SCCC hosts second annual expo for disability services
Newton. Sussex County Community College hosted its second annual CARES Community and Resource Expo on Oct. 8, connecting adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families with providers offering housing, employment, recreation and other support services.
| 09 Oct 2026 | 11:00
A visitor peruses one of the booths. (
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CARES Team Members: Jessica Pappa, SCCC, Lori Ciampi, SCARC, Inc, Adara Hellmann, The Arc of New Jersey, Patti Nugent, SCCC LACE Program Coordinator and Rachel Beyer, SCCC. (
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Sussex County Community College hosted its second annual CARES Community and Resource Expo on Oct. 8 in partnership with SCARC and The Arc of New Jersey, bringing together providers serving adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities in Sussex County.
The expo featured state Division of Developmental Disabilities-approved providers offering services in six categories: housing and residential services, respite and family support, recreation and leisure activities, day programs and life skills, employment and job coaching, and support coordination.
Participating organizations included SCARC, SMILE of Hopatcong, Kaleidoscope Family Solutions, Special Olympics New Jersey, Equine Therapy of New Jersey, Green Vision, Abilities of Northwest New Jersey and Project SEARCH.
Other participants included Sussex County Community College’s Transition and Career Studies program, the Sussex County Division of Senior Services Aging and Disability Resource, Catholic Charities, Spectrum Care Management and Counseling, and Caregivers of New Jersey.
The event was organized by a team representing SCCC, SCARC and The Arc of New Jersey. Team members included Lori Ciampi, SCARC director of community services; Jessica Pappa, SCCC program supervisor for Transition and Career Studies; Adara Heilmann, The Arc of New Jersey director of Children’s Advocacy; Patti Nugent, SCCC LACE program coordinator; and Rachel Beyer, an SCCC classroom assistant in Transition and Career Studies.
Student volunteers from SCCC’s Transition and Career Studies and LACE programs also assisted with the event.
The third annual CARES Expo is planned for September 2027 at Sussex County Community College.
Developmental disability service providers serving Sussex County who are interested in participating can contact the CARES team at communityandresourceexpo@gmail.com.
