Myers family donates $1M to benefit Jespy Aging in Place Program

One of the founding families of South Orange-based Jespy House recently donated $1 million to the Go Big for Jespy Campaign. The Myers family’s funds will be earmarked to expand Jespy’s Aging in Place Initiative, which includes additional housing, programming and services.

Jespy House provides comprehensive programs and services to over 300 adults with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities so they can live independently. Jespy developed its Aging in Place Initiative in 2019 to help its clients, as they age, continue to live in the community they know and love.

The significance of the gift highlights the importance of the Go Big Campaign to the Myers family. The Myers’ $1 million donation will be matched by the Cooperman family’s $13.25 million pledge made earlier this year. Jespy continues to seek donations to achieve this important goal.

The Go Big for Jespy Campaign will develop new residential opportunities for clients including aging in place, affordably priced and young adult housing. All of these programs currently have waiting lists. Jespy will also expand and enhance its program and service space, including recreational, health and wellness, technology, clinical and work readiness.

“Through our donation, we are proud to support Jespy’s Go Big Campaign and its incredible efforts to create additional residential options and programs to serve the important needs of Jespy’s aging population for many years to come,” the Myers family said in a statement. “We further hope that our leadership gift will inspire others to recognize the importance of this effort and join in support of Jespy’s bold vision to expand its programs and services for its clients.”

“We are so thankful for the Myers family’s incredible generosity,” Audrey Winkler, Jespy’s executive director, said. “Even decades after founding Jespy House, the Myerses remain involved and innovative. Our Aging in Place Initiative is one of our newest programs and the Myers family understands how critical it is. Some of our clients have been with us for decades. As our clients aged, they needed additional supports to maintain their independence. Adults with IDD can show signs of aging in their 40s and 50s that many of us associate with adults in their 60s and 70s. Jespy had to respond quickly to serve our clients so that they could stay in the community that they call home.”

The Myers family includes Marty, Helene, Steven, Jonathan, Herb and Susan Myers, as well as six grandchildren. Marty and Helene Myers raised their children, Steven, Jonathan and Herb, in New Jersey before retiring to Florida. When founding Jespy House, Helene and Marty Myers wanted to ensure that their son, Steven, and others with IDD could thrive in a safe environment that was supportive, encouraging and provided opportunities for them to maintain a sense of independence throughout their lives. Committed to Jespy’s sustainability, Helene and Marty Myers later established the Helene Myers Jespy Endowment Fund to support Jespy’s mission and clients well into the future. The fund is managed by Jespy and is dedicated to ensuring the financial health and stability of Jespy to allow for responsible growth and long-term resilience.

Starting with four clients, Jespy now serves over 300 adults with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities.

“We are thrilled with the accomplishments and growth that Jespy has achieved,” Marty and Helene Myers said. “We are proud of the many lives Jespy has positively impacted, and we hope that Jespy will inspire other communities around the world to follow our successful model.”

For additional information about the Go Big for Jespy Campaign, contact Amy Engel, director of development, marketing & community relations, at 973-437-3770 or aengel@jespy.org.