20230217 - Ridgewood Access Committee Minutes

Ridgewood’s Community ACCESS Committee

Meeting Minutes February 17, 2023

The ZOOM meeting opened at 2:02 p.m.

Present: Ines Bunza, Robin Ritter, Siobhan Winograd, Joanne Stolfo, Caroline Meier, Lisa Gardner, Jan Philips, Surbhi Kapadia, Lela Alter, Erica Dunckley

Item 1: Welcome

Ines welcomed everyone to the meeting. Minutes from the January meeting were approved. Motion by Erica, Second Joanne and motion carried.

Siobhan was detained in a meeting, so we decided to go ahead with:

Item 3: Treasurer’s Report

Going forward Lisa Gardner will receive the financial report monthly. Our account currently has a total of $4,493.34. We received a $500 donation from Freedom Bank, but nothing from TD Bank nor from Chase. Maybe if we go back to having tables at the ACCESS Weekend, Freedom would consider their former donation of $1,000.

Item 2: Report of Village Council Liaison, Siobhan Winograd 

Villagers would like to hear about Finances and Communications. This Wednesday will be the VC meeting about Communications. There will be a 15 minute presentation discussing events and facts apropos of the topic.

Siobhan asked about the woman who owns a bakery called Rise Above and employs people with special needs. Her name is Shiri Reuvini-Ulrich and she had called looking for a place in Ridgewood where she could open a bakery. Lela, who is a real estate broker, will check out any possibilities nearby. Siobhan suggested the train station, where a coffee shop used to be before Covid. She will put out an RFP. Or perhaps on Ridgewood Ave.

Joanne mentioned that her daughter Diana and partner Matt frequent the Clean Water Cafe in a Parsippany church, staffed by special needs adults. She also learned from Joanne Van San there is a place in Ocean Grove which is similar. Also in Little Falls - Ethan & Bean and No Limits Cafe in Middleton. Surbhi will ask her co-worker, Melissa if she has a resource.

4. Old Business

Artists for Library October Exhibit: Lela mentioned to Robin about Marble Jam in Hackensack. Marble Jam confirmed that they will exhibit in the library auditorium in October. Robin is also in touch with an individual artist who will also exhibit that month.

Workability: The Arc did a program about 2 weeks ago. Nothing has been enacted yet. But if anyone receives an email, it’s important to respond immediately.

                                                                                    Page 2 ACCESS Committee Minutes

                                                                                    February 17, 2023

“Informed delivery”: through the USPS, we can receive a notice about mail being received by our young adult living out of the home. Click “Mail scan” on their website and you will be directed.

5. New Business

Lela raised the subject of the 24-month rule for Medicare. It is a very slow process. She mentioned Cory Booker.

Health Dept.: Surbhi said there will be two new programs: “How to identify school-based anxiety” beginning March 8, and “The Relationship between Covid 19 and Dementia,” presented by Alzheimer’s of NJ, beginning March 30, both through Community Pass. 

The annual Wellness Challenge will again take place between March and June with workshops and classes.

Joanne called attention to an article in the Bergen Record about Diana and Matt’s commitment ceremony at Montclair State. Netflix is making a film about it!

The meeting ended at 2:38.

The next meeting will be on March 17 at 2:00 via ZOOM.