County of Union, New Jersey

Union County, NJ – On Saturday, October 27 Union County residents with unwanted guns in their possession can turn them in for up to $250 each at either of two locations, in Elizabeth and Plainfield. Anyone turning in a gun may do so anonymously.

“Gun buyback events have safely taken hundreds of guns off the streets and out of our homes and neighborhoods. Buybacks also help raise awareness about the risk of gun violence in our community,” said Freeholder Chairman Sergio Granados. “If you have a gun in your possession that you no longer want, for any reason, I encourage you to participate in the October 27 buyback.”

Gun buybacks are designed to enable anyone to turn in any gun, in any condition, with no questions asked. The program provides for residents to turn in up to three firearms and receive up to $250 for each weapon.

People with guns to turn in can bring them to either the Elizabeth or Plainfield location any time between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. on Saturday, October 27:

Elizabeth: The Macedonia Baptist Church, at 1251 Fairmount Avenue.

Plainfield: The Visions of God Family Worship Church, 350 Leland Avenue.

Participants are advised that weapons transported by car must be put in a closed container and kept in the trunk.

To reduce any risk of theft or mishap, participants are also advised to proceed directly to the drop-off location, without making any stops for errands or social calls.

The gun buyback event is supported by the Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders and sponsored by the Union County Prosecutor and the Union County Sheriff with the Union County Division of Police and the police departments of the cities of Elizabeth and Plainfield.

For questions about the buyback event, call the Union County Department of Public Safety at 908-654-9816. (908) 654.9816

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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.

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Union County, NJ – The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders is pleased to announce the first graduating class of the new Non-Profit Consortium Leadership Fellows Institute. The 44 graduates were recruited from local non-profit organizations in partnership with the Union County Non-Profit Consortium, with the goal of developing the next generation of informed, effective executives in the non-profit sector.

“On behalf of the Freeholder Board, I am very proud to congratulate the inaugural class of the Non-Profit Consortium Leadership Fellows Institute, said Freeholder Chairman Sergio Granados. “Non-profits are an important part of the foundation that sustains our social safety net, and they also provide high quality employment opportunities and volunteer experiences that enrich life in our community. With the skills gained through this program, our graduates will make a real difference in the lives of Union County residents, especially those who need a helping hand.”

The Non-Profit Leadership Fellows Institute was launched in 2017 by Freeholder Bruce H. Bergen, when he served as Chairman. It represents the first, focused investment that County government has made to support skills and training for the next generation of non-profit executive leaders.

“The program builds on our workforce development initiatives, which are aimed at ensuring that important economic sectors in Union County can draw from a rich pool of talent,” said Freeholder Bergen. “Through the Leadership Fellows Institute, we can help ensure that our non-profits continue to benefit from informed, effective and seasoned leadership.”

The Union County Non-Profit Leadership Fellows Institute is a public-private partnership funded through $5,000 in seed money from County government, $500 contributions made by the non-profit organizations for each candidate they send to the Institute, and the generosity of private sector sponsors.

Of the 44 graduates, 22 were sponsored through the Freeholder Board and 22 were sponsored through the nonprofit organization Community Access Unlimited.

Each of the participants attended 11 skill-building sessions based on a dynamic, interactive model. Peer learning is also an important element of the development program.

For more information about participating in or supporting the Non-Profit Leadership Fellows Institute, Sidney Blanchard, Executive Director, Community Access Unlimited at 908-354-3040 or sblanchard@caunj.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.

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Union County, NJ – Seniors at the Peterstown Community Center in Elizabeth celebrated the delivery of a new waist-high “senior” garden bed earlier this week, with the help of Elizabeth Mayor J. Christian Bollwage, Freeholder Chairman Sergio Granados, Groundwork Elizabeth Executive Director Jonathan Phillips and others. The new bed was funded through a grant from the Union County Means Green Community Garden Grants program.

“Gardeners in Union County know that summer does not mark the end of the growing season,” said Chairman Granados. “Many crops thrive in cool, rainy weather, and the Freeholder Board is proud to help our seniors enjoy the many benefits of a community garden throughout the fall months. The unique senior beds provide space for those using wheelchairs and other devices, so they can participate in garden activities along with their friends and neighbors.”

The senior bed was built and installed by staff from Groundwork. The raised height and slanted sides of the new bed enable seniors and people with disabilities to enjoy gardening from a standing or sitting position, rather than bending or kneeling.

Groundwork staff also provided seniors at the Peterstown Community Center with a gardening workshop, demonstrating how to plant the new bed with lettuce and radish seedlings for a fall harvest. The senior bed joins a sprawling layout of garden beds already established at the Peterstown Center, located at 408 Palmer Street.

This year the garden yielded a bumper crop of fresh eggplant, tomatoes, basil, kale and much more.

The Union County Means Green grant program began in 2016 with the aim of introducing the benefits of community gardening to residents throughout Union County, including fresh produce, educational activities, recreation and community service. The program is funded by the Freeholder Board and administered by Groundwork Elizabeth as part of the organization’s “Come Grow with Us” community garden network.

The Freeholder Board also supports the Master Gardeners program, which trains and certifies members of the public to provide gardening guidance and activities for their communities. The program is run by the Rutgers Cooperative Extension of Union County, with offices at the Union County complex in Westfield and a large demonstration garden in Mountainside.

The next Master Gardeners training session is coming up this fall. Any Union County resident can join, regardless of experience. For more information visit the Extension online at ucnj.org/rce or contact Tamisha Hopkins at thopkins@ucnj.org or 908-654-9854, extension 2.

For more information about Groundwork Elizabeth and Come Grow with Us, visit online at groundworkelizabeth.org, call 908-289-0262, or email elizabethnj@groundworkusa.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.

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Union County, NJ — The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders is please to present artwork from the “Art from the HEART” fine arts program, now on display at the Freeholders Gallery through September 28. The public is invited to visit the Freeholders Gallery any time during regular business hours weekdays from 9:00 am to 5:00 p.m. It is located on the 6^th floor of the Union County Administration Building, 10 Elizabethtown Plaza in Elizabeth.

“Art from the HEART provides a way for seniors to express themselves creatively and share their unique views of the world with the public at large,” said Freeholder Chairman Sergio Granados. “The Freeholder Board is proud to support this program, which provides an enriching experience for seniors and the whole Union County community.”

The Art from the HEART exhibition is a partnership between the Visual Arts Center of New Jersey and SAGE Eldercare, both located in Summit, and is made possible in part by a HEART (History, Education, Arts Reaching Thousands) grant from the Freeholder Board.  Additional funding is provided by individual donors.

The Art from the HEART program is celebrating its 18^th year. Lead by art therapist Janice Patrignani, the program encourages self-expression, increases self-esteem, and helps keep participants’ minds active.

The Visual Arts Center of New Jersey is the state’s largest institution dedicated exclusively to viewing, making and learning about contemporary art, including a renowned studio art school and a full schedule programs and exhibitions. Its service mission includes a commitment to creating access to the arts for a range of constituents, from at-risk children and youth to people with special needs to senior adults. For more information visit artcenternj.org or call 908-273-9121.

SAGE Eldercare supports the independence, well-being and quality of life of older adults, their families and caregivers, through the provision of client-centered health, social and support services. SAGE offers a wide range of programs and services that support seniors as they face the challenges of later stages in life. For more information, visit sageeldercare.org or call 908-273-5550.

The Union County Office of Cultural and Heritage Affairs coordinates the exhibits displayed at the Freeholders Gallery, as a division of the Department of Parks and Recreation. The Cultural and Heritage Affairs offices are located at 633 Pearl Street in Elizabeth.

For more information about Art from the HEART and other programs and services related to the arts and history in Union County, contact the Office of Cultural and Heritage Affairs at 908-558-2550 (NJ relay users dial 711) or culturalinfo@ucnj.org, or visit online at ucnj.org/parks-recreation.

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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.

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Union County, NJ – The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders is proud to partner with the Rutgers School of Public Health, Center for Health, Identity, Behavior & Prevention Studies (CHIBPS) to host a free community forum, “HIV Prevention: U=U, PrEP and PEP-Knowing the Facts,” on Sunday, September 16, 2018 at 4:00 p.m. at Union County College, 1033 Springfield Avenue in Cranford.  Registration is requested at ucnj.org/lgbtq.

Presented in collaboration with the Union County Office of LGBTQ Services, Union County College and UCC’s Gay Straight Alliance, CHIBPS has prepared this community forum to bring together educators, public health professionals, healthcare providers, and most importantly, community members, to discuss HIV prevention and HIV resources in their communities.

Rutgers School of Public Health Dean and Director of CHIBPS, Dr. Perry N. Halkitis, will provide the keynote address followed by an expert panel of speakers from the New Jersey Department of Health and Hyacinth AIDS Foundation.

“HIV stigma is holding back the efforts of public health stakeholders to reach affected communities with prevention strategies and other resources,” said Freeholder Chairman Sergio Granados. “The Freeholder Board is proud to partner with Dr. Perry Halkitis and Rutgers School of Public Health to help overcome that obstacle. Learning the facts about HIV is an important step toward neutralizing fear and bias, and making our community one in which people are empowered to seek guidance without being stigmatized.”

The Prevention Access Campaign: U=U, simply known as U=U or Undetectable = Untransmittable, is a movement advanced by Bruce Reichman in an effort to use treatment of HIV as a means to its prevention. U=U is a ground breaking statement adopted by 700 community partners and 100 countries that recognized a groundswell of research that confirms that a person living with HIV, and who is on effective treatment that reduces the level of HIV to “undetectable,” protects their health and makes them incapable of passing HIV to their partner/s. Additionally, PrEP and PEP are valuable methods of protection against HIV. Both act as preventative and prophylactic measures to guard against becoming infected with HIV.

“Despite the advances of the last decade, only a fraction of Americans are accessing these powerful biomedical resources to either prevent or treat their HIV,” comments Dean Halkitis. “Community forums like this empower the community for and which we work to take control of their health and status with valuable resources and education.”

CHIBPS and the Union County Office of LGBTQ Services organized this event to galvanize the Union County, Newark and surrounding communities to learn about and access the U=U campaign and preventative and prophylactic therapies like PrEP and PEP to protect not only their health, but also their communities.

“According to the CDC, an estimated 1.1 million people are living with HIV in the United States,” said Freeholder Alexander Mirabella. “This community forum is an opportunity for individuals living with HIV and family, friends and allies to get correct answers to their questions in an effort to destigmatize HIV.”

Registration is requested at ucnj.org/lgbtq for this free community forum organized by CHIBPS and the Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders through the Office of LGBTQ Services in partnership with Union County College and the UCC Gay Straight Alliance.

Established as part of Chairman Granados’ 2018 Moving Union County Forward initiatives, the Office of LGBTQ Services, under the Division of Outreach and Advocacy in the Department of Human Services, is the first County government office of its kind in the State of New Jersey – and one of four government offices in the nation to support the LGBTQ community, of which only two are county government offices. Union County’s Office of LGBTQ Services offers a platform for leadership and collaboration to support equality, and serves as a catalyst for advocacy, awareness and action on current and emerging issues that impact the lives of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer individuals.

For more information about the Office of LGBTQ Services, contact Danni Newbury, Coordinator, at 908-527-4742 or dnewbury@ucnj.org or visit ucnj.org/lgbtq.

 

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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.