Newark Councilwoman Mildred Crump, left, stands beside Nassan’s Place autism awareness and services non-profit organization founder Nadine Wright-Arbubakkr after she had presented the councilwoman with a plaque on Thursday, Sept. 8, at the Community Appreciation Gala at Chateau of Spain Restaurant in downtown Newark. Crump was one of the honorees, along with East Orange Recreation Department Director Osner Charles.
EAST ORANGE, NJ — Fresh from their trip to the Adventure Aquarium in Camden for the HollyRod Foundation’s sensory-friendly autism event, Nadine Wright-Arbubakrr and the Nassan’s Place Board of Directors hosted their first Community Appreciation Gala at the Chateau of Spain restaurant in Newark on Thursday, Sept. 8.
Billed as “An Evening of Inspiration and Autism Awareness,” the event lived up to its billing, according to many participants and award recipients. But it was also a call to arms and action. Event honoree Newark Councilwoman Mildred Crump said she didn’t like that East Orange continues to take the leading role in supporting Nassan’s Place and its efforts to bring access and services to underserved urban communities.
Addressing the Orange mayor, Crump said, “First, Mayor Taylor, I want to issue a challenge; those of us in public service can’t stand when someone else is doing something better than we do.
“To my honorees, it is an honor and a privilege to stand here today,” Crump continued. “I retired in 2003 as a teacher of the blind and hearing-impaired. I thank you for this award and I promise you that I will reignite efforts to raise autism awareness in the city of Newark and to bring services to people in need in underserved urban areas.”
Crump suggested Wright-Arbubakrr and Nassan’s Place might consider starting a Go Fund Me page on the Internet to raise the funding needed to lease or purchase a facility to meet their expanding service and education needs.
“If Bernie Sanders can raise $6 million, why can’t we raise something?” asked Crump. “It takes resources to do what they’re doing and we need some to help them out.”
But Wright-Arbubakrr had another idea for raising the funds Nassan’s Place needs to facilitate the necessary growth: She said her goal is to raise $5 million in donations, $5 at a time, and she used the gala event to launch the fundraising drive.
“One of the biggest things that our families need is an after school program and we need a facility but, like Councilwoman Crump said, it takes resources,” Wright-Arbubakrr said Thursday, Sept. 8. “From October to January, for 25 to 40 kids, it’s going to cost us well over $100,000. But I’m committed to doing it because, when we get these kids in a program, their parents can go back to work. We want to be able to hire a lot of our parents that can’t work. How awesome would it be if we had our own center, where they could work while their children receive the services they need. Nassan’s Place is going to issue a challenge throughout this country. We want to raise $5 million and I know we can do it. Here’s the challenge — If we can get one million people to donate $5, how wonderful would it be that we would be able to keep this program going for years?”
According to Wright-Arbubakrr many parents of autistic children cannot work at all because they are forced to stay home and care for child. So, in addition to the stress of dealing with an autistically or developmentally challenged child, their families also have to factor in the loss of income.
Fortunately, Wright-Arbubakrr said there is something that can be done about that situation and so many others affecting autistic children and families.
“One thing I do know is people take you seriously when they see you put the work in,” said Wright-Arbubakrr. “We would definitely take more than $5.”
Wright-Arbubakrr said the Nassan’s Place Community Appreciation Gala was all about honoring the individuals, organizations and businesses that have put the work in, when it comes to supporting autism awareness and the mission of the nonprofit organization she founded.
The list of honorees at the inaugural event included Assemblyman Tom Giblin; Crump; Orange Recreation Department Director Osner Charles; Armand Lembo of the Lemcor Solid Waste Transfer Station and Materials Recovery Facility; Susan Rinehardt, chairperson of the Orange Elks Lodge 135 Special Children’s Committee; Mount Carmel Guild Program Coordinator Catherine Cruz; Chateau of Spain restaurant owner Bill Oliveira; Total Traffic Reporter Debbie DuHaime; Razac Products President Darren S. Dowdy; Francisco Gonzalez, owner of Cityplex 12 in Newark; and Dr. Genevieve Kumapley, founder and executive director of My GOAL, another nonprofit autism organization.
“I just want to say: (Wright-Arbubakrr) is making a difference; let’s all make the difference,” Cruz said Thursday, Sept. 8.
Oliveira’s wife told a moving and inspirational story about their son, who was diagnosed with autism, yet still dreamed of one day becoming a professional airline pilot, despite the limitations others said would prevent it. But she said, through a lot of patience, perseverance and hard work, he managed to defy the odds by learning how to speak, write, think and function well enough that his dream is now within his grasp; he’s currently enrolled in an college studying aeronautics and aviation.
“So many of us try to shape our children into what we think is normal, but when we start accepting them for who they are, they are capable of doing incredible things,” she said Thursday, Sept. 8. “Everything with my son is about flying and airplanes because, let’s face it — it’s an obsession. But it’s OK. From a mother to another mother: Thank You. Please, Nadine, fight for early interaction. That is the key in my mind.”
Oliveira demonstrated his belief in Nassan’s Place and Wright-Arbubakrr, saying he was “going to give everything back,” rather than charge her for the event at his restaurant. “I want her to succeed and to go far beyond $5 million.”
Community Appreciation Gala a success for Nassan’s Place added by Chris Sykes on
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