Achieve Academy Opens Doors to New Opportunities for Neurodiverse Adults

A new chapter in adult education and community inclusion has begun at Brookdale Community College’s Wall campus with the opening of Achieve Academy for Adults, a day program designed to support individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) in achieving greater independence and fulfillment.

Achieve Academy, led by Executive Director Linda Jordan, welcomed its first participants this fall. The program currently serves seven adults and has the capacity to grow to 30 per day, offering flexible schedules ranging from 2 to 5 days a week.

“This is just the beginning,” said Jordan. “Every step, every new client, every new skill learned represents meaningful progress. Our goal is to help each participant meet their personal goals while building a sense of purpose, belonging, and joy.”

Meeting a Critical Need

The program was introduced through the vision of the Monmouth Ocean Foundation for Children (MOFFC), which recognized a gap in services for adults once they age out of special education programs at 21, a moment many families refer to as “falling off the cliff.”

After years of fundraising, the Foundation partnered with Brookdale to bring the program to life. Major support came from the Joe Shimko Foundation, a $400,000 grant, and a $1 million anonymous donation, which together funded renovations, technology, furnishings, fitness equipment, and transportation vans to support daily community engagement.

“The generosity of our partners and donors has allowed us to create a truly inclusive and forward-thinking space,” Jordan said.

A Place for Growth and Connection

The newly renovated facility includes a sensory space, fitness center, modular classroom, café, vocational training room, and a fully equipped apartment to teach daily living skills such as cooking, budgeting, and housekeeping.

Programming emphasizes participant choice, community integration, and total wellness, including emotional, physical, and financial health. Each day includes a community outing, from parks to public spaces like Bell Works, where participants practice social interactions and decision-making.

Inside Achieve Academy, participants explore art, music, writing, technology, and recreational activities that develop social, adaptive, and executive functioning skills. The program also features personal financial literacy training and a “participation bucks” system to teach real-world budgeting and decision-making.

“We’re helping adults develop practical life and vocational skills while encouraging creativity and confidence,” Jordan explained. “For some, that might mean learning to use a banking app. For others, it’s discovering a passion for art or woodworking that could lead to an entrepreneurial path.”

Partnership with DDD

Achieve Academy is approved by the New Jersey Division of Developmental Disabilities (DDD) and serves individuals registered with DDD and eligible for Medicaid. Participants work with family members and support coordinators to develop a Person-Centered Planning Tool (PCPT) and an Individualized Service Plan (ISP) that guide the program in aligning their offerings to meet participants’ goals, interests and needs.

The DDD registration process ensures that eligible New Jersey residents with developmental disabilities receive access to vital day programs, employment supports, and residential services. Applicants must demonstrate a condition that occurred before age 22, is chronic and likely to continue indefinitely, and causes significant limitations in at least three functional areas such as self-care, communication, or mobility.

Looking Ahead

As the program continues to grow, Achieve Academy plans to expand its offerings, including exploring a future retirement program and potential collaborations with Brookdale students and faculty in education, arts, and health sciences.

“Our dream is to build a community where adults with neurodivergence can continue to learn, connect, and thrive,” said Jordan. “We want every individual who walks through our doors to feel seen, supported, and capable of achieving great things.”

Achieve Academy for Adults is located at Brookdale Community College’s Wall Campus, 800 Monmouth Blvd, Wall Township, NJ. For more information or to schedule a tour, families and support coordinators may contact Achieve Academy for Adults.