Big ‘Victory’ for Somerset Day Program

At the beginning of September, the Victory Day Program located in New Brunswick, New Jersey opened its doors. Formerly known as the Somerset Day Program, this program provided day services, such as community integration, employment opportunities, and problem-solving in everyday living to 43 individuals.

Day Programs are a common service offered by many providers, including Dungarvin. Victory Day is an extension of school; a place to learn new skills, with a focus on a service plan that works for each individual. Our providers work to meet the individuals served where they are, helping them build social skills as well as learning how to get along better with themselves.  Aside from an ID/DD diagnosis, some individuals may also have mental health challenges which makes interpersonal and social skill-building a challenge. Dungarvin NJ staff members are trained by the behavioral and training team to understand the Individual Service Plan that is created by the interdisciplinary team as well as the individual’s Behavior Plan. 

When Victory was known as the Somerset, they operated out of 4,000 square feet of space —enough to serve about 40 individuals. It didn’t take long for New Jersey Senior Director Alisha Glover to see an opportunity for growth that would better serve her community. “With new referrals reflecting increasing behavioral acuities in New Jersey, we could see that we had outgrown the space and also needed a more open floor plan,” said Glover  

By early 2020 with her community experiencing the full impact of the pandemic, Glover knew it was now or never. Covid safety precautions implemented by the state meant that the Somerset Day Program needed to further restrict participation to keep individuals safe. Glover and her team began the search for a new home immediately. The team examined multiple sites, settling on 2550 Route 1 in North Brunswick. The new facility more than doubles the footprint of the old one, including the capacity for individuals served. One of the first locations they looked at was located on Victoria Boulevard. Although the team ultimately selected a different location, they decided to rename their program ‘Victory’ — after Victoria (Boulevard) — because it represented “a moment to grow the program and support more people, and it is a ‘victory’ to all of us!”  

“With the larger building we are introducing a new service, pre-vocational, which will help people reach their own goals,” explained Glover. “We are helping individuals learn how to manage their own money; engage with others in the community; prepare for a job interview and, ultimately, be more independent.” Almeda Athill, New Jersey Area Director, is looking forward to the expansion and seeing the goals of persons’ served come to life. 

“The long-term goal of the program is to enhance the quality of life of each participant leading to more meaningful, productive lives,” said Athill. “The program will constantly evolve to meet the needs of the participants but will always ensure that Dungarvin’s mission of respecting and responding to the choices of people it supports is met.” 

Naturally, “victory” is a big theme at the Victory Day Program. It’s become a part of the identities of each person served and staff members as well. “We want names that reflect where we are,” said Glover. “And ‘victory’ is a wonderful name for our individuals who are doing things they couldn’t necessarily do at home while learning important new skill sets.”  

To learn more about this program and other services provided by Dungarvin NJ, please visit https://www.dungarvin.com/locations/new-jersey/.