Sidney Blanchard, Community Access Unlimited, Honored By NJBIZ

Finalist In New Jersey's Healthcare Heroes Competition. End Quote

(1888PressRelease) July 09, 2015 - Elizabeth, NJ - Sidney Blanchard, Executive Director, Community Access Unlimited (CAU) was recognized by NJBIZ in their prestigious 2015 NJBIZ Healthcare Heroes awards program. He was named a Finalist in the Education Hero category.

NJBIZ Healthcare Heroes honors individuals and organizations that have made a significant impact on the quality of healthcare in New Jersey.

Blanchard is a pioneer, visionary and teacher. In 1979, he founded CAU in Union County, with a $90,000 grant to move 20 adults with developmental disabilities from state institutions into the community. Improbably, he held to a singular vision, CAU would provide community access through a broad array of person-centered support services for adults and adolescents with intellectual and developmental disabilities and at-risk youth. He wanted to help people with special needs, including individuals with affordable housing requirements, have the opportunity to live independently and lead normal productive lives as citizens integrated into the community. In 1979, this was not possible.

Three and a half decades later, CAU remains true to its original mission. It is a social service movement positioned to capture resources to build community support systems for all people in need in the community. CAU views issues facing people with disabilities as community issues: such as safe and affordable housing, employment, social activities, political involvement and advocacy.

Under Blanchard's tutelage, CAU has more than $60 million in assets and only $1.5 million in debt, unlike many other nonprofits.

Sidney Blanchard's life work has been successfully teaching neighborhood groups and people of common goals how to come together to support all individuals in a community and in society. To view the New Jersey Healthcare Heroes 2015 finalists and winners, click here: http://www.njbiz.com/article/20150624/EVENTHCHEAROES/150629928/congratulations-to-the-2015-healthcare-heroes-finalists-and-winners
About CAU

Community Access Unlimited (CAU), celebrating over 35 years in the community, supports people with special needs in achieving real lives in the community. CAU provides support and gives a voice to adults and youth who traditionally have had little support and no voice in society.

CAU helps people with housing, life skills, employment, money management, socialization and civic activities. CAU also supports opportunities for advocacy through training in assertiveness, decision-making and civil rights. CAU serves more than 6,000 individuals each year. For more information about CAU and its services, contact us by phone at 908.354.3040, online at www.caunj.org or by mail at 80 West Grand Street, Elizabeth, NJ 07202.

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