsburg, Bucks, Butler, Harrisburg, King of
Prussia, Latrobe, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Washington County, Wilkes-Barre
South Carolina — Charleston, Columbia, Greenville
Tennessee — Chattanooga, Cookeville, Nashville
Texas — Austin, Corpus Christi, Dallas, El Paso/Las Cruces, San Antonio
Utah – Salt Lake City

“We started Cupid’s Chase to raise awareness in the community of the need for vital resources necessary to ensure that adults with significant disabilities will still live a meaningful, prosperous life,” said Robert Stack, CEO of Community Options. “I’m pleased that this event has drawn so many socially responsible community and corporate supporters. Each year we continue to add new race locales and educate all participants and sponsors on the importance of assisting those in our communities who desperately need a helping hand.”

prnewswire.com

The Cupid’s Chase run is expected to raise over $1 million for Community Options’ annual operating expenses. Through a variety of group home management and job placement services, Community Options currently supports over 3,500 adults living and working with severe mental and physical afflictions. Since its inception 30-years ago, Princeton based Community Options has assisted over 14,300 disabled individuals.

For more information, start times, donate, and to register for the event, please visit www.cupidschase.org or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/cupidschase.

Health care needs reform, regulation and research

November 04, 2018 | Pittsburgh Post-Gazette online

Health care needs reform, regulation and research

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

This year, 36 states will elect a governor. There are well over 24 seats that could change the balance of power in Congress, and 35 Senate seats are up for grabs during the infamous midterm elections.

A plethora of rhetoric clutters airways. Each candidate will lower our taxes, protect us and lower government spending. A loquacious relative explains why his candidate is better than another. Tactics from fearmongering to testimonials painting wholesome candidates blow up your smart phone and social media.

Recent polls suggest that the gender of the candidates is unimportant. Gun control is an issue, immigration is significant, but what seems to remain the most important is health care.

The obdurate partisan voter bases positions on rhetoric rather than issues. “Abolish Obamacare” or “pre-existing conditions” become codified into right or wrong. A more exhaustive review needs to be conducted.

Over $500 billion is spent on Medicaid annually. It makes up more than 30 percent of the annual budget of Florida alone. Texas warehouses more people in institutions than California, Minnesota and Michigan combined. Their resplendent rhetoric of doing business without red tape is simply not true. The Texas process for disabled community care is protracted. It is bogged down with an over-regulatory governing entity preventing the disabled from getting jobs or living in small homes.

Medicaid was ostensibly designed to help poor people. Over 25 percent of Medicaid is allocated for large state-run, inefficient, sub-standard institutional care. Billions are spent documenting care rather than providing it. Positively, it is the fuel that funds care to America’s most vulnerable citizens.

With so many issues revolving around health care, the political leaders need to see that there is low-hanging fruit. We need accelerated closure of large state-run institutions, privatization of care for persons with disabilities, and the reduction of zealous, redundant and, at times, sanctimonious regulations for those of us on the ground providing the care.

Robert Stack
South Side

The writer is the president and CEO of Community Options, Inc., a national nonprofit developing housing and employment for persons with disabilities.

Ribbon cutting ceremony held

August 30, 2018 | Bridgewater Courier News online

Ribbon cutting ceremony held

Central Jersey Daily Rundown, Thursday, Aug. 30

My Central Jersey

Community Options, Inc. celebrated the grand opening of a new home in Princeton with a ribbon cutting ceremony on Aug. 28. Sen. Kip Bateman, Assemblyman Andrew Zwicker, Mayor Liz Lempert and members of the Princeton Council were among those expected to be in attendance. The four-bedroom home, which will provide special needs housing credits towards Princeton’s affordable housing plan, was acquired through a funding partnership with Princeton.The funding allowed Community Options to fully renovate the home to meet the needs of the residents. This is the third Community Options home in Princeton, and the 23rd in Mercer County. Overall, Community Options operates 137 homes in New Jersey and supports 725 individuals through residential and employment services. Visit www.comop.org.

Health care needs reform, reg­u­la­tion and re­search

Ribbon cutting ceremony held

Central Jersey Daily Rundown, Thursday, Aug. 30

Health care needs reform, regulation and research