HCE Newsletters:

April 2008

TRANSITION NEWS

April is National Autism Awareness Month, and the Learn the Signs, Act Early campaign is issuing a challenge to help "Paint the Country Purple" with activities that help spread the campaign's messages to people in communities across the country. This month HCE kicked off its first ever transition program for high school students from Jersey City with autism. Nine high school students began a two day per week this month at HCE and will be beginning to master the skills needed to achieve fuller independence when they graduate high school. Planned for the coming school year is the expansion of this to a full time program.

OPUS PROJECT

We are up and running!  This month we started our first group of participants for the OPUS Project. It was a very motivated and willing group of participants. Our staff is working out of the One Stop offices in Paterson and making a valuable contribution in the lives of welfare recipients with disabilities as they pursue the road to self-sufficiency.

GALA UPDATE

We have had a great response from the local community in support of our upcoming GALA. Companies that have come on board as corporate sponsors include Metrovest Equities, Hartz Mountain, JP Morgan Chase, Goldman Sachs, Provident Bank, Sovereign Bank and The Accounting Firm of Winters, McKenzie, Mahon, and Colson.

FOOD DRIVE UNDER WAY

HCE staff is running a food drive to collect on perishable food items for distribution to our clients who are in need. Please lend your support

HCE HOLDS ITS FIRST PEP RALLY

Normally Pep Rallies are associated with athletic events. This month, in preparation for their worksite experiences, the students in HCE’s Transition Program. It was a rally filled with fun and excitement. A motivational speaker, Pat Omoqui, joined us for the day and with a “A Taste of Success” really got everyone excited.