Local Nonprofit Receives Grant from Princeton Walmart
Published on 08.24.12
L to R – Anne-Marie Salerno, Director of STEP, Jon Lombardo, Princeton Walmart Manager and Dave Giardino, STEP participant
Community Options, a Princeton-based national nonprofit that develops homes and employment for people with developmental disabilities, recently received a $1,000 grant to support its School to Employment Program (STEP).
STEP is a Transitional Education program, focusing on students with disabilities. Community Options provide students with transferable vocational education and relevant social skill development as part of their Individualized Education Plan, improving future opportunities for competitive employment and/or post-secondary education.
Currently, STEP is collaborating with the Hamilton Township, Princeton Regional, Robbinsville, and Metuchen School Districts. Students from these districts, working closely with their job coaches, are exposed to a wide variety of job sampling opportunities at various locations. These locations include Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in both Hamilton and New Brunswick, the RWJ Center for Health and Wellness in Hamilton, local retail stores, supermarkets, insurance companies, pet grooming salons, libraries, and assisted living facilities, to name a few.
“We are thrilled to receive local support from Walmart for our School to Employment Program,” says Robert Stack, President and CEO of Community Options. “The program lays a solid foundation for future vocational success for youth with disabilities,” he added.
To learn more about Community Options, please visit www.comop.org. You can also join Community Options on Facebook at www.facebook.com/communityoptions.