County of Union, New Jersey

Union County Freeholder Chair Bette Jane Kowalski, Vice Chairman Alexander Mirabella and Freeholders Kimberly Palmieri-Mouded and Christopher Hudak joined Union County Deputy County Manager Amy Wagner and Deana Mesaros of the Union County Department of Economic Development in welcoming corporate trainer Lena Cohen as the featured speaker at the third annual Union County Means Business Networking Breakfast, “Building Better Business Relationships,” at Kean University Building, in Union.

Lena Cohen is an internationally known and requested TED speaker, decorated community activist, sought after executive coach, and author of two life changing books, Stop, Drop, and Roll and EQ and You.

Union County Means Business is an initiative of the Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders, designed to connect the local business community with hands-on guidance and resources for growth. For more information on UCMB programs, visit ucnj.org/ucmb or contact Dean Mesaros by phone at 908-659-7412 or by email at dmesaros@ucnj.org.

(Photo by Jim Lowney/County of Union)

Union County, NJ – The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders is pleased to announce that applications are now open for the 2019 Union County Means Green community garden grants program. UC Means Green fosters improved nutrition as well as new opportunities for education, recreation, social activities, community service and neighborhood beautification through the experience of growing fresh produce in local neighborhoods.

 “UC Means Green is an inclusive grant program that provides new opportunities for gardeners of all ages and abilities to work cooperatively, share with the community, and enjoy the satisfaction of growing fresh food,” said  Union County Freeholder Chair Bette Jane Kowalski.

The Union County Means Green Community Garden Grants program is funded by the Freeholder Board. It was first established in 2016. Since then, it has helped to transform bare fields and empty lots into thriving centers for community activities, with thousands of pounds of fresh produce raised for local consumption and donated to local food pantries.

Any Union County municipality or local nonprofit organization with 501-(c)-3 tax exempt status is welcome to apply for a UC Means Green grant. Other local civic groups may apply by designating a grant partner. The grant partner must be a Union County municipality or local 501-(c)-3 organization. Groups organized as LLCs or other commercial entities are not eligible to apply.

“I encourage every eligible group with available space and an interest in community service to apply for a UC Means Green grant,” said Freeholder Chair Kowalski. “The program is designed to accommodate grants for gardens of practically any size, shape, and location.”

UC Means Green covers a wide variety of garden types. In addition to traditional soil-based gardens, eligible garden types include but are not limited to hydroponic gardens, rooftop gardens, vertical gardens, aeroponic gardens, mushroom gardens, milk crate gardens, pollinator gardens (must include food-producing plants), rain gardens (must include both pollinator-attracting and food-producing plants), hay bale gardens, forest gardens and more.

Applications for a 2019 grant are due by 5:00 p.m. on Tuesday, April 2. Union County will notify grant recipients on or about Thursday, April 11.

The non-profit organization Groundwork Elizabeth has been awarded a contract to administer UC Means Green on behalf of the Freeholder Board.

For more details and a downloadable application form, visit Union County at ucnj.org/ garden-grants, or contact Groundwork Elizabeth, 908-289-0262 or info@groundworkelizabeth.org.

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For all Union County programs and services visit ucnj.org, call the Public Info Line, 877-424-1234, email info@ucnj.org or use the online Contact Form.

Connect with Union County on social media.

Union County, NJ – In recognition of Arbor Day 2019, the Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders is once again partnering with the Shade Tree Advisory Board to sponsor the 2019 Union County Arbor Day Poetry Contest.

“The Freeholder Board is proud of our teachers and students who participate in Arbor Day, a national celebration of stewardship,” said Freeholder Chair Bette Jane Kowalski. “Trees are a key resource in our densely developed area and we take the preservation of this community asset very seriously. We are pleased to once again support this annual poetry contest as part of Union County’s Green Initiatives for 2019.”

The contest offers students of Union County, currently enrolled in grades 4 through 8, an opportunity to obtain a greater understanding of Arbor Day by allowing them to portray the importance of trees to our natural environment and man-made landscapes, by focusing on the benefits, beauty, and contributions of trees to our communities.

All poems received will be categorized by grade and judged.  One winner will be chosen for first, second, and third place at each grade level.  The winners will be invited to attend an awards ceremony at the Union County Administration Building in Elizabeth at 7:00 p.m. on Thursday, April 25, 2019.  At the ceremony the students will be publicly recognized by Union County and presented with a monetary reward and a certificate. 

Schools interested in participating in the contest, should return completed student entry forms and poems no later than March 1, 2019. Any poem received after March 1, 2019 will not be accepted.

“Studies have shown that trees improve property values and provide many other civic benefits,” said Freeholder Andrea Staten. “We are happy to sponsor this opportunity for county students to become involved in environmental efforts while also promoting their creativity.”

Arbor Day has been a national observance since 1872, encouraging the public to plant and care for trees. This year it will be celebrated on Friday, April 26.

For further information regarding this contest please contact Rutgers Cooperative Extension of Union County, Chairman of the Union County Shade Tree Advisory Board, James Nichnadowicz at (908) 654-9854 or email Jnichnadowicz@ucnj.org.

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For all Union County programs and services visit ucnj.org, call the Public Info Line, 877-424-1234, email info@ucnj.org or use the online Contact Form.

Connect with Union County on social media.

 

A free informational presentation for parents and community members

Parents and community members are invited to attend a free educational presentation, “What Parents Need to Know about Transgender Individuals” being held at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, April 23 at the John H. Stamler Police Academy on the Union County Vo-Tech Campus, 1776 Raritan Road in Scotch Plains.

The purpose of the presentation is to help parents and other adults better understand gender identity and transgender issues, and to provide tips on how to speak with children and adolescents about these sensitive topics, as well as addressing any questions or concerns any attendee may have.

The presenter, Dr. Paula C. Rodriguez Rust of Spectrum Diversity, LLC, is a renowned professional diversity educator and bullying prevention consultant serving schools, workplaces, and community and professional groups statewide.

“Parents want to know what to do if a child’s classmate is transgender, what to do if his/her own child is transgender,” Dr. Rodriguez Rust said. “My goal is to help parents better understand what it means to be a transgender person, and how we know if a child is transgender.”

“There is a whole new youth culture regarding gender that adults need to learn more about,” said Jo Ann Hamilton, Co-Chair of the Union County Human Relations Commission, one of the program sponsors, and recently retired educator. “The program is designed to provide an informational experience to help attendees learn more about the terms that we now hear, including ‘LGBTQ’, ‘gender identity,’ ‘gender expression,’ and ‘sexual orientation,’ to name a few,”

“Today’s youth are exploring their own gender identity in new ways, and it is important to understand their perspectives to the greatest degree possible,” added Commission Co-Chair Mark Spivey, Director of Communications for the Union County Prosecutor’s Office.

Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders Chair Bette Jane Kowalski said, “Everyone experiences transgender transition in their own unique way. Social, legal, and medical issues are different for each person. Through this workshop we hope to provide families with a platform of understanding that can foster a positive, self-affirming experience.”

The program, is free and open to the public. It is co-sponsored by the Office of the Union County Superintendent of Schools and the Union County Office of LGBTQ Affairs.  For more information, please contact Karen Positan, Union County Human Rights Commission, kpositan@ucnj.org or 908-889-9028.

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For all Union County programs and services visit ucnj.org, call the Public Info Line, 877-424-1234, email info@ucnj.org or use the online Contact Form.

Connect with Union County on social media.

Union County residents seeking information about services available for senior adults age 60 and older will have a choice of eight (8) dates and locations in March to speak with staff from the county’s Department of Human Services, Division on Aging. Staff will be present at public libraries in Elizabeth with Spanish speaking staff, Plainfield, Cranford, Mountainside, Clark, Garwood, Summit, and at the Senior Center in Rahway with Spanish speaking staff.

“The purpose of “ASK” is to help residents obtain government programs and services available to seniors and their caregivers”, said Bette Jane Kowalski, Chair of the Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders.  “The ASK program will bring our knowledgeable, experienced Division on Aging staff, based in Elizabeth, to locations throughout Union County to make it easier for residents to get expert assistance close to home.”

Staff from the Union County Division on Aging and Disability Resource Connection/ADRC have been traveling throughout Union County providing information about services such as home delivered meals, respite care, home care, adult day care, and support services for caregivers through the Aging Services Kiosk or ASK community outreach effort.  Assistance with completing applications and forms is also provided.

The March 2019 dates and locations are:

Monday, March 4
Elizabeth Public Library – LaCorte Branch
Bi-lingual staff will be available at this site
418 Palmer Street
Elizabeth, NJ 07202
10:00 a.m. – 12:00 noon

Thursday, March 7
Rahway Senior Center
Bi-lingual staff will be available at this site
1308 Esterbrook Avenue
Rahway, 07065
10:00 a.m. – 12:00 noon

Friday, March 8
Plainfield Public Library
800 Park Avenue
Plainfield, 07060
10:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon

Wednesday, March 13
Cranford Public Library
224 Walnut Street
Cranford, 07016
10:00 a.m. – 12 noon

Friday, March 15
Mountainside Public Library
Constitution Plaza
Mountainside, 07092
10:00 a.m. – 12:00 noon

Monday, March 18
Clark Public Library
303 Westfield Avenue
Clark, 07066
10:00 a.m. – 12:00 noon

Thursday, March 21
Garwood Public Library
411 Third Avenue
Garwood, 07027
10:00 a.m. – 12:00 noon

Monday, March 25
Summit Public Library
75 Maple Street
Summit, 07901
10:30 a.m. – 12:30 pm

All Union County residents are welcome to attend any of these ASK events.

The Union County Division on Aging and Disability Resource Connection’s (ADRC) goal is to promote wellness, independence, dignity and choice for seniors and their families. It is one of 670 “Area Agencies on Aging” nationwide established under the federal Older Americans Act.  The division has information printed in both English and Spanish.

“The Aging & Disability Resource Connection (ADRC) model, a state initiative that Union County has embraced since 2012, is designed to improve service for seniors and the disabled,” said Freeholder Chair Kowalski. “These services can enable seniors and the disabled to remain in their homes and communities.”

Check for the upcoming schedule of stops for an ASK kiosk coming near you as dates and locations are posted in local newspapers, the Senior News, Facebook, Twitter and the Union County website, www.ucnj.org.

For further information about the Union County Division on Aging and Disability Resource Connection, call the division’s toll-free number: 888-280-8226, or 908-527- 4870 or 4858. Spanish speakers may call 908-527-4863.  Information may be viewed on the Union County government website at www.ucnj.org. 

Union County Freeholder Chair Bette Jane Kowalski, Vice Chairman Alexander Mirabella and Freeholders Sergio Granados and Kimberly Palmieri-Mouded joined Union County Baseball Association President Jim Iozzi and NY Yankees/Mets player Willie Randolph in congratulating the new members inducted into the Union County Baseball Hall of Fame during the 83rd Annual Union County Baseball Association Hot Stove Awards Dinner in Clark. Willie Randolph was the guest speaker.

The four new inductees into the Union County Baseball Hall of Fame include: Rich Biddulph of Roselle, Walter Podgurski (not pictured) of Union, Chris Roof of Berkeley Heights and Scotch Plains, and Tom Urban of Elizabeth.

The awards dinner is sponsored by the Union County Baseball Association, in cooperation with the Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders and the Union County Department of Parks and Recreation. Since 1937, the Hot Stove League Baseball Dinner has been the primary fund-raiser for the UCBA’s summer and fall programs for young ballplayers. (Photo by Jim Lowney/County of Union)

Union County Freeholder Chair Bette Jane Kowalski and Freeholders Angela R. Garretson, Rebecca Williams, Kimberly Palmieri-Mouded and Andrea Staten joined New Jersey State Senator Nicholas Scutari in presenting lifelong Linden resident Monty Brooks with the seventh annual Chester Holmes Humanitarian Award during the County’s Black History Month celebration at the historic Union County Performing Arts Center in Rahway.

The Humanitarian Award was created by the Freeholder Board in honor of the late former Freeholder Chester Holmes, who was known for his lifelong dedication to community service. Mr. Brooks is the first resident of Linden to receive the award.

(Photo by Jim Lowney/County of Union)