Doors Their Place, the day habilitation center that is leasing the former Mother Teresa School on South Avenue in Atlantic Highlands, is open, operating, and will have an Open House of the facility on Friday, September 25.
Dr. Nicole Appello, executive director of Their Place, was at the community picnic and games day Sunday welcoming visitors to the outdoor event which featured food trucks, games, music and basketball hoops.
Although first advertised as an event when visitors could explore the new Day Habilitation Center, access to the facility was limited to the gym in the Charles Hesse building and the outdoor playground.
Appello said visitors coming to the September 25 event will be able to have tours through the entire facility. She said the facility is open and active with five residents currently, and others in “a queue” to join.
There were piles of information on what the non-profit agency, funded primarily through Medicare, offers to its day residents, and opportunities to learn how to volunteer either at fundraisers and community events or by raising awareness and advocacy for individuals with IDD.
Other information freely available at the picnic explained that children and adults with IDD, Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities have lifelong conditions that impact their cognitive functions, adoptive behavior, and physical and nervous systems. The purpose of Their Place was designed to promote independence for these persons, fostering social connections and supporting daily life skills and routine. Professional’s including Direct Support Professionals (DSP) play a major role in caring for the and helping them secure independence, the brochures say. Individuals are on a spectrum, according to the information, are unique and should all be seen, heard and represented.
Their Place empowers these individuals, cultivating independence through designing and focusing programming and personalized coaching that is essential for a sense of belonging and a fulfilling life. The Their Place in-home program includes speech, physical and occupational therapy
The address on all its brochures is 1000 Woodbridge Center Drive, Suite 214 in Woodbridge. The South Avenue facility is their only facility in Monmouth County. Dr. Appelllo said she selected this site because there are no other facilities around this area that meets the needs of those with IDD.
The September 25 even will be open from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Their e-mail is intake@theirplace.org
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And while Mayor Lori Hohenleitner made it clear that so long as she is mayor, and just about everyone has her telephone number, she wants everyone to know everything the governing body does and what’s going on, Borough Administrator Caleb Stratton made it clear that even though he directed the borough attorney to write a letter to a private citizen without the borough council’s approval, even though he had set up a meeting with a private citizen the mayor also said she would attend, and even though they were speaking about public property adjacent to one of several residents enjoy next to the public steps, he was not going to discuss anything about the negotiations with the one neighbor out of respect for her. “I have nothing else to say,” The administrator explained to the public at the council meeting.And while Mayor Lori Hohenleitner made it clear that so long as she is mayor, and just about everyone has her telephone number, she wants everyone to know everything the governing body does and what’s going on, Borough Administrator Caleb Stratton made it clear that even though he directed the borough attorney to write a letter to a private citizen without the borough council’s approval, even though he had set up a meeting with a private citizen the mayor also said she would attend, and even though they were speaking about public property adjacent to one of several residents enjoy next to the public steps, he was not going to discuss anything about the negotiations with the one neighbor out of respect for her. “I have nothing else to say,” The administrator explained to the public at the council meeting.And while Mayor Lori Hohenleitner made it clear that so long as she is mayor, and just about everyone has her telephone number, she wants everyone to know everything the governing body does and what’s going on, Borough Administrator Caleb Stratton made it clear that even though he directed the borough attorney to write a letter to a private citizen without the borough council’s approval, even though he had set up a meeting with a private citizen the mayor also said she would attend, and even though they were speaking about public property adjacent to one of several residents enjoy next to the public steps, he was not going to discuss anything about the negotiations with the one neighbor out of respect for her. “I have nothing else to say,” The administrator explained to the public at the council meeting.
