County of Union, New Jersey

The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders presented the City of Elizabeth with a new, 15-passenger van that will provide free transport for seniors citizens. The vans are being awarded to a total of 18 municipalities this year through Freeholder Chairman Bruce Bergen’s “Seniors in  Motion” initiative to assist seniors with free, local transport.

1. to R. Elizabeth Mayor J. Christian Bollwage, Jessica Martinez of the Elizabeth’s Senior Citizen Activities Division,  Elizabeth Board of Education President Stan Neron, Union County Manager Alfred J. Faella, Elizabeth Health and Human Services Director Krishna Garlic, Elizabeth Councilman Manny Grova, Union County Freeholder Vernell Wright, Union County Freeholder Vice Chairman Sergio Granados, Union County Freeholder Bette Jane Kowalski, Elizabeth Fifth Ward Councilman Bill Gallman, and Alonzo Jones of the Elizabeth Office on Aging.

(photo by James Lowney, Division of Public Information, County of Union)

For more information, call 908-355-4444.

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Following is a condensed version of the Monarch Housing press release for the 2017 Point in Time Homeless Survey. The Union County Department of Human Services is participating in the count. For a full version of the press release contact Monarch Housing.

2016 NJ Counts report on Union County:  2016PITReportUnion

2016 NJ Counts full report: NJCounts  2016

#NJCounts 2017 Reaches out to Homeless, Families, Youth and Veterans

January 23, 2017 – #NJCounts 2017 – The statewide Point-in-Time count of the homeless will take place across the state counting individuals and households who experience homelessness on January 25, 2017.  Exact times of the count may vary by county.

Organizations,  agencies  and  others  that  plan  community  efforts  to  end  homelessness  will  conduct  the local counts.    Local count contacts are available here.   For the fourth year, Monarch Housing Associates is coordinating the statewide NJCounts.  

NJCounts 2016 found 8,941 homeless men, women and children across the state of New Jersey. This  showed  a  decrease  of  1,270  persons  (12.4%)  from  2015.  Statewide  and  individual  county  NJCounts  2016 reports are available.

Many  NJ  communities  are making great strides in ending homelessness using a Housing First approach, Rapidly Re-Housing homeless households, and implementing Coordinated Assessment to strategically prioritize scarce resources,” said Jay Everett, an associate with Monarch Housing which is directing NJCounts 2017.  

“However,  there  are  still  thousands  of  our  fellow  New  Jerseyans  who  do  not  have  a  home  in  the  middle  of  winter.    This  year,  the  State  of  New  Jersey’s  new  Housing  First  Initiative,  Moving  On Initiative, and some small increases of federal Dept. of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Continuum of Care (CoC) funds will help some of our disabled homeless neighbors.  However, our resolution to end homelessness for everyone in our state calls for understanding the need through NJCounts,  wisely utilizing our existing resources, and advocating for what  is  needed  to  finish  the work.”

Monarch Housing expects to make the final report available in spring 2017. 

HUD mandates that local communities conduct a sheltered count each year and additionally an  unsheltered count every other year. 2017 is a mandated unsheltered count year. This year, getting an accurate count of youth  experiencing homelessness to use as a baseline number is a priority. “We know all-too-well at Covenant House – in New Jersey and across the United States — the critical need to identify and engage young people who find themselves on the streets and homeless,” said Covenant House President and CEO Kevin Ryan. “Every second matters when young people are in dangerous circumstances forced to do whatever it takes to survive. That’s why NJCounts2017 is so important and why we’re glad HUD is bringing a focus to ending youth homelessness.”

According  to  Monarch  Housing  Associates,  factors  that  will  contribute  to  this  year’s count of homeless families, youth and veterans include:

• Shelters reporting lack of capacity to house homeless families throughout 2016; New Jersey state emergency assistance no longer reimburses shelters,
• A shortage of rental housing driving up demand and costs,
• Failure by Congress to increase funding for the federal Housing Choice Voucher program harming progress in creating affordable and supportive housing,
• New Jersey continues to have a higher than national average foreclosure rate; foreclosures cause many owners and renters to lose their homes, and
• Too many jobs in New Jersey do not pay a living wage and those that do pay a living wage are leaving the state.

 “The NJ Counts 2017 event is critical to understanding the homeless conditions individuals and families in New Jersey experience,” says Laura Rodgers, LCSW, Chief Program Officer, Jewish Family Service of Atlantic & Cape May Counties.  “Each year, this day is spent listening to stories of poverty and struggle while counting those who do not have a home.  This annual count  event combined with the daily outreach and services provided at coordinated entry centers for the homeless gives us our charge to target advocacy efforts to end homelessness.”

According to the National Low Income Housing Coalition (NLIHC), in 2015, a family in New Jersey must earn a housing wage of $26.52/hour to rent a two-bedroom apartment and the Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom apartment in is $1,379/month.

 “Recent figures show that homelessness is trending downward across the country and state.  In New Jersey, Middlesex and Bergen Counties have been federally certified as having reached functional zero for veterans homelessness,” said Everett.  “We need to fight cuts to federal funding that ends homelessness. I urge service providers, advocates and concerned citizens to join Monarch Housing in Washington, D.C. in July to advocate for increased federal funding for vouchers and homeless services.”

The solution to homelessness includes creating the necessary supply of supportive housing – permanent, affordable  and  independent  rental  housing  with  available  support  services.  The NJCounts 2016 results will help to implement and expand on strategies proven to be best practices in ending homelessness.

Volunteers will seek out homeless residents who spent the night of January 24, 2017 in shelters, in the woods, under bridges, in vacant buildings and at other locations where they are forced to live because there is insufficient affordable or supportive housing.  On January 25, 2017, many local communities will hold Project Homelessness Connect events that connect homeless individuals with a hot meal, warm clothes, services and housing applications.

HUD mandates that local communities conduct a sheltered count each year and additionally an unsheltered count every other year. 2017 is a mandated unsheltered count year.

For more information about Monarch Housing’s work to ensure that every person will have quality affordable, permanent supportive housing that fosters freedom, independence and community integration, visit http://www.monarchhousing.org.

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Media contacts for Monarch Housing:

Kate Kelly, Monarch Housing , 908-272-5363 x 226  

Richard Brown, Monarch Housing,  908-272-5363 x 225 

Union County, NJ – The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders is pleased to announce that the County’s Workforce Innovation Business Center is recruiting qualified applicants to fill 100 full and part-time positions at two prospective employers in Elizabeth and Newark.

The first employer, Foodtown, is scheduled to open a 25,000-square foot grocery story in Elizabeth by the end of the winter season, and is seeking to hire 50 Union County residents through the Workforce Innovation Business Center.

“The Workforce Innovation Center has been a great success and continues to help residents find employment in the greater Union County community,” said Freeholder Chairman Bruce H. Bergen. “If you are an employer, I encourage you to get in touch with us, and let us assist you in fulfilling your employment goals.”

Interested applicants for the Foodtown positions are being urged to attend an informational session on Wednesday, January 25th, 10 a.m. at the Workforce Innovation Business Center at the Mills at Jersey Gardens Mall, 651 Kapkowksi Road, Elizabeth.  Prospective candidates should first register online at www.ucnj.org/job-event to secure a spot. Anyone with further questions can call the Center at 908-355-4444 during regular business hours.

The jobs are in all departments of the store to be located at East Grand and Division Streets, and pay between a range of $8.44-$22 an hour.

Successful applicants will receive “soft skills” training” before they begin work through the Center, and may be matched to the jobs through the County’s “On the Job Training” program, which may qualify Foodtown for wage subsidies and a Work Opportunity Tax Credit through the state.

“As liaison to the Workforce Development Board, we made the development of public-private partnerships a priority so we can maximize employment for our residents,” said Freeholder Vice Chairman Sergio Granados. “We’ve been able to create well over 1,000 new job opportunities last year alone for County residents with prospective employers. And I look forward to creating a even larger amount of employment opportunities for our residents in 2017.”

The second employer is from a company in Newark seeking to hire 50 new positions, acting as a liaison between customers and our client, a consumer package goods firm. The candidates would assist with complaints, orders, errors. The job is full-time, pays $13 an hour, plus commission. These jobs are open to residents inside and outside Union County.  Interested  candidates can email their resume to isaias.rivera@ucc.edu or call 908-355-4444.

The Workforce Innovation Business Center is a partnership between the Freeholder Board, the Workforce Development Board and Union County College.

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PSE&G is preparing for the approaching storm system that could bring heavy rain and gale-force winds.

Given the weather services’ forecasts, PSE&G is preparing for a busy day today. We’ll have additional personnel scheduled and on standby, with extra tree personnel and equipment at the ready.

Gale-force winds can cause flying debris, and bring down trees and power lines. You should be cautious and stay alert to your surroundings before, during and after storms:

• Prepare for high winds, securing outdoor objects.
• Downed wires should always be considered “live.” Do not approach or drive over a downed line and do not touch anything it might be in contact with. If a wire falls on or near your car, stay inside the car, call 911, and do not get out until PSE&G deenergizes the line. If you MUST get out of the vehicle because it is on fire, jump as far as possible away from the vehicle, with both feet landing on the ground at the same time, and hop or shuffle away.
• To prevent carbon monoxide poisoning, do not run any gasoline powered engine, including generators and snowblowers, in a garage or any other enclosed space.

To report downed wires or power outages, call PSE&G’s Customer Service line at 1-800-436-PSEG. You can also report power outages and view the status of an outage by logging in to My Account at pseg.com, PSE&G’s mobile-friendly website.

Stay Connected with PSE&G’S MyAlerts and Outage Center

• Sign up for PSE&G’s MyAlerts service for 2-way texting and email notifications. PSE&G’s free MyAlerts service allows you to:
• Text OUT to report a power outage.
• Text STAT at any time for the latest on your outage.
• Receive an alert when there is a power outage in your area.
• Receive notification of your Estimated Time of Restoration (ETR) and changes in the ETR of more than an hour.
• Receive an alert when the power outage is restored.

There are two ways to register for MyAlerts:

• Log in to My Account at pseg.com from your smart phone, tablet, or computer and select “MyAlerts Text/Email Notifications” from the main menu. You can select which alerts you’d like to receive and how you would like to receive them.
• Use your mobile phone to text “REG” to 47734 (4PSEG), and then follow the prompts to register for text alerts.
• Stay in touch and informed with PSE&G’s “Outage Center” to:
• Report an outage and check your outage status.
• View our Outage Map, updated every 15 minutes, which displays the location and status of power outages in our service territory.
• Receive important safety information to help you before, during and after a storm.
• Sign up as a follower of PSE&G’s Twitter and Facebook pages to monitor restoration progress.

Are you homeless? Do you need assistance? Participate in the Homeless Point-in-Time Count – Come out, be counted!

Wednesday, January 25th, 1pm – 3pm at either of these two locations:

• Elizabeth Coalition to House the Homeless, 118 Division Street in Elizabeth
• Plainfield Salvation Army, 615 Watchung Ave in Plainfield

50 Full and part time job opportunities for Foodtown store opening in Elizabeth. Information session on 1-25-17. Pre-register is required. Register online at https://ucnj.org/job-event

The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders presents the 5^th Annual Chester Holmes Humanitarian Award

Union County celebrates Black History Month with a free performance honoring famed Civil Rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. on Monday, February 27 at 6:30 p.m. at the Union County Performing Arts Center in Rahway.

Sponsored by the Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders and the Office of Cultural and Heritage Affairs under the Department of Parks and Recreation, “A Beautiful Symphony of Brotherhood: A Musical Journey in the Life of Martin Luther King, Jr.” highlights how music influenced and inspired the work of Dr. King.

“Each February, Americans recognize and celebrate the contributions and accomplishments of African-Americans to our nation’s history,” said Freeholder Chairman Bruce H. Bergen. “The Freeholder Board is proud to support events that illustrate the truths of the history we all share.”

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. grew up listening to and singing church songs, and saw gospel and folk music as natural tools to further the civil rights movement.

Hosted by Terrance McKnight, “A Beautiful Symphony of Brotherhood: A Musical Journey in the Life of Martin Luther King, Jr.” is a live adaptation of McKnight’s radio documentary, which was produced for WQXR, New York Public Radio.  In this one-hour presentation, Terrance McKnight interweaves musical examples with Dr. King’s own speeches and sermons to illustrate the powerful place that music held in his work—and examines how the musical community responded to and participated in Dr. King’s cause.

“The life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. – a true community activist who brought hope and healing to America during a time in our history of rampant injustice and discrimination – have been a source of inspiration for many who seek peace, justice and equality,” said Freeholder Linda Carter. “All are invited to experience this unique production that offers insight into what inspired and influenced the words, actions, spirits and ideals of Dr. King.”

The evening’s event will also feature the 5^th annual presentation of the Chester Holmes Humanitarian Award. Presented by the Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders, the Chester Holmes Humanitarian Award is given to a candidate that displays outstanding devotion to the people of Union County through their service-based or philanthropic work.

Admission to “A Beautiful Symphony of Brotherhood: A Musical Journey of Martin Luther King, Jr.” is free of charge, but advance registration is requested. Please call the Union County Office of Cultural and Heritage Affairs at 908-558-2550 to reserve a seat, or visit www.ucnj.org/BlackHistoryMonth.

Also in February, the Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders is proud to sponsor two additional Black History Month events.

On Saturday, February 4 at 3:00 p.m., United Youth of New Jersey will present Black Wall Street: A True Reflection of the Sun People at Kean University’s Wilkins Theatre. An original play written and directed by UNYJ founders Mr. and Mrs. Brown, the play tells the story of the men and women of the Greenwood District – one of the most thriving African American communities in America from 1907 to 1921. For more information visit unitedyouthofnj.org or contact UYNJ at 908-220-5279.

Presented by the Union County Performing Arts Center and co-sponsored by the Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders and the City of Rahway, Call Mr. Robeson, a poignant tribute to an extraordinary man in black history, will be presented at the Union County Performing Arts Center in Rahway on Saturday, February 11 at 5:30 p.m. Written, produced, and performed by Tayo Aluko, this free performance preserves and honors Paul Robeson’s memory while teaching audiences that speaking out against injustice is everyone’s responsibility. For more information visit ucpac.org or call the UCPAC Box Office at 732-499-8226.

For more information about Union County’s 2017 Black History Month events, as well as a map of important historic sites and people from Union County visit ucnj.org/BlackHistoryMonth.

Do you like working with artists, teachers and students? The Union County Teen Arts Festival provides an opportunity for volunteers to get involved.

The Union County Teen Arts Festival is a two-day celebration of the arts. It is held annually at Union County College in Cranford and is sponsored by the Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders through the Office of Cultural and Heritage Affairs in the Department of Parks and Recreation.

This year’s Teen Arts Festival is scheduled for Thursday and Friday, March 16 and March 17. The event is open to all students from public, charter, private and parochial middle and high schools in Union County.

“Nearly 3,500 students participate in performances, critiquing seminars, master classes and workshops with a staff of 55 professional artists in every discipline – visual art, music, creative writing, theater and dance,” said Freeholder Chairman Bruce H. Bergen.

“Volunteers are needed to assist artists with workshops, manage performance sites and staff information stations,” said Freeholder Bette Jane Kowalski, who serves as the Freeholder Liaison on the Cultural and Heritage Advisory Board. “Volunteers get to see some of the great work our kids are doing. It’s really a lot of fun!”

If you are interested in any of these activities, contact the Union County Office of Cultural and Heritage Affairs at 633 Pearl Street, Elizabeth, New Jersey 07202. Telephone: 908-558-2550; NJ Relay Users call 711. Or e-mail us at: culturalinfo@ucnj.org.

Union County Freeholder Bette Jane Kowalski presents a resolution to Kent Lucas of Cranford congratulations him on receiving a Life Membership Award from the Cranford First Aid Squad during the squad’s annual dinner. They are joined by Cranford First Aid Squad President Kailyn Grant. (Photo by Jim Lowney/County of Union)