Media Advisory

New Jersey Labor Commissioner David J. Socolow to deliver Keynote at Historic Governor’s Mansion

Princeton, New Jersey, May 6, 2009: Community Options, Inc. is a Princeton-based, national nonprofit organization that develops community-based housing and innovative employment opportunities for people with developmental disabilities. The organization is celebrating its 20th year of dedicated service by holding an Anniversary Gala at the Historic Governor’s Mansion in Princeton on Friday, May 15, 2009 at 6:30pm

New Jersey Labor Commissioner David J. Socolow is the distinguished Keynote of the evening to assist Community Options in commemorating this exciting milestone. “The New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development has the privilege of helping individuals with disabilities achieve equal opportunity to enter today’s workforce,” said New Jersey Labor Commissioner David J. Socolow. “Economic independence is achievable through participation in the workforce and is made possible by the public-private partnerships we have made with cutting-edge service agencies like Community Options, Inc.” “We’ve seen great progress for workers with disabilities in the 90 years of the public Vocational Rehabilitation program”, said New Jersey Labor Commissioner David J. Socolow. “We are now on the leading edge of self- employment and entrepreneurial ventures thanks to our public-private partnership with agencies like Community Options, Inc.”

Robert Stack, President and CEO of Community Options has dedicated his life’s work to designing and implementing the most innovative entrepreneurial business models to train and employ people with disabilities. Robert has created three Daily Plan It Conference and Copy Centers in New Jersey, Vaseful Flowers and Gifts, the country’s only nonprofit flower shop and Presents of Mind, which is an upscale gift store also in New Jersey. “We believe in real pay for real work,” says, Stack. “The days of the sheltered workshop are over and Community Options provides real life job training so that people with disabilities may have the opportunity to build a portable skill set to take with them to more competitive employment,” added, Stack.

Media Advisory .pdf