July is Disability Pride Month. But with community living protections being challenged by the Department of Justice, increased concern about a reduced commitment to home and community based services (HCBS), and shifting oversight on special education, many people in the disability community are feeling less-than-celebratory.  Mustering enthusiasm for Disability Pride Month may feel hard this year, and people may be wondering what there is to celebrate.

However, Disability Pride Month has never been about pretending everything is fine. Disability Pride Month exists because disability rights took decades of organizing, protest, and persistence—even in the face of seemingly insurmountable obstacles. 

The Community Living Education Project is delighted to welcome a new team member on-board! Jill Novotny brings with her over twenty years of experience in support coordination and supervising support coordinators. Jill is also a sibling of someone with a developmental disability and is passionate about providing dignity, advocacy and meaningful support to those who need it. Jill brings the perfect combination of professional and lived experience to the CLEP team.

You are invited to read our May 2026 Newsletter, Sharing Possibilities in Community Living. Contents include information about Star Wars Day, Accessible World Cup celebrations, Preparing for life after graduation, and upcoming events.

You can subscribe to our monthly email Newsletter HERE.

You are invited to read our April 2026 Newsletter, Sharing Possibilities in Community Living. 

Contents include information about our new conversation series, Autism Acceptance Month, and upcoming in-person and virtual events.

You can subscribe to our monthly email Newsletter HERE.

You are invited to read our March 2026 CLEP Newsletter, Sharing Possibilities in Community Living. Contents include information about Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month, National Down Syndrome Day, HCBS Final Review, and upcoming events.

You can subscribe to our monthly email Newsletter HERE.
 

You are invited to read our February 2026 Newsletter, Sharing Possibilities in Community Living. Contents include information about Seizure Action Plan Awareness Week, upcoming webinars and in-person events, and links to recordings of our recent webinars.

You can subscribe to our monthly email Newsletter HERE.

You are invited to read our January 2026 Newsletter, Sharing Possibilities in Community Living. Contents include information about Prioritizing Health and Wellness, Winter Adult Services Transition Steps, and Webinars on Sibling Guardianship, and other upcoming events.

You can subscribe to our monthly email Newsletter HERE.
 

World Cup 2026 is coming! The games start on June 11 and run through July 19. It takes place every four years, and for soccer fans, the World Cup is always a big deal. This year, the World Cup is an especially big deal for fans in the New York/New Jersey area because New Jersey’s MetLife Stadium will be hosting eight matches, including the much-anticipated final game on Sunday, July 19. 

For fans in Central and Southern New Jersey, Philadelphia is hosting six matches at Lincoln Financial Field. With games fourteen games being played in or near the State, fans across New Jersey truly have lots of reason to be excited during World Cup 2026.

So no one is left out of the excitement, we put together this guide to help fans with disabilities in New Jersey get the most out of their World Cup 2026 experience. 

NOTE: This list will grow as the games get closer. If you have a recommendation to share with the community, please email laura.warne@rutgers.edu. It is being compiled as a helpful guide only, and we encourage you to independently verify all information.
 

Turning 21 can be a big milestone for people with disabilities because it signals the end of school-based services and the transition to adult services. Now with graduation on the horizon, there are important things to do so you’re well-prepared for graduation and life afterward. 

A new kind of conversation is coming to the Community Living Education Project via podcast, one that centers around real families, real experiences and real voices.

This upcoming podcast, which we're calling Possibilities Cafe, invites you into the heart of family life alongside adult children with developmental disabilities. It’s a safe space where stories unfold honestly, where moments of uncertainty, growth joy, and resilience are shared without judgement or a prescribed path. 

Let's review the Home and Community Based Settings Final Rule (HCBS), and the person-centered planning, practices and tools that support the implementation of this vital regulation.