New Jersey Nonprofit Launches Accessible Housing Initiative for Adults with Intellectual, Developmental Disabilities

JESPY, a New Jersey nonprofit organization finding housing solutions for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities, has strengthened its advocacy efforts for affordable housing for one of the state’s most vulnerable communities.

JESPY has launched its Go Big for JESPY initiative to respond to the urgent residential, service and program needs of its clients. This initiative will allow the nonprofit to create its proposed JESPY Center and The Hub. The JESPY Center is designed to be a fully accessible building that will offer expanded residential opportunities for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities, including older clients who are aging-in-place. The goal is to provide affordably priced units for clients of all ages.

This center also plans to enhance core services and programs offered, including vocational and work readiness, education and training, health and wellness, clinical and behavioral supports, and a library and technology center. The Hub is also designed as a fully accessible building that will create residential units for young adult clients transitioning to living independently and provide programs and services including education and training, a library and technology center and more.

“Clients have already had to leave JESPY because they could not afford their escalating rents in South Orange,” says said Audrey Winkler, executive director for JESPY House. “When clients are forced to leave JESPY, they lose not only their housing, but also their jobs, friends, clinical services, routines, programs, services, and independence. Our Go Big initiative seeks to create affordably priced housing options for our clients so they can continue to live and thrive in a community that they love and have lived in for decades. This is home.”