2016 Grants Awarded
Massachusetts Rehabilitation Commission (Boston, MA) - To develop a customized employment and peer support model in collaboration between the Massachusetts Rehabilitation Commission’s Vocational Rehabilitation Program and Independent Living Center programs in Massachusetts to work toward solving the problem of high unemployment among individuals with disabilities and reducing the number of individuals that rely on public benefits: $250,000.
May Institute, Inc. (Randolph, MA) - To identify, train, and support individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) for potential employment with the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) as Transportation Security Officers (TSO), and to provide the TSA with tools and training to supervise individuals with ASD: $250,000.
Mayor’s Fund to Advance New York City (New York, NY) - NYC: AT WORK will connect 700+ people with disabilities to meaningful, living-wage jobs across the city’s five boroughs. To achieve this goal, the Mayor’s Fund and MOPD will build partnerships, expand coalitions, and act as an intermediary on both the supply and demand side of NYC’s labor market: $200,000.
Mental Health Association of South Central Kansas (Wichita, KS) - MHA proposes to increase employment among persons experiencing behavioral health issues through the implementation of three unique strategies-Thinking Skills for Work, Chronic Disease Self-Management, and Illness Management and Recovery: $325,000.
University of Michigan (Ann Arbor, MI) - To increase employment for high school students with disabilities through the implementation of a Virtual Reality Job Interview Training (VR) in 60 high schools for approximately 1,000 students: $485,000.
University of New Hampshire (Durham, NH) - To measure the prevalence of the use of employer practices and identify successful practices, through a nationally representative survey of 1,500 senior executives to identify successful practices and barriers that require the development of new, innovative practices: $265,743.
Signature Employment Grants
Community Employment Grants
Fedcap Rehabilitation Services, Inc. (New York, NY) - To build capacity resulting in the employment of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, Fedcap will work with New Jersey businesses and local social service providers to develop skills and opportunities: $100,000.
JEVS Human Services (Philadelphia, PA) - To fill a gap in services for young people with disabilities in New Jersey aging out of Atlantic County Special Services School (ACSSS) by implementing an innovative transition program that will help ACSSS students connect to work opportunities, matched to their skills, strengths and interests: $100,000.
North Jersey Friendship House, Inc. (Hackensack, NJ) - To develop a comprehensive graphic design training program that provides the opportunity for employment for individuals with Autism: $25,000.
Slideshow:
Navigator, Adler Aphasia Center, Yendor Arts
Adler Aphasia Center (Maywood, NJ) - To support the growth of Something Special program by expanding its marketing and sales effort for home jewelry parties and corporate events to help increase vocational gift revenue: $10,000.
County of Bergen (Hackensack, NJ) - To support the Post Stroke & Disabled Adult Support Groups to provide opportunities for socialization, recreation, rehabilitative instruction, and restorative exercises to stroke survivors: $10,000.
My Blind Spot, Inc. (New York, NY) - To train small business owners or financial professionals who have transitioned into the blind or print disabled community in Quickbooks: $15,000.
National Multiple Sclerosis Society (Woodbridge, NJ) - To improve the quality of life for people living with Multiple Sclerosis by offering a variety of gentle, adaptive exercise classes comprised of Tai Chi, Yoga, and aquatics: $20,000.
New Jersey Ballet Company, Inc. (Livingston, NJ) - To provide free weekly dance classes to individuals with Parkinson’s disease and their care partners to help facilitate cognitive stimulation, social interaction, while also focusing on stability and gait: $10,000.
New Jersey Theatre Alliance (West Orange, NJ) - To explore the interest, buying patterns, and participation in cultural events among people with various disabilities: $10,000.
North Jersey Navigators, Inc. (Bayonne, NJ) - To provide recreational and competitive adaptive programs that have been specially designed to develop and enhance the mobility skills of children and youth with physical disabilities: $5,000.
Project Healing Waters Fly Fishing, Inc. (La Plata, MD) - To aid the emotional and physical recovery of active duty military personnel and veterans in New Jersey by introducing or rebuilding fly fishing and fly tying skills and enjoying the benefits of these skills on fishing outings: $14,000.
Rutgers University Foundation (New Brunswick, NJ) - To sustain and expand the current NJ Safe Schools Program and its efforts to document incidents and injuries among high school adolescents during physical education classes and extracurricular sports: $20,000.
The Washington Center for Internships & Academic Seminars (Washington, DC) - To support participation and success of two New Jersey students with disabilities through scholarships, disability programming, accommodations in classes, work sites, and disability services: $20,000.
Yendor Arts a NJ Non-Profit Corp. (Newark, NJ) - To support at-risk Newark youth with physical disabilities to create a high profile mural in the City of Newark, mentored by a master mural artist: $15,000.