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                                          -- Charities & Associations - Physical Disabilities ​



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Picture
A doctor shown examining a baby at the migrant farm workers' camp in Bridgeton in 1942. Image: Library of Congress
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​Charities 
*  Overview    * Cardiac/Cancer/Diabetes  * Physical Disabilities
​*  Developmental Disabilities/Mental Health  
​* Disability Support  *  Special Needs Recreation *  AIDS/HIV  
*  Addiction  *   First Response/Law   *  Homeless/Food Banks   
*  Adoption/Family Services  *   Wildlife/Animal Welfare ​

- Blind/Deaf

The Seeing Eye® (Morristown)
PictureImage: The Seeing Eye, Inc.
Breeds, raises and trains puppies to become Seeing Eye dogs
to guide blind people and instructs blind people in proper use, handling, and care of dogs. Oldest existing guide dog school in world, first incorporated 1929 in Nashville, Tennessee, co-founded by Morris Frank, a blind man who sought to gain back his mobility, and Dorothy Harrison Eustis, an American who had experience training German shepherd police dogs in Switzerland, modeled on European program established to aid blind World War I veterans, relocated 1931 to Whippany, later built current headquarters in Morris Township,, now 60-acre campus with administrative offices, student residence, veterinary clinic and kennels. also breeding station on 330 acres in Chester housing adult breeding dogs and puppies until 8-weeks-old. Mission to enhance  independence, dignity and self-confidence of people who are blind, trains dogs to guide blind people, instructs blind people in proper use, handling, and care of dogs and conducts and supports research on canine health and development. SeeingEye® Dog designated 2020 as official NJ State Dog by legislation enacted 2020.
New Jersey Blind Citizens Association (Middletown)
Established 1910 as New Jersey Blind Men’s Club founded by group  in Hoboken, worked to support education and employment for blind and visually impaired. Camp Happiness, a free summer camp vacation program for blind adults, opened in 1930 as a waterfront facility on the Sandy Hook in Monmouth County. Camp transformed 1987 to become year-round day program. Also sponsors monthly peer support groups discussing coping skills, technology, emotional support.

New Jersey Association of the Deaf (Estell Manor)
Over 300 members to promote sign language rights, advocate for  services to deaf and hard of hearing. Biennial State Conferences since 1967 with workshops, exhibits, pageant and show. Youth Activities for  deaf school children, Created senior housing program, now spun off as independent nonprofit, New Jersey Deaf Senior Housing, Inc.

New Jersey Chapter of the Alexander Graham Bell Association for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (Glen Rock)
World’s oldest and largest membership organization promoting use of spoken language, as alternative or complement to sign language, by children and adults with hearing loss. Members include parents of children with hearing loss, adults who are deaf or hard of hearing, educators, audiologists, speech-language pathologists, physicians, and other professionals in related fields. NJ Chapter volunteer-led organization that offers localized support to help members with information and education on early intervention, spoken language and auditory development, auditory-verbal therapy and education options.
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- Paralysis/Spinal Cord/Brain Injury 

Disability Rights New Jersey (Trenton)
Originally established as unit of state government within former Departnent of the Public Advocate, later restructured as nonprofit organization designated by state as primary Protection and Advocacy agency under federal law. Advances human, civil, and legal rights of persons with disabilities and promotes their self-determination, independence, productivity, and integration into community life through education and employment. Authorized to conduct investigations of possible abuse and neglect upon receipt of a report or complaint, also helps individuals with disabilities experiencing discrimination in workplace due to their disability.

Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation (Millburn)
Created 1995 after actor Christopher Reeve's fall from horse during jumping competition severed his spinal cord, wife Dana's name added after her death from cancer in 2006. Origins also from NJ-based Stifel Paralysis Research Foundation, which consolidated with American Paralysis Association in mid-1980s, APA subsequently merged with Reeve Foundation. Dedicated to curing spinal cord injury by funding innovative research and improving quality of life for people living with paralysis through grants, information and advocacy. Quality of Life grants support fellow nonprofits that mirror Reeve Foundation’s mission and commitment to foster community engagement, enhance independence and promote healthy self-esteem, awarded over $20 million in grants to over 2,900 programs since its inception in 1999.

Brain Injury Alliance-New Jersey (North Brunswick)
Founded 1981 by small group of parents whose children had sustained brain injuries, grown to become primary source of information, education, advocacy, and support for some 10,000 people with brain injury and their families in NJ. Support program serves families with brain injury occurred before age 22 living at home or expected to return home in near future. Services include advocacy on behalf of families and individuals when working with social service and other agencies; brokering with community resources to find or modify existing programs; linking families and individuals to other sources of support; education on various aspects of brain injury.
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Spina Bifida Resource Network (Flemington)
Spina Bifida a major birth defect of baby’s spine, one of most common, permanently disabling birth defects in US, most frequently caused by lack of folic acid during pregnancy which results in spinal cord, back and lower body deformities requiring series of surgeries. Estimated 7,000 individuals affected in NJ and metro NY. Network originally formed by parents in NJ self-help groups in early 1970s to share information and support,  expanded in 2000 outreach from NJ to  metro NY and southern CT. Former affiliate of Spina Bifida Association of America, ended affiliation 2008 to become independent organization. Current initiatives include Family Support Program of in-home nursing coordination and social services, and tele-groups providing support and information for families and professionals, social development and recreational programs.

- Multiple Sclerosis

Multiple Sclerosis Association of America (Cherry Hill)
Provides financially challenged individuals with free of charge therapeutic and supportive equipment designed to improve safety, dignity, mobility, and independence of people with MS.  Therapeutic equipment includes wheelchairs, canes, walkers, shower chairs; supportive equipment includes grab bars, specially made utensils, dressing aids, etc. 

National Multiple Sclerosis Society,
New Jersey Metro Chapter  (Woodbridge)
Works to raise funds for research and improve quality of life for people affected by MS living in Bergen, Essex, Hudson, Hunterdon, Mercer, Middlesex, Monmouth, Morris, Ocean, Passaic, Somerset, Sussex, Union, and Warren County. Programs include professional counseling and peer facilitated support groups, educational programs and seminars, referrals to neurologists and healthcare professionals, national teleconferences and internet programs, services for homebound, and social and recreational programs to assist people with MS and their families.

- Muscular Dystrophy

Parent Project Muscular Dystrophy (Hackensack)
National organization focusing on developing awareness, treatments and cure for Duchenne muscular dystrophy, most common fatal genetic disorder diagnosed in childhood, affecting approximately 1 in every 3,500 live male births (about 20,000 new cases each year worldwide). Duchenne results in progressive loss of strength caused by a mutation in gene that encodes for dystrophin, which leads to damage of muscle cells and serious medical problems, particularly issues relating to heart and lungs, with those afflicted usually living only into their late twenties.


- Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis
(ALS "Lou Gehrig's Disease")

ALS Association (Philadelphia)
ALS a progressive disease of motor neurons (nerve cells that control skeletal muscles) leading to total physical paralysis. Disease became widely known following diagnosis of famous New York Yankee player Lou Gehrig, which ended career in 1939 and led to death in June 1941. National headquarters in Washington DC, NJ served through Greater NY and Greater Philadelphia chapters. Largest privately-funded research enterprise focused on disease affecting as many as 30,000 annually, with more than 5,600 people diagnosed each year. Lobbies for increased research support, provides referrals and family counseling. Sponsors five centers in US, including Neuromuscular and ALS Center at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in New Brunswick.

- Birth Defects

March of Dimes (Parsippany)
NJ chapter of national organization originally founded 1938 to combat polio, refocused mission after success of polio vaccines in 1950s on preventing premature births, infant deaths and treatment of birth defects. Premature birth (before 37 weeks of pregnancy) leading cause of infant deaths in US, with surviving babies often later facing serious and lifelong health problems, including with breathing, jaundice, vision loss, cerebral palsy and intellectual delays. In 2013, 11,802 preterm births in NJ, representing 11.5% of all live births, rates for whites (10.5%), Asians (9.6%), blacks (15.6%), Native Americans (15.4%), Hispanics (12.2%).

- Cerebral Palsy

Advancing Opportunities  (Ewing)
Originally founded 1950 as United Cerebral Palsy Associations of New Jersey, in 2001 changed its name to Cerebral Palsy of New Jersey and in 2008 to current name to reflect that it provides support to people with all types of disabilities. Programs include  in-home services to families assisting activities of daily living and in-home recreation, also weekly Community-Based Drop-Off Programs offered in groups with age appropriate peers to attend movies, theater, sporting events, social opportunities.

1st Cerebral Palsy of New Jersey (Belleville)
Founded 1946, initial programs in Newark and West Hudson. Opened 1953 school and treatment center next to Clara Maass Medical Center in Belleville, now provides pre-K through high school programs, subsequently expanded with recreation center and heated pool, also operates group home and provides adult day care. Expanded services beyond cerebral palsy to those with other special needs such as developmental delays, autistic spectrum disorder, hyperactivity, sensory integration dysfunction, speech and communication disorders and various orthopedic diagnoses. Programs facilitate cognitive, neuromuscular, sensory motor, speech and language growth.  

Cerebral Palsy of North Jersey (Maplewood)
Founded 1953 by parents of children with cerebral palsy, initially  operated from donated space in basement of Orange Memorial Hospital. Established its Horizon School in East Orange in 1976, originally serving primarily students with cerebral palsy, mission expanded with its enrollment and began serving students with a wide range of disabilities, Horizon School relocated to larger facility in Livingston in 2000 and opened in 2005 all new Horizon High School one mile away in Livingston. Grew to become organization to serve broader special needs, with over 800 staff members at 19 program sites serving more than 1,500 infants, children and adults with  diverse disabilities. Also operates pre-school programs, family networking and developmental group play activities.

Cerebral Palsy League (Cranford)
Began during 1940's and 1950's as small group of parents, established Myrle Garbe Treatment Center for medical care to help children with cerebral palsy learn to walk and talk. Expanded services to support those with other special needs, now serves more than 300 families each year. Jardine Academy provides elementary and secondary education for children and young adults aged 3-21 with multiple disabilities, also provides Early Intervention Services, daycare, Family Support Services and Adult Services. Opened 2009 newly renovated school facility on its Cranford campus that provides students with state-of-the-art technology, mobility training programs, modernized classrooms and expanded therapy suite which combined  operations of its Cranford and Union campuses into one location.

UCP of Hudson County (Bayonne)
NJ chapter incorporated 1951 as United Cerebral Palsy Guild of Hudson County following establishment in 1949 of national United Central Palsy based in Washington, DC, with over 100 independent, state and local non-profit affiliates. Initial clinic in Bayonne, now operates throughout Northern NJ providing comprehensive array of services for children 6 weeks to 21 years of age including on-site and in-home respite, daycare, preschool, physician supported daycare, and afterschool programs. Special program components include fully accessible computer lab, multi-sensory environment room, fully automated horticulture program, and accessible playgrounds. Expanded support services for range of developmental disabilties to over 400 individuals each day, now 65% of those served have disabilities other than cerebral palsy.

- Epilepsy

Epilepsy Foundation of New Jersey (Trenton) 
Affiliate of National Epilepsy Foundation. Founded 1970, programs  for families living with epilepsy, such as support groups, scholarships, and referral programs, also provides free educational presentations about seizure first-aid, police training and helmet safety.  Also operates Camp NOVA for children aged 12 and over one-week overnight summer camp for young people ages 12 and up with acting, arts and crafts, boating, fishing, karate, swimming and yoga.

- Arthritis

Arthritis Foundation-New Jersey Chapter (Iselin)
NJ chapter of national organization based in Atlanta, GA. Provides education, information, referrals, advocates for research funding.
Arthritis leading cause of disability in nation. with over 50 million affected, 1 in every 5 adults.
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*  Division of Disability Services, NJ Department of                      Human Services

“The first place to call for disability-related information.”
Toll-free: 1-888-285-3036

Within the Department of Human Services, serves as single point of entry for people seeking disability-related information in New Jersey,  focuses on enhancing health, education, employment, recreation opportunities and social engagement, maintains relationships with other state and local organizations.