The Family Resource Network (FRN)

The Family Resource Network is a network of community-based organizations dedicated to meeting the needs of New Jersey families with disabilities and their caregivers. The organization was awarded an IHC grant in 2021 and again in 2022. During the first grant period, FRN focused on expansion of the Get FIT program, which was established in partnership with Stockton and Rowan Universities in 2008 to provide accessible health and wellness services and train future professionals to serve people with disabilities and chronic conditions and their family caregivers. Stockton University created a 10-module professional development training — Basics of Health, Exercise, & Nutrition for Individuals with Intellectual & Developmental Disabilities — while Rowan worked with residents of several group homes to develop all-abilities plots at seven community gardens in South Jersey and increase fresh fruit and vegetable consumption in adults with disabilities. Additionally, FRN developed an Inclusivity Scorecard; a measurable tool to assess accessibility in public spaces, such as businesses, beaches, and trails.

FRN dedicated their second year of funding to community accessibility with the evaluation of the Inclusivity Scorecard and development of the Toolkit. As a resource to the Scorecard, the Toolkit is a series of instructional materials designed to help public establishments increase their score on the Scorecard and make their space accessible to all.