OCCUPATIONAL CENTER OF UNION COUNTY INC
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Mission Statement
Inroads Mission Statement: Empowering individuals with disabilities in their pursuit of independence and attainment of meaningful employment. Inroads to Opportunities, formerly known as the Occupational Center of Union County, was founded in March of 1959 as a not-for-profit 501(c)3 agency serving the greater Union County area. We have grown from serving 4 individuals to over 500 annually. We are committed to providing vocational preparation, transition from school to work, job placement and mental health services to individuals with all types of disabilities from ages 16 on up. We have established relationships with 100's of local businesses, schools, hospitals, community agencies, and families.
About This Cause
Presently, Inroads is located in the Roselle Industrial Park on Cox Street in a total of three buildings with 75,000 square feet of space. In order to meet the changing needs of more individuals with disabilities, Inroads added a mental health program in 1982. This provides services to adults with serious and chronic mental illness in a partial care and day program model currently funded by Medicaid. Some of the most recent additions have been a computer laboratory, a cashier-training program and a school-to-work transition program for high school students developed on 2007. In addition, a joint collaboration between Shop Rite (Wakefern Corp.) and the Center, was developed. This retail component, called Market Central, provides a convenience store atmosphere, as well as retail training opportunities, which culminates in job placement in the labor market. In the fifty two years, since the first small group of individuals with disabilities came to work at Inroads, the program has grown and began an active job placement component. Beginning in 2008, we have held each year following a Summer Program for our Transition students which continues the path of education and work related experience for those involved. Inroads has also become a subcontract packaging company that continues to provide real work opportunities. The total number of job placements from the past fiscal year was 29, 10 of which went into the LTFA program. We have cultivated strong placement availabilities at ShopRite, Kona Grill, Sam’s Club, Applebees, Banana Republic and A&P to name a few. To support these programs, Inroads is dependent on a few stakeholders with limited funding availability. Our social enterprises rely on client business which has been impacted by the economic slow-down. Most of our participants are referred from the New Jersey Division of Vocational Rehabilitation, the various school districts of the county, New Jersey psychiatric hospitals and from other community agencies. Also, Inroads has membership with ACCSES, NJ statewide vocational services association, as well as New Jersey Association of Mental Health agencies. Inroads to Opportunities purchased Mara's Café & Bakery in the Fall of 2015 in order to provide job shadowing experiences for individuals with disabilities. We are located on 250 South Avenue in Fanwood NJ. Mara's Café & Bakery is a cozy environment that serves breakfast, lunch, dinner, and delicious desserts. Inroads to Opportunities is certified by the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF). We are an approved provider of the NJ Division of Vocational Rehabilitation Services, the NJ Division of Development Disabilities and the Commission for the Blind and Visually Impaired. We are licensed by the state of New Jersey to provide mental health partial care services under the Division of Mental Health and Addictions Services. We are an approved Medicaid provider and an approved Employment Network under the Ticket to Work Social Security initiative.