Next Step Campaigns
State Budget Cuts:
Initiated and led demonstration protesting fare increases and service cuts in NJ Transit and paratransit services.
Testified against NJ Transit actions at the meeting of it Board of Directors where these actions were taken.
Organized and co-sponsored the Statehouse rally that rolled back cuts in funding for Independent Living Centers.
Health Care Reform:
Founding co-sponsor of HCAN (Health Care for Americans Now).
Participated in two HCAN demonstrations in Washington, D.C.
Served on NJ HCAN Coordinating Committee.
Attended and spoke at health care Congressional Town Halls.
Attended and spoke at rally opposing privatization of Horizon Blue Cross/Blue Shield
Consumer Reports
Initiated a national campaign to request that Consumer Reports evaluate disability-related equipment and supplies.
Closing Institutions/Ending Waiting Lists
Served on Steering Committee to support legislation to close five New Jersey developmental centers.
Serves as a member of Noewait Steering Committee, a national campaign to end waiting lists for services for people with developmental disabilities.
(These campaigns were supported by numerous blogs and Convio-powered Action Alerts on the website, gonextstep.org.)
CONFERENCE PARTICIPATION
Co-sponsored and attended the National Conference on Disability Policy addressed by Presidential candidates or their surrogates.
Presented at the 2009 conference of TASH (The Association for the Severely Handicapped).
Presented at the 2009 conference of AAIDD (the American Association for Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities).
Employment program
Contracted with Wachovia Bank to recruit, train and supervise people with disabilities to evaluate the accessibility of its branch banks.
If you would like to get in touch with us, please address your email to: info@gonextstep.org, with your intended contact in the subject line:
Ethan Ellis: Founder, President
Colleen Roche: Web Outreach Organizer
Steven Perez: Community Organizer
Samantha Rauscher: Development
Mary Scibelli: Administration
Rory Fish: Administration
Telephone: (732) 738-4388
Fax: (732) 738-4166
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