Two Longtime Staff Members Say Farewell
After 20 Years at Catholic Charities a New TASK Awaits Joyce Campbell
After 20 years at Catholic Charities, Joyce Campbell is leaving to join the Trenton Area Soup Kitchen (TASK) as its new executive director. Joyce started her career with Catholic Charities as a Program Coordinator at what was then called Emergency Services of Burlington County. Soon after she was appointed to Division Director where she remained until 2005, at which time she was appointed Associate Executive Director of External Affairs at Central Administrative Services. She has been a significant contributing member to organizations such as the Anti-Poverty Network of New Jersey, NJ SHARES and NAMI Mercer.
Earlier this year, Joyce was recognized for her “record of professional achievement and community service” by the NJ Assembly Majority Office during Women’s History Month (Joyce is pictured at left with Assemblywoman Valerie Vainieri Huttle). “This acknowledgement of her social justice work, as a tireless advocate on issues of hunger, homelessness and poverty, is a strength she brings to her role at TASK,” says Executive Director Marlene Laó-Collins.
She will be missed at Catholic Charities, but left a lasting legacy of compassion for all those served by the agency.
Robert Hodnett Retires After 24 Years With Catholic Charities
We also bid a fond farewell to Robert Hodnett, MSW, who is retiring after 24 years of successful and dedicated service to Catholic Charities where he played an instrumental role in advancing services offered to children and families.
Bob (right) pictured with Ron Gering, Service Area Director for Children and Family Services, at a recent party held in his honor.
Prior to his becoming the Associate Service Area Director, Bob successfully implemented several major service advancements for the agency that included obtaining state contracts to establish the Youth Case Management Service in Monmouth County, and initiated the Project Free-Neptune substance abuse program. He continued work on developing the Beacon House Program for youth who were aging out of the N. J. Foster Care system.
In his role as Associate Service Area Director for Children and Family Services (CFS), Bob was instrumental in helping to develop the Monmouth Family Growth Program and Monmouth Counseling into the leading programs for trauma treatment and use of evidence-based practices in place today. His leadership also helped advance the successful growth of Beacon House and the Mobile Response and Stabilization Program in Mercer County.
Developing and managing services to those who have been traumatized has been a hallmark of Bob’s career. Bob helped develop and direct the agency’s response to 9/11, and later, assistance to those impacted by Katrina. Most recently, Bob again lead the agency’s response to Hurricane Sandy. According to Ron Gering, Service Area Director for CFS, “It is hard to imagine the agency being as successful in our response to Sandy if Bob had not been on board.”