Monmouth County Park System’s Therapeutic Recreation Programs
The mission of the Therapeutic Recreation Division is to provide access to recreational opportunities for Monmouth County residents with disabilities in order to enhance physical, cognitive, emotional, and social functioning, as well as a sense of belonging to the community.
The mission of The Arc of Monmouth is to improve the lives of persons with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families. This is accomplished through advocacy, services and supports, collaboration with community partners and community education.
Oasis TLC in Middletown created its first Transitional Residential Adult Independent Learning (T.R.A.I.L.) Center designed to provide residential, vocational, social and educational experiences for young adults with autism in a highly supportive, home community farm setting. Over the course of the program, students will focus on the development of life skills that will help prepare them for employment and independent living.
Ballet Company of the Performing Arts Ensemble
Ballet Company of the Performing Arts Ensemble in Red Bank includes children with disabilities.
Act Out in Marlboro provides theater for kids, teens, adults with special needs.
Guild of Creative Art Docent Program
Guild of Creative Art Docent Program caters to the developmental and cognitive needs of any population, but especially reaches out to those who would not ordinarily visit an art gallery or non-profit artistic cooperative, namely elementary school aged students, adults and children with special needs, and seniors with cognitive or physical disabilities.
Middletown Arts Center has been awarded the Ruth Hughes Award for Accessible Recreation Facility by the New Jersey Recreation and Parks Association. Programs include Visual Arts and Dance Programs for children with special needs through Miss Sherri and Miss Deena; Inclusive Summer Arts Camp programs that provide opportunities for children with special needs; Camp Jinka – a specialized camp for children affected by brain tumors; programs with the Arc of Monmouth for adults with special needs; discounted Senior Citizen programs.
Monmouth Museum often offers tactile exhibits. Check their current exhibitions online!
Social Communities Activities Network (SCAN)
Social Communities Activities Network (SCAN) in Eatontown is NJ's premier provider of continuing education for adults since 1988 and is located in the basement level at Monmouth Mall. Courses include: Art * Computer * Technology * Digital Photography * Fitness * Health * Languages * History * Music * TV Production * Finance * and much more.
For older adults, Creative Aging Arts provides art workshops that stimulate connections between the visual arts and the creative process. The art activities celebrate individual expression, are meaningful, and provide pleasurable experiences connecting the individual to the larger group. Karen Starrett, founder of Creative Aging Arts, is a certified art teacher and dementia practitioner. She received a BA in art education and Certification in Gerontology from Rutgers University. She was trained at The Creative Center: Arts in Healthcare and through The National Center for Creative Aging. For the past five years, Karen has been bringing her art workshops to senior centers and assisted living facilities. She is also a working artist who exhibits frequently in the NY/NJ area including the Johnson & Johnson Gallery and the Noyes Museum.