Community Residences Newsletter |
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Greetings from Friends of Cyrus, New Jersey's premier Disability Services agency! We are proud to present our first Community Residences Newsletter of 2021. Each month, Friends of Cyrus will be sharing stories from our clients, their families/guardians, and the Direct Support staff that serve them. In this issue, we will be focusing on the guardian of one of our residents, Patty.
Patty enrolled her grandson, Colton, in our Community Residence Program at the beginning of 2021. Continue reading below to see what Patty has to say about Friends of Cyrus and the amazing progress Colton has made since joining our Community Residence program.
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If you or anyone you know is looking to find a home that provides 24/7 Direct Care support to a loved one with intellectual or developmental disabilities, please contact our Admissions Team to get the help you need.
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Path of Progress
"Hello, how are you. Very nice to meet you."
Patty greeted me warmly as I entered the Browns Mills home. She had with her a manilla folder, and explained that she had brought her grandson Colton's Individualized Support Plan (ISP).
"There are just a couple of things I wanted to go over with you that I thought you should know..."
As Patty fingered through the documents, she touched upon a number of challenging behaviors Colton had exhibited in the past and what sort of progress her grandson has made since entering Friends of Cyrus' care. Much to my surprise and delight, Patty re-read the same statement time and time again: these behaviors have not been exhibited since Colton moved into his Community Residence.
I asked Patty why she thought there was such a change in Colton since joining Friends of Cyrus. Her answer: the amazing staff that care for him day after day.
"Marisol, Taquana, Angie, all of the staff here…they’re all so good. They genuinely love what they’re doing. They don’t just tolerate Colton and his housemates - that’s the biggest difference I’ve seen between Friends of Cyrus and other agencies. Plus, the staff here always know what to do when presented with challenging behaviors."
Patty looked over to the living room where Colton and his housemates were participating in virtual Day Program with their Support Staff. She smiled, clearly enjoying how engaged and happy they all were in that moment.
"The staff care. They really, really care. It’s not a front - and I can tell."
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Patty went on to explain that she had some apprehensions when Friends of Cyrus initially recommended this Browns Mills home. When she first started looking to transfer Colton from his previous home, Patty had been looking for Community Residences in Medford. Although Friends of Cyrus had availability in that area, the Admissions Team proposed an alternative that they felt would work better for Colton.
"I was a little worried, what with Browns Mills being a little further from me and my husband...but boy did Friends of Cyrus make the right choice."
Despite her reservations, Patty agreed to transfer Colton to Friends of Cyrus where he began his amazing journey of progress.
"A few weeks after Colton's admission into the home I came to visit. When I arrived, the staff couldn't wait to tell me how far Colton had come since he got here - and I saw a real difference immediately."
Being with other individuals his own age in a supportive and caring environment was exactly what Colton needed - and Patty was thankful that Friends of Cyrus had the foresight and persistence to convince Patty to place him in this home.
"They’re a family here. They genuinely love spending time with one another, and when they're all focused on the same task, they're truly connected."
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At that point, Colton and his housemates were wrapping up their morning session of virtual Day Program so they could break for lunch. As the staff began transitioning them away from the activity, Patty left me with one last sentiment.
"You know, I didn’t realize that there are super places and not so super places…and Friends of Cyrus is a super place. The only negative thing I could say is I wish I could have gotten Colton in here sooner."
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We have openings in the following Community Residences located in Burlington and Middlesex Counties:
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BROWNS MILLS, NJ
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Cochita Home
Gender(s): Female
Vacancies: 1
Cochita is one story with four bedrooms, 2 full bathrooms, and a large living room. There is a front porch and patio area to sit outside as well as a backyard.
When the ladies at Cochita aren't spending time inside watching movies and doing group activities, they love going shopping together. After all, their wardrobes aren't going to update themselves!
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Poppy Home
Gender(s): Male
Vacancies: 1
Poppy is one story with five bedrooms, 2.5 bathrooms, and three living areas. There is a wrap around porch and patio area to sit outside as well as a fenced in yard.
The gentleman at Poppy are our resident bargain hunters. Nothing gets them more excited than trips to the Dollar Store, but they have their eyes peeled for great deals wherever they go.
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Rhode Island Home
Gender(s): Male
Vacancies: 1
The home is one story with four bedrooms, 2 full bathrooms, and a cozy living room that opens up to the kitchen and dining room. There is patio area to sit outside as well as a fenced in yard.
Our Rhode Island residents are some of our most accomplished movie buffs. Whether they're rewatching an old favorite or experimenting with something new, they enjoy doing it together.
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WILLINGBORO, NJ
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Enfield Home
Gender(s): Female
Vacancies: 1
Enfield is one story with five bedrooms, 2 full bathrooms, and a large kitchen that leads to a beautiful living room. There is a porch and patio area to sit outside as well as a tree-lined backyard.
The ladies over at Enfield enjoy outings in the community more than anything. Some spots they frequent include the local park and their favorite restaurants.
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MEDFORD, NJ
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White Birch Home
Gender(s): Male
Vacancies: 1
White Birch is a fully updated home located in a quiet, wooded area of Medford. The home is one story with four bedrooms, 2 full bathrooms, and a large kitchen that leads to a beautiful living room. There is also a fenced in backyard with a small creek running behind the home.
The guys at White Birch are pretty sporty! They love playing basketball and using their tablets to catch up on sports highlight reels.
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EAST BRUNSWICK, NJ
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Hardenberg Home
Gender(s): Male
Vacancies: 1
Located on a beautiful tree-lined street, Hardenberg is one story with four bedrooms, 2.5 bathrooms, and a large kitchen that leads to a beautiful, fully-fenced backyard. The park-like feel of the backyard offers a large space to enjoy the beauty of nature.
We're currently filling vacancies in our brand new development, the Hardenberg Home! If you are interested in the admissions process and the services we provide, please reach out to our Assistant Executive Director, Jessica.
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SOUTH BRUNSWICK, NJ
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Wheeler Home
Gender(s): Male
Vacancies: 1
Located in a close-knit community, Wheeler is one story with four bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, and an open floor plan that boasts a large kitchen and dining room. The fully-fenced backyard has a patio area where the individuals can sit and relax.
Our residents at Wheeler are extremely tech-savvy. They love hanging out on their iPads, watching Barney & Friends, and playing with their toy cars together.
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If you are looking for a Community Residence for an adult with intellectual and developmental disabilities, please reach out to:
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JESSICA MULHERN
Assistant Executive Director
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Direct Support Professionals
We want to hire you!
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Are you looking for a meaningful and rewarding job that makes a direct impact on the lives of adults with disabilities?
Friends of Cyrus has a number of Administrative, Direct Support, and Management positions available throughout Burlington and Middlesex Counties.
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Competitive pay rates
dependent on level of experience
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Delanco - Burlington County
Browns Mills - Burlington County
Medford - Burlington County
Willingboro - Burlington County
East Brunswick - Middlesex County
South Brunswick - Middlesex County
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If you’d like your loved one’s story featured in our next newsletter, please contact: |
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ROB GRAHAM
Marketing & Community Outreach Coordinator
(732) 322-0992
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Friends of Cyrus is a Human Services agency that provides community-based residential programs, in-home support services, and day habilitation services to New Jersey’s developmentally disabled adults. Since its inception, Friends of Cyrus has operated with an unwavering mission in mind: to create a haven of lifetime support options for individuals with disabilities. Friends of Cyrus currently supports over 120 adults throughout Burlington and Middlesex Counties with a focus on fostering independence, dignity, privacy, choice, and individuality.
Friends of Cyrus was founded in 2013 by Kamelia Kameli, a veteran in the healthcare industry and the parent of an adult son with autism, and Daren Singhani, the former CEO of a healthcare staffing company. Kameli’s son, Cyrus, was diagnosed with Autism at an early age and inspired the founding of the agency.
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