Woodbridge Opens Nancy Bader Drumm Center For Adults With Disabilities

WOODBRIDGE, NJ — On Thursday afternoon, Woodbridge opened its brand new civic center for Township adults who have physical and intellectual disabilities.

It is named the Nancy Bader Drumm Educational Center in memory of a beloved Woodbridge Councilwoman who died in 2022 at the age of 62, nine months after she received a cancer diagnosis. The center is located at 269 E. Smith Street in Woodbridge proper, on the grounds of what used to be Our Lady of Mt. Carmel elementary school, long closed.

Specifically, that building was the rectory for Our Lady of Mount Carmel Roman Catholic church.

The Nancy Bader Drumm Educational Center is a brand-new 5,000-square foot facility that has five classrooms, a community room, administrative offices and an ADA-compliant teaching kitchen.

It is open to Woodbridge adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities, and will provide them with employment services and day programs. Our House Hope Autism Solutions will run the facility and provide the day programs.

The builder was H2M architects + engineers, which worked with Woodbridge Twp. to design the space.

“(This) stands as an incredible day for the residents and families enrolled in the Our House Hope Autism Solutions Day Program,” said Woodbridge Mayor John McCormac at Thursday's ribbon cutting. “We would like to commend the work of H2M for their ground-breaking design that transformed the dilapidated building into a state-of-the-art educational center that will positively impact the lives of countless individuals."

"The work of H2M stands as a testament to Woodbridge Township’s commitment to serving our special-needs community," added the mayor.

Longtime Woodbridge Councilwoman Nancy Bader Drumm Dies (January 2022)

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