Yankee Stadium

Once again, Brick City Sports Capital of Newark donated the use of luxury suite at Yankee Stadium to Opportunity Project, demonstrating their commitment to help promote brain injury awareness in our communities.  This year’s raffle drawing will be held on Wednesday, August 14, 2013 at 1pm at the Clubhouse.  Proceeds from the raffle will provide scholarships for people with brain injury to attend Opportunity Project.

Raffle tickets are $100 each.  The winner will receive 14 VIP Luxury Suite tickets for the NY Yankees vs. the Toronto Blue Jays on August 21, 2013.  The winners will enjoy dinner and refreshments throughout the evening and a VIP parking pass.

For more information about purchasing a raffle ticket, please contact the Opportunity Project Development Office at 973-921-1000 x 105 or purchase your ticket online here.

We launched brain injury awareness month on March 6 with Mayor Sandra Haimoff of Millburn who issued a proclamation declaring March 2013 as Brain Injury Awareness Month at the Clubhouse.  We were thrilled to have our Members, their families, Opportunity Project Board Members and our community partners join us for the kick-off.

We held two new events on March 13, Congressional Brain Injury Awareness Day at Rockn’ Joe of Millburn and FlyWheel Millburn.  Opportunity Project Members spent the day at Rockn’ Joe providing their customers with  information about brain injury, facts about concussion and tips on prevention.  We also held our first “Spin For Brain Injury” event at FlyWheel Millburn raising $1,400 for Opportunity Project.

Investors Bank Millburn Brain Injury Awareness Day

The fun and energy didn’t stop there.  California Pizza Kitchen also joined in by hosting our 2nd Brain Injury Awareness FUNraiser at their Short Hills Mall location on March 21.  Members from the Opportunity Project Speakers Bureau gave a presentation to the team at Greenberg Traurig for a lunch and learn as part of their Brain Injury Awareness Day.  Collectively, the staff at Greenberg Traurig raised $2,950 for Opportunity Project.  Afterwards, the Speakers Bureau stopped in at Investors Millburn to visit their staff and customers for their Brain Injury Awareness day.  In addition to being a Main Event Sponsor for BlueJean Day 2013, the Investors Millburn team collected an additional $450 from their customers and employees.

We could not have done all of this without the generous support of all of our sponsors and donors.  Thank you to everyone for helping to ensure that BlueJean Day 2013 was a tremendous success.  To see pictures from all of our activities, please visit our Facebook page.

 MAIN EVENT SPONSORS

Fairholme Foundation
The Fidelco Group
Investors Bank
Newark Beth Israel

STAR SPONSORS

Bovin Family Foundation
Fidelity Land Development Corporation

DENIM SPONSORS

Eisner Amper
Lotano Development, Inc.
Paula & William J. Marino Family Foundation
Donald Robinson

PARTICIPANTS

Greenberg Traurig

RAFFLE PRIZE DONORS

The Fidelco Group
FlyWheel Millburn
La Strada Pizzeria
Martini 494
PaperMill Playhouse
Rockn’ Joe
Roxy Shoes
Splurge Bakery

For more OP videos, check out our video page here.

 DID YOU KNOW?

The CDC estimates between 1.6 and 3.8 million sports-related concussions occur in the U.S. each year.

For young people ages 15—24, sports are the 2nd leading cause of TBI after motor vehicle accidents.

TBI due to concussion can be PREVENTED!  Learn the facts!

We have many activities planned throughout March focusing on concussion awareness and prevention, while raising funds for Opportunity Project’s programs.  Please join us as a sponsor or participant in educating the community about brain injury awareness.

• BlueJean Day takes place all month long!  BlueJean Day is a simple and fun event for companies to promote brain injury awareness for their employees and raise funds for Opportunity Project at the same time. Companies designate a day for employees to wear jeans to work.  You can join as a sponsor or simply as a participant.  Download the registration form or register online.

• Wednesday, 3/13/13 is Congressional Brain Injury Awareness Day.
  • New this year, FlyWheel Fitness is hosting a “Spin-A-Thon” at 6:30pm to raise awareness about brain injury. The spin class will be taught by one of their most popular instructors, Gina Racz!  Download the registration form or register online.  Young adults ages 13 and up can participate, as long as this permission form  is completed.
  • Also new this year, Rock-N-Joes in Millburn will also be holding a brain injury awareness day on 3/13/13.  They will be donating 20% of each guest check that day to Opportunity Project provided the customer provides this flyer.
  • Wednesday, 3/20/13 will be our 2^nd annual “FUNdraising event at CPK in the SH Mall.  CPK will donate 20% of each guest check that day to Opportunity Project provided the customer provides this flyer.

We look forward to your participation in helping us to educate the community about brain injury!

The members, staff and Board of Trustees of Opportunity Project thank everyone who supported this year’s Yankee Raffle!

Congratulations to this year’s Yankee Raffle winners, Bob Kopech and Michelle Fabrizzio!   We are pleased to announce that we raised $15,835, our highest amount ever!  The funds raised from the annual Yankee Raffle enables Opportunity Project to provide the necessary programs and services to assist people with brain injury in regaining their skills to lead productive lives.

New Jersey Golf Net

New Jersey Monthly

Baristanet

Millburn Short Hills Patch

NorthJersey.com

Active

Zvents

Arlene Lieberman, Vocational Counselor assists its first Veteran member with a Clubhouse project.

The Veterans program was created through a partnership between Opportunity Project and the VA East Orange – New Jersey Health Care System.   As part of this partnership, Opportunity Project has committed to provide vocational services to Veterans who have sustained a traumatic brain injury.

The Opportunity Project Clubhouse is the only program in New Jersey that provides vocational services exclusively to adults with brain injury.   The Opportunity Project Clubhouse follows International Brain Injury Clubhouse Standards based on the philosophy of a “work ordered day”.  This structure provides pre-vocational and vocational opportunities that assist its members in developing a work personality, appropriate social behavior and training in a real work environment. The Opportunity Project Vocational Program provides Work Evaluation, Work Adjustment Training and Supported Employment services. Through the vocational program, individuals with brain injury are provided with the necessary support, tools, and guidance to obtain and maintain competitive employment.  Both group and individual sessions and workshops are provided on a variety of topics such as resume writing, work ethics, behavior, interviewing skills and interpersonal skills.

Opportunity Projects newest member and first veteran member, Tyronne, was an electrical systems apprentice in the United States Air Force, stationed at Anderson Air Force Base in Guam, when he sustained his traumatic brain injury in an automobile crash.  “By coming to Opportunity Project, I am working towards progress in my goals.  I want to help other people who have had a TBI” said Tyronne.  Tyronne’s goal is to go to school to become a psychologist.

The Bob Woodruff Foundation provides resources and support to injured service members, veterans, and their families so they can have successful futures.  “Our Clubhouse program provides a sense of community to its members in a supportive and challenging environment where they can explore their abilities and talents.  This funding will enable us to begin the next stage of our Vocational program by allowing us to provide support to post 9-11 injured service members, veterans and their families.  We are very appreciative of the funding and support of our mission by the Bob Woodruff Foundation,” said Carol Albanese, Executive Director, Opportunity Project.

“The Bob Woodruff Foundation finds and funds strong and impactful organizations that help service members reintegrate. Our investments are designed to empower service members as they find their “new normal”. Opportunity Project is helping brain injury survivors find purpose and fulfillment in vocational activity during an important stage in their recovery,” said Anne Marie Dougherty, executive director of the Bob Woodruff Foundation.

Co-founded by award-winning ABC News reporter Bob Woodruff after he sustained serious injuries while covering the Iraq War in 2006; the Bob Woodruff Foundation is the national non-profit dedicated to providing resources and support to service members, veterans and their families to successfully reintegrate into their communities so that they thrive physically, psychologically, socially and economically. The Bob Woodruff Foundation has invested $12 million in over 70 organizations, impacting more than 1,000,000 service members, support personnel, veterans and their families nationwide. For more information about the Bob Woodruff Foundation, please visit www.ReMIND.org

Opportunity Project has been at the forefront of community integration and empowerment for brain injury survivors since it opened its doors in 1996.  With the addition of the vocational services program in 2001, Opportunity Project continues to be the only free-standing independent Clubhouse in New Jersey.  The Opportunity Project Clubhouse Program fills the critical gap in the rehabilitation process for people with brain injuries, and is a national model for other community-based services brain injury survivors.

Buzz Bissinger autographs “Fathers Day” for OP Members: Pictured Left to Right: Carol Albanese, Executive Director Opportunity Project, Buzz Bissinger, Jonah Zimiles, Owner Words Maplewood Bookstore and Amy Sigona Development Director Opportunity Project

Opportunity Project was honored to participate in Words Maplewoods Bookstore recent author event with Buzz Bissinger.  Pulitzer Prize-winning author of four books, including the New York Times bestsellers “Three Nights in August” and “Friday Night Lights”, Mr. Bissinger spoke about his most recent book, “Father’s Day”.

“Father’s Day” is a remarkable memoir about his son Zach who has a disability and their two week journey together across country.  Mr. Bissinger spoke honestly and poignantly to a gathering of local residents about his motivations and feelings about the book.  Afterwords, he said: “I am delighted to have been at Words and touched and flattered by all the support”.

Opportunity Project was invited to participate in the event by Jonah Zimiles, owner of Words Maplewood’s Bookstore who said: “It was an honor and a pleasure for Words to host a book reading by Buzz Bissinger on behalf of our friends at Opportunity Project.  Buzz’s latest book, Father’s Day, is a  poignant and powerful work that expresses raw honest  insight into the life of parents of individuals that face unique challenges yet simultaneously extends them an open heart of empathy and hope.”  A portion of the proceeds from the evening’s book sales were donated to the Opportunity Project member’s fund.

Jonah Zimiles of Words Maplewood Bookstore presents OP members with a donation!

Opportunity Project has been at the forefront of community integration for individuals with brain injury since it opened its doors in 1996.  With the addition of the vocational services program in 2001, Opportunity Project continues to be the only free-standing independent Clubhouse in New Jersey.  The Opportunity Project Clubhouse Program fills the critical gap in the rehabilitation process for people with brain injuries, and is a national model for other community-based services for persons with brain injury.  The mission of Opportunity Project is to empower persons with brain injuries to achieve self-esteem, self-determination, personal growth, independence and the attainment of their full potential.