Progressive Center For Independent Living


	The Progressive Center for Independent Living, Inc. (PCIL) advocates for the rights of people with disabilities to achieve and maintain independent lifestyles. Through promotion of choice, self-direction and inclusion, PCIL works with people with disabilities and their families to ensure the same freedoms and civil liberties as everyone else. Mercer County Hunterdon County 1262 Whitehorse-Hamilton Road 4 Walter Foran Blvd. Madison Corporate Center Suite 410 Building A, Suite 102 Flemington, N.J. 08822 Hamilton, NJ 08690 Phone: 609-581-4500 Phone: 908-782-1055 Fax: 609-581-4555 FAX: 908-782-6025 TTY: 609-581-4550 TTY: 908-782-1081 Toll free: 877-917-4500 Toll free: 1-877-376-9174 We look forward to seeing you and serving you. top of page The Progressive Center for Independent Living has received a recreation grant from Mercer County through the Mercer County Office on Disability Services, Community Connections. PCIL will begin the Community Connections Project on Tuesday July 01, 2008. The purpose of this project is to strengthen and revive community interaction and increase socialization opportunities among the Mercer County individuals with disabilities (IWD) and their families and/or friends. The Community Connections Project will focus on recreation. Here is a list of recreation ideas: shopping trips, picnics, bocchie, ball etc. If you are interested in becoming a volunteer, or if you would like to attend a recreation event contact Nicole at (609) 581-4500 ext #12 top of page top of page The NCIL Voting Rights Task Force is seeking feedback from people with disabilities about their experiences voting -both positive and negative. Please send their polling place experiences to Task Force Chair Kathy Hoell at khoell@cox.net or to NCIL Policy Analyst Deb Cotter at deb@ncil.org top of page The Progressive Center for Independent Living, Inc. (PCIL) is a grant recipient of the Princeton Area Community Foundation through their Greater Mercer Grants Program. PCIL a non-profit organization working with people with disabilities was recently awarded a grant through the Princeton Area Community Foundation. This grant will allow PCIL to expand their current “Promoting Self-Advocacy” Program by providing self-advocacy skills training for students with disabilities, from low-income families in Mercer County high schools and to host various workshops for students and their parents. For more information on the Princeton Area Community Foundation, visit them at, www.pacf.org top of page PCIL Receives Grant from the Henry H. Kessler Foundation On March 16, 2007, Henry H.. Kessler Foundation awarded the Progressive Center a grant for a pilot program entitled “Employment Plus”. This program is designed to investigate and to combat the issue surrounding the under employment and lack of career advancement opportunities of individuals with physical and/or developmental disabilities. PCIL, along with partnering agency, Allies, Inc. seek to reduce the rates of underemployment among those participants in this pilot program in the Mercer County region, while establishing a mentoring and networking program and removing attitudinal barriers that limit employment opportunities of Individuals with disabilities. Click here for Employmentplus Application top of page Emergency Preparedness Project Beginning October 1, 2007, through a grant awarded by the NJ Council on Developmental Disabilities, PCIL will begin the Emergency Preparedness Project. The purpose is to deliver a curriculum on emergency preparedness with which to train people with Developmental Disabilities as “Community Disaster Liaisons” for other people with DD in collaboration with local first responders, and the NJ Office on Emergency Management. PCIL, NJCDD, and NJ OEM want to create open dialogue between the needs of the community and emergency responder personnel. Anyone interest in becoming a liaison or needs further information about the project and how you can help, should contact Scott Ellis at the Mercer Office or through email at scott.ellis@pcil.org. top of page Employment Plus Beginning October 1, 2007, PCIL is seeking Individual with Developmental Disabilities who are employed to participate in the second phase of the Employment Plus Project. Sponsored in part by a grant from the NJ Council on Developmental Disabilities, this project is designed to decrease the underemployment and lack of career advancement opportunities for individuals with developmental disabilities. Anyone ages 21 or over who is currently employed and wants to join a network of professionals with disabilities can apply. Learn how improve your marketability for career advancement or learn how to take advantages of career opportunities while maintaining Medicaid Benefits, or learn how to ask for a promotion or a raise, even learn how to budget your earnings and begin saving for retirement. Call Scott Ellis at the Mercer office for more details or email at scott.ellis@pcil.org top of page top of page