Planning Board Approval
The South Orange Planning Board voted on November 4, 2024, to approve JESPY’s application for The JESPY Center, a transformative project aimed at providing a fully accessible residential, service, and program space for adults with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities. This state-of-the-art building will feature 31 residential units serving at least 46 clients and accessible and enhanced program space for all clients.
Go Big for JESPY means...
Taking bold steps to respond to our clients’ needs.
Ensuring the continued sustainability of the organization.
Keeping our community vibrant and honoring our mission.
The JESPY Center Lobby
The Lobby will serve as a gathering space for residents of The JESPY Center as well as other clients frequenting the building to make use of the Fitness & Wellness space and to connect with JESPY House Client Services Staff.
1 Bedroom Apartment
JESPY’s residential units within The JESPY Center will include a bedroom, bathroom, and open concept kitchen, dining, and living room area.
Aging in Place Studio
The JESPY Center will include studio apartments that will surround an outdoor garden and include common kitchens and dining and living rooms for older adult clients to live comfortably, safely, and in a community with peers.
The Hub
The Hub will expand opportunities for young adults and provide for more young adult clients to live independently. To be located steps from Judi House, JESPY’s Recreational & Wellness Center, The Hub will include residential units, a Library and Technology Room, Classrooms, a Training Kitchen, and Engagement & Enrichment Areas.
Training Kitchen to Practice Safe Cooking
The Training Kitchen at The Hub will be the ideal place for young adults to safely learn and become comfortable with meal preparation on their own as part of their learning to live independently.
Young Adult Living
Residential spaces inside The Hub for young people in transition from living with family members to independent living will have a jack-and-jill layout of private bedrooms connected to a shared bathroom.
The JESPY Center
A consolidated building that will allow for expanded housing for clients and enhance JESPY’s core services will include Vocational, Work-readiness and Education spaces, a gym and wellness center, Clinical and Behavioral Support, as well as affordably priced one-bedroom apartments and aging in place studio apartments.
Why Support Go Big for JESPY?
JESPY House is a trusted nonprofit organization that has flourished and thrived during the best of times and during some challenging moments over the last 45 years. Clients have remained part of JESPY for decades, buildings have been expanded to evolve with the programs, employers in South Orange and surrounding communities have embraced JESPY clients, and families have peace of mind and heart knowing JESPY is doing what it can, will, and must for their loved ones.
JESPY has a bold and responsive plan to achieve our mission for all of our clients, today and tomorrow.
Develop 66 new units of housing
for clients in all life stages.
Improve client diversity through targeted outreach and
program development.
Expand facilities to provide more programs and services.
Upgrade accessibility and technology to improve
client services.
Strengthen partnerships to respond to new opportunities.
Increase diversification of funding sources so JESPY continues to thrive.
The Go Big for JESPY Campaign received a gift of $1 million dollars from the Eisenberg Family to support Health & Wellness Programs at The JESPY Center. The Cooperman Challenge will match this donation dollar for dollar!
“We have seen firsthand how much JESPY does for its clients, helping them to grow as individuals and as part of the community. Go Big for JESPY will provide an even stronger foundation for clients far into the future.”
The Myers Family, a founding family of JESPY House, has committed $1 million to the Go Big for JESPY Campaign to aid the expansion of JESPY's Aging in Place Initiative. The Myers' incredible donation will be matched dollar for dollar by the Cooperman Challenge.
“Through our donation, we are proud to support JESPY’s Go Big Campaign and its incredible efforts to create additional residential options and programs to serve the important needs of JESPY’s aging population for many years to come.”
JESPY House is honored to receive its first seed gift of $1 million dollars from Judy and Ken Peskin, longtime supporters, to be matched by the Cooperman Challenge to the Go Big for JESPY campaign! The Peskins shared,
“I have long been uplifted by JESPY and its mission of enabling clients to be as independent as possible as they learn to navigate the various challenges that sometimes affect their lives.”
In July 2023, philanthropists Toby and Leon Cooperman presented an extraordinary challenge to the JESPY Community. The Cooperman Family offered a challenge grant of $13.25 Million – a transformational gift that will impact generations of JESPY clients. With excitement and urgency to unlock the Cooperman match, JESPY seeks philanthropic gifts to raise an additional $13.25 Million dedicated to the Go Big for JESPY campaign.
The Cooperman Family Campus at JESPY House
The moment for JESPY is now. The transformational $13.25 Million matching gift will impact generations of JESPY clients. Read the full press release HERE.
With your help, we will meet the Cooperman challenge of $13.25MM and ultimately reach and exceed our goal.
Your gift today is long-lasting and life-changing for JESPY clients of today and tomorrow.
JESPY's Impact
JESPY clients have varying needs at different life stages. Our clients fall into three main categories: “young adult” (18 to 25 years), “middle adult” (26 to 50), and “older adult” (51 to 75+).
JESPY clients participate in hundreds of programs that respond to their evolving interests, needs, and life stages. Our highly-skilled and dedicated staff combine their expertise with their knowledge of clients to develop customized programming. JESPY’s staff training and high staff retention rate help us provide continuity for our clients.
Clients develop their own personal relationships and sense of community. They build long-lasting friendships, and some clients marry.
Your Impact
Go Big has evolved from wishful and hopeful thinking to a new day for JESPY’s clients. The moment we break ground, our clients, both today and in the future, will see that JESPY heard their requests.
Thank you for joining us in this effort and thank you for helping JESPY take the next steps in responding to our clients.
We stand ready to meet with you for a tour and to review the plans of the Go Big for JESPY project.
For a conversation about your Leadership Gift and Naming Opportunities, contact Amy Engel at 973-437-3770 or aengel@jespy.org.
Join us!
Go Big for JESPY Committee
Judy Peskin, Honorary Chair
Stacey Davis, Co-Chair
Sophia Gershman, Co-Chair
Ahadi Bugg-Levine
Palisa Kelley
Barry Knopf
Alison Lewis
Jonathan Myers
Julia Plotnick
JESPY House: A Community Based Mission
In 1978 JESPY House was established in South Orange, New Jersey with a mission to advance independence for adults with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (IDD). Started by our visionary founders who felt that adults with IDD deserved an inclusive community where they could learn to live independently, JESPY has grown from first serving 4 clients to now serving more than 350 adult clients ages 18 and up.
JESPY’s whole-life services promote choice, self-direction and provide for our clients in every facet of their lives.Our much-needed services include residential options, clinical and behavioral health services, engagement and enrichment activities, athletics and fitness, case management, daily life skills training, vocational services, and an aging-in-place initiative.
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We continue to offer more than 100 weekly programs that sustain and build upon social and cognitive connections allowing for skill-building, the learning of new hobbies, and the chance to meet new friends.
You are the difference!
Go Big for JESPY paves the way for the next generation of JESPY clients.
For a conversation about your Leadership Gift and Naming Opportunities,
contact Amy Engel at 973-437-3770 or aengel@jespy.org.