NJACP would like to thank the following Sponsors for their generosity to the DSP Heroes event:

DSP Champions:

Devereux Advanced Behavioral Health NJ (the event platform sponsor) ● Enable NJ (the digital program sponsor)

Heroes Promoters:

Avidd Community Services of NJ ● Department for Persons with Disabilities ● Diocese of Paterson

Heroes Supporters:

Devereux Advanced Behavioral Health ● Enable, Inc. ● Quality Management Services, Inc. (QMA)

Heroes Ally:

21 Plus, Inc. ● Eden Autism Services ● Everas Community Services ● Jewish Association for Developmental Disabilities (J-ADD) ● JESPY House ● Jewish Service for the Developmentally Disabled of Metrowest, Inc. (JSDD) ● Oaks Integrated Care ● Serv Achievement Center

Heroes Appreciator:

Keystone Community Services ● National Institute for People with Disabilities NJ (NIPD) ● New Jersey Institute for Disabilities

Materials

To download the ad show, click here.

To download the event recording, click here.

To download the digital program, click here.

2023 NJACP Heroes Recognition Awards

The 2023 NJACP DSP Heroes Recognition Award

About the Award:

NJACP and its members have always been keenly aware of the importance of DSPs and the important role they play in the lives of individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. With the onset of the COVID-19 Pandemic, it quickly became obvious that direct care staff were regularly demonstrating heroic levels of selflessness and compassion on the job as they provided care for the individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities they served.

So, NJACP and its members decided to celebrate and honor Direct Support Professionals at a special virtual event in 2020. As the pandemic persisted, stories of the endless selfless efforts of DSPs providing support for those in their care continued to be heard. And so the NJACP DSP Heroes Recognition Award was established to recognize DSP’s who continue to prove every day that they really are Heroes.

2023 marks the 4th year for the DSP Heroes Award! NJACP is delighted to celebrate a staff member in a Direct Support Role from each of our member agencies who have truly gone above and beyond the call of duty. While many DSPs are all deserving, each agency has been limited to one nomination.

NJACP 2023 Heroes

21 Plus, Inc.: Teresa Viglione

Abilities of Northwest Jersey, Inc.: Christine Healy

Alternatives Inc.: Elizabeth Onsongo

AVIDD Community Services of NJ: Anna Pierre

Bancroft: Colleen Yeckley

Delta Community Supports: Aruna Kabba

Department for Persons with Disabilities, Diocese of Paterson: Qaliah Small

Devereux Advanced Behavioral Health NJ: Dylin Lewis

Eden Autism: Joseph Saunders

Enable, Inc.: Caleb Nyambrui

Everas Community Services: Marcia Lee

Family Resource Network/Caregivers of New Jersey: Juliet Warren

J-ADD (Jewish Association for Developmental Disabilities: Donna Perez

JESPY House: Karen Maxon

Jewish Service for the Developmentally Disabled (JSDD): Tamita Blanding

Kelsch Associates: Toyin Martins

Keystone Community Resources: Stacy Brown

Midland Adult Services: Tony Oxford

Miller Group Home: Shaniece Anderson

National Institute for People with Disabilities NJ: Candida Santos

Oaks Integrated Care: Edison Holley

Occupational Training Center of Burlington County: Koti Wolo

Partnerships for the People, Inc.: Edith Antione

Quality Management Associates NJ: Olushola Borode

ResCare: Geraldo Desir “G”

SERV Achievement Center: Adrienne Hollis

The P.I.L.O.T. Services: Maruf Ajetunmobi

Recognition from VIPs

Thank you to Governor Philip D. Murphy for his proclamation for all DSP Heroes

Thank-you to the State Legislators who submitted a video for this event:

• Senate Majority Leader Teresa M Ruiz (D-29)

• Sen. Patrick Diegnan (D-18)

• Sen. Gordon Johnson (D-37)

• Sen Steve Oroho (R-24)

• Sen. Jean Stapleton (R-8)

• Sen. Doug Steinhardt (R-23)

• Asw Shama Haider (D-37)

• Asw Mila Jasey (D-27)

• Asw Ellen Park (D-37)

• Asm Brandon Umba (R-8)

NJACP would also like to thank the following advertisers:

21 Plus, Inc. ● Alternatives, Inc. ● Avidd Community Services of NJ ● Bancroft ● Butler Human Services ● Delta T Group ● Department for Persons with Disabilities, Diocese of Paterson ● Devereux Advanced Behavioral Health NJ ● Eden Autism ● Enable, Inc. ● Everas Community Services ● eVero Corporation ● Family Resource Network/Caregivers of New Jersey ● Interstate Fleet Services ● Jewish Association for Developmental Disabilities (J-ADD) ● JESPY House ● Jewish Service for the Developmentally Disabled of Metrowest, Inc. (JSDD) ● Kelsch Associates of NJ ● Keystone Community Services ● Matthijssen Business Systems ● Mercadien ● Midland Adult Services ● National Institute for Persons with Disabilities (NIPD) ● New Jersey Institute for Disabilities (NJID) ● Oaks Integrated Care ● Occupational Training Center of Burlington County ● Quality Management Associates (QMA) ● Relias ● Rescare ● Risk Strategies – Meeker Sharkey & Hurley ● Rue Insurance ● Schenck, Price, Smith & King, LLP ● Staples ● SERV Achievement Centers ● Tarrytown Expocare Pharmacy ● The P.I.L.O.T. Services ● Withum