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Thank you to everyone who supported our Shining Stars Chef Dinner. We appreciate your coming out and joining us for a wonderful evening of fine food and festivities. Special Thanks to Co-Chairs Chena Dederian and Norman Mais and the entire dinner committee.

We thank our fabulous Chefs:

 David Cohen- White Beeches Golf and Country Club, Claudia Rovegno- From Scratch, Conor Browne - Lula, Craig Chomsky- Craig's Kitchen, Jennifer Mais - Palma

We could not make this event happen with out our sponsors and donors 

Event Sponsor - the Sicilian Family Charitable Trust

Other major sponsors and donors.

 Gayle and John Scirocco

Nick Donato, Jr.

Bettina Daly & Don Strangfeld

David Burke

William Hanson

G. Thomas Croonquist, Jr.

Mary Kay Stratis

Anne and William Baretz

Clinical Services Management

Carmen and Gino Pagnozzi, Christine and Hector Martinez, Chena Dederian and Kevin Curtin

Bergen Linen, Critchley's Candies, Opici Wine, Fedway, Sodexo, Four Web Group, Nader Ashway

Please visit the journal below for our other sponsors and donors.

Shining Stars Dinner Journal

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VISIT (CLICK): Medicaid & People With Disabilities | The Arc

What Medicaid Cuts Mean for People With Disabilities

 Kids With Disabilities

• Loss of Essential Care: Medicaid covers almost 50% of all U.S. children with disabilities, providing critical medical services like therapies and specialized care.[1] Cuts would strip access to these services, hindering their development and well-being.

• Disrupted Early Intervention: Medicaid funds early intervention programs that help kids with disabilities reach key developmental milestones. Cuts could delay or deny these programs, leaving children behind and struggling to catch up.

• Financial Strain on Families: Without Medicaid, families would face higher out-of-pocket costs for necessary treatments, creating a severe financial burden.

• Increased Risk of Institutionalization: Medicaid supports home and community-based services, allowing children to live with their families. Cuts could force more children into institutions, stripping away the care and support they need to thrive at home.

 Adults With Disabilities

• Worsened Health Outcomes: With 6 million adults with disabilities relying on Medicaid,[2] cuts would reduce access to vital services - physical therapy, medications, and medical equipment - leading to worsening health conditions.

• Increased Financial Strain: Medicaid provides affordable care for many adults with disabilities. Cuts would force individuals to pay out-of-pocket, creating financial hardship and risking untreated or delayed medical care.

• Threat to Independence: Medicaid funds essential long-term services, like in-home care and assisted living. Cuts would limit access to these services, increasing the risk of institutionalization and undermining independence.

 Workers With Disabilities

•  Loss of Job Training and Support: Medicaid funds vital programs that help workers with disabilities access job training, transportation, and social services. Cuts could limit opportunities for employment and independence.

• Increased Job Instability: Many workers rely on Medicaid for critical support, such as transportation, personal care, and medical devices. Reductions could jeopardize their ability to maintain or advance in employment.

• Disincentive to Work: Medicaid cuts could create a "benefits cliff," where workers risk losing coverage as their income rises, discouraging career growth and full-time employment due to the loss of essential health care.

 People Who Are Medically Complex

• Reduced Access to Life-Saving Care: Cuts would limit funding for critical services like specialized treatments, therapies, and home health care, leading to delays or loss of essential support for those with complex conditions.

• Higher Out-of-Pocket Costs: With fewer resources, people may face skyrocketing costs for medications, equipment, and specialist visits, making essential care unaffordable.

• Limited Long-Term Care Access: Cuts would further limit already scarce long-term care options, including nursing homes, personal aides, and respite care—vital services for those with severe disabilities or chronic illnesses.

• Greater Burden on Family Caregivers: Without Medicaid, families will bear more financial and emotional strain, lacking the support they need to care for their loved ones. Families often already don’t have the support they need—this would worsen this crisis.

• Worsened Health and Higher Risk of Death: Reduced coverage would disrupt routine care and preventative services, leading to more hospitalizations, ER visits, and untreated health complications, ultimately increasing the risk of death.

[1] https://www.kff.org/medicaid/issue-brief/children-with-special-health-care-needs-coverage-affordability-and-hcbs-access/

[2] https://www.kff.org/medicaid/issue-brief/people-with-disabilities-are-at-risk-of-losing-medicaid-coverage-without-the-aca-expansion/

Check out The Arc's Video

The Marriage Penalty

Self-Advocate Diana Stolfo continues her tireless work to eliminate the marriage penalty. Diana and her fiancé Matt met at The Arc's CHILD Center when they were just infants. They want to marry but cannot because they will lose vital benefits. For Diana and Matt and others with all types of disabilities marriage can mean losing their care, their home and not having enough money to repair their wheelchair. H.R.6405 - the Marriage Equality for Disabled Adults Act would eliminate some of these barriers.  Diana tells her story in the first video and couples from around NJ gather for a commitment ceremony to shine a light on the issue in the second video.