Maplewood Tree Lighting
Disability Inclusivity and Accessibility
In partnership with The Maplewood Department of Community Services, we have taken steps to increase the accessibility and inclusivity of the Holiday Tree Lighting.
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Click links for more information below:
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For additional accommodations or accessibility information, please contact community@togetherwebloom.org
A special thanks to Maplewood Department of Community Services and Maplewood Township for their partnership in implementing these initiatives.​
Social Story & Info Guide
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About These Tools
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Social Stories/Info Guides are accessibility tools written to introduce a new, unexpected, or challenging situation with concrete language and pictures. They help the reader know what to expect and provide options for support.
Anyone can benefit from learning about situations ahead of time but social stories are often particularly helpful for neurodivergent individuals including Autistic people or people with anxiety.
Social stories should be used as a tool to empower and support inclusion and access, not to force compliance with social norms. More suggestions are listed at the end of the document.
Sensory Information &
Sensory-Friendly Quiet Space
This event expects to have large crowds and considerable sound including ice sculpting with a chair saw, musical performances, cheering, and a microphone
To increase the accessibility of the event for neurodivergent community members, there will be a sensory-friendly quiet space available inside The Hilton Library, next to the event. This space is sponsored/run by Maplewood Dept. of Rec and utilizes TWB's traveling sensory room.
A sensory-friendly quiet room is a designated space designed to provide a calming and regulating environment for children and adults with sensory differences or disabilities who may benefit from a break from the music and activity of the event.
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All are welcome to use the space. Children must be supervised by an adult.
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Ear defenders will be available to borrow at the event, look for the basket on the snack table.
Physical Accessibility
The outdoor area with the gazebo has paved paths/sidewalks around to the various parts of the park. The grassy area is flat but not paved. There is a parking lot with accessible parking in the back of the Hilton Library, next to the gazebo.
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The front entrace of the Hilton Library has several steps up but ground level access is available in the back of the building coming in from the parking lot.
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Several chairs will be reserved at the event for accessible seating near the gazebo.