“If you take a flower in your hand and really look at it, it's your world for a moment."
Quote by Georgia O'Keeffe
"Spring drew on... and a greenness grew over those brown beds, which, freshening daily, suggested the thought that Hope traversed them at night, and left each morning brighter traces of her steps."
Quote by Charlotte Bronte
April is upon us, and with it brings blooms, warm sunshine, and the promise of brighter days ahead. It is definitely twice as nice as March, because there is twice as much of it all!
We invite you to join us as we spring into the warmer days ahead, and the many events and activities we are attending and planning!
We want to extend a tremendous thanks to all of our Support Brokers, Staff, Direct Support Professionals and most of all, our Customers to whom we dedicate our efforts to help them dream and to become. Thank you and Happy Spring!
Join us for exciting presentations, Special Guests and more!
Presentations, Special Guests & More!
May 13 @ 1:30 pm: Blue Light Music Program. During this presentation, The Blue Light Music presents their program where music and learning unite in an inclusive and supportive environment. Blue Light Music Program is centered around the needs and interests of each student, equips individuals with the skills they need to express their creativity and bring their musical vision to life.
Tues. April 16th and Wed. April 17th, we welcome Peter Leidy for a series of informative and fun workshops!
For more information about the Peter Leidy workshops and to RSVP, click here
"Since Peter’s five days of workshops, I’ve been inundated with staff from Orbis and other organizations here saying how uplifting, motivating and invigorating these days were. With humor and music to boot! It recharged their batteries and made them think differently about the important work they do." -Nigel Devine, Owner, Orbis Support, Newcastle, United Kingdom
Calling All
Direct Support Professionals!
During the last Town Hall meeting, we put out a request to all DSPs who might be interested in participating in a Peer Support Group. It is something we have been trying to bring into existence for a while now.
We value our employee input and want to make sure they are well supported. This is a paid opportunity to provide a safe space to help and assist fellow DSPs and bring forth concerns or ideas on how Eiros Group can support our supporters.
This will also be a forum where we can disseminate information to DSPs, regarding upcoming training and development opportunities, as well as a resource for each other.
For those who would like to learn more and begin meeting with each other, we will be hosting two opportunities to meet in person, in May and June.
- May 16, 1-4, Boxwood Coffee, 17 Beechwood Rd. Summit NJ, 07901
- June 12, 1-4, Turtle Beans Coffee, 225 Farnsworth Ave. Bordentown, NJ, 08505
If you have any questions, or you are interested in participating; please reach out to Sheldon Schwitek, Director of People & Culture.
SheldonS@eiros-group.com, or 268-330-2305
You can also reach out to Sheldon at the Peter Leidy Workshops, which we strongly recommend you attend. Peter looks at DSPs as the most important resource in the work we do and we hope to see you soon!
At Eiros Group, we truly do honor those who work directly with our people, and we want to ensure that we are meeting the needs of all of our DSPs.
Time For A Digital Detox!
Put down those electronic distractions and spend time in the garden and consider how your local library can help.
Along with the health benefits of gardening to include stress relief, exercise, and the increase of vitamin D, consider getting yourself and your family involved in gardening. Not only does your local library carry a plethora of books, magazines and other periodicals on gardening, many libraries also have started seed libraries. Through this program, seeds are shared or checked out for free.
How does it work you ask?
The seeds donated to the libraries come from local gardeners and farmers who collect, save, and donate the seeds from their harvest each Fall.
Seeds are then counted and packaged into envelopes that can be checked out usually with a limit of how many envelopes each person can ‘check-out’.
To help nurture the novice gardener, suggested growing information is right on the packets.
Interested in starting your own garden? Check your local library to see if they host a seed library!
Do you have a question about how support brokerage can help you, someone you know or a loved one in self-directing? Send your questions to
jennb@eiros-group.com and Jenn will answer them!
New Home Sweet Home! Congratulations Scott and Family!
Scott transitioning to his own apartment.
Last Summer my husband and I discussed with Laura, our son Scott’s Support Coordinator, to begin the process of finding an apartment for him.
She introduced our family to Desiree who is a Support Broker with Eiros Group. Under Desiree’s guidance, we were able to complete all the steps necessary to bring Scott’s dream to fruition. We cannot emphasize enough how rewarding it is to see the pride in Scott’s smile when he opens the door to his new apartment.
When asked how Scott felt about his new place he said “I’m very happy it was a long time coming. I just wish that my bestie Mike was still around to see it.”
Scott, you worked hard, and dreams do come true!
Once you move what’s next?
There is more to moving into an apartment in a new town. There is the commitment to citizenship and building community relationships to learn about the area you live in. Scott ventured out and did just that!
Along with starting fresh in his new apartment, Scott attended a Meet the Mayor community event and was introduced to the Mayor of Evesham Township, Jaclyn Veasy.
Scott welcomed the opportunity to participate in his community as he listened to the mayor speak of local businesses in the past and what’s in store for the future. Scott is taking his new community responsibilities to heart and as a citizen of this community also connected with the Director of Public Information and he signed up for the township’s weekly newsletter. Getting involved and learning about your community is important.
“In the beginning we must always be in the moment with two bits of knowledge focused on giving a feeling of being safe and loved. We should avoid lengthy case histories and cleanly typed plans. If need be, do these requirements. However, our task is to be in the moment; it is not to change anyone’s behavior, but to teach the person to feel safe with us and loved by us.
The present is a series of moments that tumble into the future. Yet, we should not worry about the future, only the present moment. The here-and-now becomes the future with each ticking second. Our encounters transpire in the moment and then transform the next moment.

Whether a mother, father, grandparent, or a person whom we are supporting, the most important variable is the moment, not the future, not a projected plan with outcomes, not behavioral change. No, it is our being present in this very moment and all the person sees, hears, touches, and feels in this mutual coming together. It is the tiniest amount of time, perhaps two or three seconds. Then, these moments are linked together with other moments and it is these moments that become new moments; it is the evolving chain of moments that creates our moral memory in us as well as a memory in the other person.
Caregiving’s simplification involves teaching caregivers to be in the moment:
- In bad moments this equates with forgiveness rather than control;
- In all the good moments this involves a series of accidental and intentional encounters throughout the day focused on safe and loved;
- The accidental encounters are merely brief moments of passing by and encompass a wave, a wink, a smile, a name, a thumbs up, maybe a hug if there is time, a whispering of “You are so good.”
- The intentional encounters are a bit more planned and involve a chunk of caregiving time—from a minute or two or a half hour or more. The time depends. It should be structured in the day with the only purpose being to give a memory that the person is safe when with us.
- The key is to stay in the moment. Joy is found in the moment.
Our task is simple, just being in the moment with the gift of helping the person to feel safe and loved:
- Not a moment before,
- Not a moment after,
- Just in the now.”
-John J. McGee, PhD
We are all guilty of it... brb, fwiw, btw, lol... condensing words into acronyms. Sometimes they're a great way to get a point across, or describe a topic. However, there are times that acronyms point to specific terms or programs or services and in the DDD world, we are especially guilty of this! In realizing that not everyone in our world will know what we are referring to, we thought we would dial it back a few steps and create an
Acronyms List to help decipher some of those abbreviated terms you may hear. If you have any others you know that you would like to contribute to our growing list, please send us an email!
Info@eiros-group.com.
The list is here -->
Charting the LifeCourse Showcase 2024 Kansas City, Mo.
Towards the end of this month, Eiros Group will be heading to Kansas City for the Charting the Life Course Conference, joining a network of advocates, families and professionals to explore how CtLC weaves together personal growth, community engagement, policy advancements and technological innovations to promote self-determination and good lives for all.
Our own amazing advocates, Kristen Mathews, Emily Blohm and Sherry Cameron will be presenting a workshop, "Charting Self-Directed (Not Service-Directed) Lives". We are also looking forward to attending numerous other workshops to engage with others in the DD community to be a part of the rising tide that lifts all boats.
Are you, or someone you know looking for either a way to bring more meaning to their career, or a to join a growing and dynamic group of caring professionals? Then you will want to visit our
Work With Us page on our website! It is updated regularly, and because we are growing, we have a number of open open positions throughout New Jersey!. Want to learn more?
Click here and apply today!
Eiros Group Is An Official Therap Provider!
During the course of the past two years, we have had the goal of utilizing a more secure, efficient, user friendly and documentation compliant program for all facets of Eiros Group. We are excited to announce that at the end of April, we are officially making the switch, and we will be LIVE with Therap! This leading edge platform will help with a wide variety of functions both in house, for our DSPs, Support Brokers and our Customers. If you have any questions regarding the transition,
please contact our Office Manager, Danielle Strobridge for more information.
Transition Fair Season is Here!
Have a high school student with an intellectual and/or developmental disability who will need support after graduation? Attend a Transition Fair!
Eiros Group's Director of Support Brokerage Kristen Mathews and Support Brokers Desiree Coyle and Jean Marie Hanna attended several Transition Fairs throughout New Jersey last month. It was fantastic to see so many planning for their future, and we are glad to have participated!
Come learn about the transition process from children's services to the Division of Developmental Disabilities. Eiros Group is attending the fairs below, and we look forward to meeting you. We are here to help!
Gloucester County Schools Transition Resource Fair
Monday, April 15 5pm to 7pm
SPWA Services
870 Bankbridge Rd
Sewell, NJ 08080
Willingboro Special Education Resource and Information Fair
Thursday April 18, 2024 5:00pm - 7:00pm
Willingboro High School
20 JFK Way
Willingboro, NJ 08046
Whippany’s Annual Transition Fair
Thursday April 18, 2024 6:30pm - 8:00pm
The Calais School
43 Highland Ave.
Whippany, NJ 07981
Eiros Group Attends the NJACP Conference in Atlantic City!
Eiros Group was delighted to attend this year’s NJACP conference in Atlantic City in March. At our exhibitor’s table we met several agencies throughout the field also helping people to build their best lives.
We were elated to see several workshops on Gentle Teaching! There were additional presentations around Trauma Informed Care, housing options, person-centered planning, and technology that were all very informative. We look forward to collaborating with the connections that we’ve made with all of the wonderful agencies we had the opportunity to network with.
If you are interested in learning more about NJACP, please visit their website. https://njacp.org/
Pathfinders Studio 8 Week Workshop Wrap-Up!
by Kristen Mathews
Mark your calendars to attend these free Lunch & Learn webinars on the first Wednesday of each month from 12pm to 1pm
To register, please go to
www.parlesrekem.com
• On our home page, click on any event and RSVP.
• When you RSVP, you will receive an email with the link to join the zoom meeting for the event.
• You can also add the event to your calendar.
Key Questions When Selecting (or Creating) a Program for Individuals with Autism or I/DD and Challenging Behaviors
Lisa McCauley Parles, Esq.
May 1, 2024
Upcoming events throughout NJ
Below are upcoming fun things to do throughout New Jersey! If you are hosting a similar type of event, and would like it included in our newsletter, please send to
info@Eiros-Group.com
*Please allow 2 weeks or more advance notice. Thanks!
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