EVENTS

14th Annual Taste of Burlington County
July 25, 2008

To benefit Providence House Domestic Violence Services

Providing free, confidential, 24-hour, domestic violence prevention and treatment services to individuals and families for 30 years.

Where: The Merion on Route 130 South in Cinnaminson.

When: Starting at 5:30pm on Wednesday, October 15, 2008.

More than 450 guests are expected to attend this year, where 22 restaurants will serve their specialty, and other activities will include a gift auction consisting of 120 gift baskets, a 50/50 raffle, and a Super 50/50 raffle.

Contact Information: Anyone with questions or comments can contact Allison Kulak by phone at 845.824.0599, ext. 234, or by e-mail at akulak@cctrenton.org.

Looking for a way to put faith into action???
June 12, 2008

Catholic Charities offers Disaster Reponse trainings.  Classes to begin June 16th! 

Catholic Charities will soon start a series of training sessions at parishes throughout the Trenton Diocese for those with an interest in becoming a volunteer disaster responder. PROJECT RESTORE, representing a partnership of Catholic Charities’ Disaster Response Program and parishes in the Trenton Diocese will first offer a two-part general orientation and training beginning on June 16th at St. George Parish in Titusville. A schedule of similar trainings appears below. Those interested in registering must contact Michele Madiou, Director of the Disaster Response Program at 1-800-652-2080 or contact her at MMadiou@cctrenton.org. A series of specialized trainings for those interested in the various aspects of volunteering (e.g. disaster crisis counseling, mutual aid, etc.) will be offered starting later this summer and in the fall.

“The goal of PROJECT RESTORE is to bring together trained volunteers to help disaster survivors in a variety of ways including assistance with immediate needs and crisis counseling,” said Michele Madiou, Director of PROJECT RESTORE. “This parish disaster response training program offers individuals a powerful way to put their faith into action,” said Madiou.

General Orientation and Training for Disaster Response Volunteers
Those registering for the general orientation and training, required prior to registering for specialized trainings, may take Part 1 and Part 2 at different parish locations if that better meets their needs. To register, call Michele Madiou, Disaster Response Program Director at 1-800-652-2080 or email her at MMadiou@cctrenton.org. Professional hours may be awarded to Parochial school teachers for these trainings. 

Mercer County
St. George Parish
1370 River Road
Titusville, NJ 08560
Day time: Monday, June 16, 10:00 AM- 3:00 PM (includes lunch)
Evening: Thursday, June 19, 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM Orientation Part 1
Thursday, June 26, 6:00 PM - 8:00PM Orientation Part 2 

Monmouth County
Holy Innocents Parish
3455 W. Bangs Avenue
Neptune, NJ 07753
Daytime: Wednesday, July 16, 10:00 AM – 3:00 PM (includes lunch)
Evening: Tuesday, July 15, 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM
Wednesday, July 16, 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM 

Burlington County
Our Lady of Good Counsel Parish (school cafeteria)
42 W. Main Street
Moorestown, NJ 08057
Daytime: Tuesday, July 8, 10:00 AM – 3:00 PM (includes lunch)
Evening: Tuesday, July 8, 6:00 PM -8:00 PM Orientation Part 1
Wednesday, July 9, 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM Orientation Part 2 

Ocean County
St. Joseph Parish (Church Basement, Rm. G)
685 Hooper Ave.
Toms River, NJ 08753
Daytime: Tuesday, June 24, 10:00 AM – 3:00 PM (includes lunch)
Evening: Wednesday, June 25, 6:00 PM -8:00 PM Orientation Part 1
Wednesday, July 2 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM Orientation Part 2

Intensive Family Support Services Presents

Partner-to-Partner: Achieving Healthy Intimacy when your Partner is Living with a Mental Illness

The Partner-to-Partner program is designed for intimate partners of individuals living with a mental illness. Throughout this program, non-ill partners are taught skills to build intimacy within their relationships. Each lesson addresses the needs and concerns of the partner who is not living with a mental illness and is designed to promote partner support, well-being, and relationship fulfillment. Receiving education in each of these areas enables individuals to become empowered in their own knowledge base, ability to handle difficult situations with their loved one, and strengthen the intimate relationships they choose to have with their partners.

Dates
July 10 & 24
August 7 & 21

Time
6 pm - 8 pm

Location
NAMI Mercer Office
3371 Brunswick Pike, Suite 124
Lawrenceville, NJ 08648

REGISTRATION REQUIRED!
Please call Amandalynn Salzman
609-396-6788 ext. 206

Behavioral Health Current and Ongoing Career Opportunities!
June 9, 2008

Current opening in Behavioral Health Services

COUNSELOR – Adult Partial Care
FT/days. Partners in Recovery, Partial Care seeks mental health professionals to help
adults recover from mental illness and co-occurring disorders. BA/BS, strong group
facilitation skills and 2 years experience required. Send resume to Kormasa Taylor at
ktaylor@cctrenton.org or fax to 609-396-8420.  

For ongoing career opportunities with Behavioral Health Services, click here.

Monmouth County Ray of Hope Gala May 2, 2008
May 2, 2008

Catholic Charities, Diocese of Trenton, recently celebrated the kick-off of its Monmouth County annual fundraiser event at the Eagle Oaks Golf and Country Club in scenic Farmingdale, NJ. Gala Co-chairpersons, Valarie DeFelice and Tom Coyle, welcomed gala committee members and guests to the newly expanded clubhouse that was awash in holiday splendor. The magnificent Southern Colonial Style clubhouse will be the site of the 11th Annual Ray of Hope Gala on Friday, May 2, 2008.

Among the many people attending were committee chairpersons, past gala chairpersons, committee members, community leaders, Diocese of Trenton Catholic Charities Board Members and Gala Sponsors that have once again pledged their support. Tom DeFelice, president of Circle BMW and one of the founding sponsors of the annual gala, has once again pledged his support to the Ray of Hope Gala as an Event Premier Sponsor. Scott Garley of Gibbons, PC and Jack Howley of the Howley Financial Group, both long time sponsors of the gala, have signed on as Event Premier Sponsors as well. Guests at this kick-off event were privileged to view a short presentation highlighting the charitable works of Catholic Charities in our local communities. Bob Hodnett, Director of Children and Family Services, spoke briefly about the importance of the gala in helping to fund the programs under his direction. Tom Coyle and Valarie DeFelice thanked committee members and chairpersons for their continued commitment to Catholic Charities and their programs here in Monmouth County.

Catholic Charities programs strive to improve the quality of life for our neighbors. Beacon House is a group home for homeless young men that are no longer eligible to live in foster homes. The residents of Beacon House receive training in independent living, money management and are linked to vocational and educational services. Project FREE is an intensive outpatient substance abuse program for women and their families. The Disaster Response Program assists families and individuals who have been affected emotionally, physically or financially by tragic events such as 9/11, Hurricane Katrina and other disasters. Other programs include School Social Services, Youth Case Management and PEAK: Program for Exceptionally Able Kids. These are a few of the many programs renewing lives and restoring hope.

Proceeds of the annual Ray of Hope Gala are directed exclusively to programs in Monmouth County. Those wishing to volunteer, lend their support, willing to be a sponsor or would like more information should contact the Gala Office at 732-897-7701 ext. 118.

For Immediate Release:
Contact: Mary Lee
732-219-0517
mlee502@gmail.com
bchlvrnj@aol.com

El Centro summer camp gives kids a breath of fresh air
July 9, 2007

On July 9, 50 Trenton children from economically disadvantaged homes, many of them recent immigrants, will board a bus to Fernbrook Farm in Bordentown and begin a two-week summer day camp program that offers lessons on horticulture, organic farming, entomology and ecology. The camp program, created three years ago by Roberto Hernandez, director of El Centro, a community resource center focusing on the needs of Spanish speaking families and Larry Kuser, the owner of Fernbrook Farm, charges only $5 per child and that simply covers the cost of bus transportation. Kuser volunteers his time and his farm to give children the opportunity to experience and explore nature within a safe environment.

The camp, for children ages 7-13, runs from July 9 through July 20. For more information about how to support this rewarding program, contact Roberto Hernandez at (609) 394-2056.

11th Annual Drug Free Community Festival

The 11th Annual Drug Free Community Festival, sponsored by Catholic Charities Mercer Behavioral Health Services, will be held on Saturday, June 14, 2008 from 11:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m at the South River Walk Park by Lalor Street in Trenton, NJ. This year, the festival is celebrating 11 years of providing quality prevention services to the community and will be a fun-filled event for all ages!

The festival will include free health screenings and information booths from over thirty community agencies and sponsors such as Mercer County Commission on the Status of Women, Mercer County Sheriff's Office, Capital Health System, Princeton House Behavioral Health Services, PSE&G, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Mercer County, Horizon NJ Health, Trenton Municipal Alliance Committee/City of Trenton, Trenton Fire Department, Mercer County Office of the Disabled, County of Mercer, UMDNJ/Mercer County Tobacco QuitCenter, Paterson Chevrolet, Mercer Area Early Intervention Services, and more.

In addition, food, music, rides, and arts and crafts will make for an enjoyable afternoon at the park!

For more information about the 11th Annual Drug Free Community Festival, please contact Chris Mussell at cmussell@cctrenton.org.

Start the Justice for Immigrants Campaign in Your Parish!
January 31, 2007

On Saturday, March 3, 2007 from 9:00 AM - 2:00 PM at St. Thomas More Parish in Manalapan, Catholic Charities will host a training on how to begin a Justice for Immigrants campaign at your parish.  

For more information about the Justice for Immigrants Campaign, please visit www.justiceforimmigrants.org 

For the day's schedule, registration, and directions to St. Thomas More, please click on the document link below: