To commemorate the occasion, PLAN held a wonderful event on June 5th at the New Jersey Law Center, located at One Constitution Square in New Brunswick, NJ. The festivities included cocktails, hors d’oeuvres, a special celebrity silent fundraising auction and a keynote address by Sarah Helena Vazquez, national motivational speaker, advocate, and author.

In addition that evening, PLAN honored several distinguished individuals who have made significant and long-term contributions in improving outcomes and enhancing the quality of life for persons with developmental disabilities or mental health challenges in New Jersey. Among those honored was Begley Law Group’s Thomas D. Begley Jr. who received the group’s Legal Champion Award.

PLAN/NJ was originally formed as the “ARC of New Jersey Community Trust Project,” in 1987 
when it was chartered to help parents and caregivers plan for the future care of a loved one with a disability.  Today, the non-profit, social service agency continues to help more than 500 individuals all 21 counties in New Jersey, with various mental health disabilities and mental health challenges in New Jersey including autism, cerebral palsy, intellectual disabilities, traumatic brain injury and severe mental illness such as schizophrenia and bi-polar disorder.