May 02, 2009
Kick-Off Movement of Change Accessibility Tour
South Plainfield - In recognition of President’s Obama’s movement for change and the 19th Anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Jackie Jackson a local Disability Advocate and resident of Middlesex County along with the New Jersey Metro Chapter of the National MS Society have organized a Kick Off Accessibility Tour in South Plainfield Township. Ms. Jackson is passionate and motivated to be an agent of change in her community.
The Accessibility Tour will take place at 12:00 p.m. on Wednesday, May 6th, 2009 at the South Plainfield Senior Center located at 90 Maple Avenue, South Plainfield, NJ. South Plainfield’s Mayor Charles Butrico, Chief of Police John Ferraro, and members of the Council are supportive of this community initiative to make South Plainfield Township accessible. Participant’s of the tour will include Mayor Butrico, Chief of Police, Councilwoman Christine Buteaus, Councilman Scraduato, the National Multiple Sclerosis Society New Jersey Metro Chapter members and advocates, members of the New Jersey National Association of Social Workers (NASW) - Disability Special Interest Group (SIG), and Debbie Heir of Middlesex County Office on Disabilities. Friends of the community are welcome to join in for this celebration.
Ms. Jackson is challenging political leaders, advocates, clergy, business owners, family members and everyday citizens to spend a day in a wheelchair to experience life from her personal perspective as a wheelchair user with multiple disabilities. Ms. Jackson is battling three autoimmune diseases Multiple Sclerosis, Sarcoidosis and Fibromyalgia. She will provide two manual wheelchairs, to be used by Mayor Butrico and another volunteer on a walking accessibility tour and a driving tour that will begin at the Municipal Complex and continue around the nearby businesses in the area.
The goal of this Accessibility Tour is to break down physical barriers that hinder people with disabilities from gaining physical access into public and private places and to foster inclusion. Ms. Jackson’s mission is to travel throughout the township, surrounding towns, and the State over a one-year period to do assessments and evaluations of public and private places advocating, educating and urging them to make their places accessible, to fulfill their obligation to the ADA law and be part of President Obama’s movement for change.
The Press and Media are invited for the Accessibility Kick-Off Tour. For further information, please contact Jackie Jackson at: (908) 561-6470 or jackeejackson@aol.com.