ADVOCACY

At Community Access Unlimited (CAU), we believe advocacy and self-advocacy are essential to creating an inclusive and accessible world where everyone can live a fulfilling life as part of the greater community.

Our key goals are to:

• Empower individuals and their families through education, resources, and self-advocacy skills.
• Connect families with vital services such as legal assistance, housing, continuing education, and other support systems.
• Advocate for the rights of individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) through participation in state and national campaigns and advocacy groups.
• Influence policies at the state and national levels that impact people with I/DD.
• Advise CAU’s self-advocacy group, Helping Hands, in its mission to protect and promote the rights of people with I/DD.

SELF-ADVOCACY

At Community Access Unlimited, we empower our members to understand and assert their civil rights. Our member-directed self-advocacy groups provide people with disabilities, a supportive community and a platform to voice their concerns and mobilize around issues that matter most to them.

Self-Advocacy Resource Center

Through CAU’s Supported Employment Program, several of the individuals we serve are employed as advocates in our Self-Advocacy Resource Center. Their work includes writing letters and contacting government officials, participating in statewide self-advocacy meetings and campaigns, and attending state and national conferences.

Helping Hands

Established in the 1980s, Helping Hands is one of the longest-running self-advocacy groups in New Jersey. Monthly meetings are led by—and open to—people with intellectual and developmental disabilities who want to have a voice in their communities.

Activities include:

• Guest speakers
• Self-Determination training
• Legislative updates
• Advocacy campaigns
• Attendance at state and national conferences

Helping Hands meets at the CAU main office on the first Tuesday of each month.

“Everybody has a gift!”

For more information, contact our Family Mentor & Advocate at (908)354-3040 x4619