WESTFIELD — The Supportive Housing Association of New Jersey is excited to announce the kick-off of its Westfield Integrated Community Project (ICP) Initiative. We seek participation from individuals with disabilities and barriers for our virtual listening sessions. Individuals can choose between one of the two, one hour long, sessions to be held this spring. Those who are interested can email Kate Kelly at kate.kelly@shanj.org.

Over the next year, the Westfield ICP will learn from individuals about how they would like to be more involved in the day-to-day life in their community. The project will work to increase the capacity of all people to become completely engaged in their communities. Listening session participants’ barriers may include aging, exiting homelessness, mental illness, substance abuse or physical, intellectual, or developmental disabilities.

Leaders in Westfield with lived experience will be empowered by the work of the ICP and become stronger advocates for changes benefiting individuals with a variety of disabilities and barriers, and Westfield’s town leadership will use the ICP’s resources to learn about opportunities to highlight its current successes and make meaningful improvements around community integration.

For more information about the Integrated Community Project or the Westfield ICP listening sessions, please contact Kate Kelly, Associate Executive Director, Supportive Housing Association of New Jersey at kate.kelly@shanj.org. Listening session participants will receive a gift card for their participation.

The Westfield Foundation is proud to fund its new grantee, The Supportive Housing Association. Enhancing lives and increasing accessibility is woven throughout its organization’s giving and it looks forward to partnering on future projects.

About The Supportive Housing Association of New Jersey: The Supportive Housing Association of New Jerseyunites its diverse coalition of members engaging development, resources, and information to sustain supportive housing systems within New Jersey. Since 1998, our statewide mission seeks to enhance lives and accessibility to enable independent living within our communities. Visit www.shanj.org for more information.