County of Union, New Jersey

Union County, NJ – Union County 4-H students braved the biting cold last weekend to gather at the County’s historic Cedar Brook Park in Plainfield, where they planted three new sycamore trees and a weeping willow with an assist from Union County park maintenance.

The trees were donated by the Union County College Historic Tree Program.

From left to right are 4-H members Nikhil Choudhary of New Providence, Marcus Ciasco of Westfield, Siddarth Vadavatha of Scotch Plains,  James Brodowski of Cranford, Rob and Michael Laumbach of Fanwood, Ryan Jones of Fanwood and Sandeep Mukherjee of Scotch Plains. 

Union County 4-H is a youth development program of the Rutgers Cooperative Extension, providing students in grades 1-12 with opportunities to practice leadership, teamwork and other essential life skills.

To join or become a volunteer 4-H club leader, contact 4-H Youth Development Agent Jim Nichnadowicz at 908-654-9854, email jnichnadowicz@ucnj.org or visit online at ucnj.org/rce.

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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.

The League of Women Voters (LWV) of Berkeley Heights, New Providence & Summit Co-President Susan Ferris Rights (L) presents the LWV “Making Democracy Work” Award to Union County Clerk Joanne Rajoppi (R), Past LWVUS President Susan Lederman (2nd L) and New Providence High School teacher Stephanie Hornstein during the LWV Scholarship Fund Gala December 11 in New Providence. For more information about the LWV, visit www.lwv-bhnps.org (Photo by Jim Lowey/County of Union)

Union County Freeholders Linda Carter and Alexander Mirabella and Union County Economic Development Director Amy Wagner speak with students at the 4^th annual UC STEP Summit at Kean University in Union. The Union County Student Training and Enrichment Program (UCSTEP) is a day-long summit that invites high school sophomores and juniors from throughout Union County to participate in hands-on activities focused on leadership, personal growth, and civic engagement. (Photo by Jim Lowney/County of Union)

South Asian Community Outreach (SACO) will honor Union County Freeholder Vice Chairman Sergio Granados with a Civic Service award for his commitment to engaging diverse communities throughout New Jersey in his continued efforts to achieve social unity and economic equality among all residents. Vice Chairman Granados will be formally honored at the SACO annual Interfaith Holiday Celebration on Wednesday, December 14 at 6:30 p.m. at the Royal Albert’s Palace in Edison, NJ.

“It is truly an honor to be recognized by SACO, whose mission is vital to achieving full engagement and representation of New Jersey’s diversity in civic service,” said Freeholder Vice Chairman Sergio Granados. “Making a difference begins with engaging and empowering the community and each other. I am proud of the work of SACO that puts the community first. As one of the most diverse states in the country, it is important to not only work to represent, engage, and support the residents of Union County but also those throughout the State of New Jersey, and SACO is an important partner to reach beyond the Union County boarders.”

“Freeholder Vice Chairman Granados’ diligent work as a community leader exemplifies the mission of our organization and brings honor to this award,” said SACO President Sam Khan. “Vice Chairman Granados is an important ambassador for what SACO seeks to achieve.”

Tickets to the SACO annual Interfaith Holiday Celebration are available now. Each ticket includes dinner, live music, picture with Santa and much more. For more information or to purchase tickets through the SACO visit saconj.com or call (732) 902-2106.

South Asian Community Outreach (SACO) is a New Jersey based non-profit, non-religious and bipartisan organization. The mission of SACO is to promote South Asian Americans in mainstream public affairs, civic discourse, community outreach and party politics in the US.

Central to the SACO mission is the formation of partnerships to address social injustices and build alliances between South Asians and other communities who struggle for long-term social change.

SACO seeks to empower South Asian Americans in American politics. SACO is dedicated to advancing the health, empowerment and solidarity of persons of South Asian origin in the US. SACO believes in self-sustaining communities who actively raise their voices, take leadership and challenge social injustices, both within and beyond the South Asian community.

Freeholder Vice Chairman Sergio Granados, a native of Elizabeth and community activist who has experience working with non-profits and volunteer organizations, was elected to his first full term to the Union County Board of Chosen Freeholder in 2013 – becoming the youngest Democratic Freeholder ever elected in the State of New Jersey. Granados also holds a Masters of Public Administration from Kean University.

Through his work on the Freeholder Board, Granados has emphasized community outreach and fiscal reform, workforce initiatives that have created over 1,000 job opportunities in 2015 alone,  parks and educational improvements, and additional initiatives to benefit veterans and individuals with disabilities.

In 2015, Granados founded Moving New Jersey Forward, a community-based non-profit, whose mission is to raise awareness and education efforts at the local and national level about social justice issues.

In addition, Granados has a long record of activism, he has served with many organizations, including Hispanos Unidos, the Elizabeth Lions Club, the Portuguese Instructive Social Club, the Elizabeth Portugal Day Committee, Union County Latino-American Chamber of Commerce, New Leaders Council-New Jersey & Shaping Elizabeth.

The SACO annual Interfaith Holiday Celebration will be held on Wednesday, December 14 at 6:30 p.m. at the Royal Albert’s Palace in Edison, NJ. For more information about SACO visit saconj.com.

 

Union County, NJ — The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders recently voted to fund support services for a state program that would provide 35 rental assistance vouchers for chronically homeless individuals and families.

The Freeholders voted to provide $75,000 through the Union County Homeless Trust Fund, which is from revenues collected through the Offices of the Union County Clerk, Joanne Rajoppi.

Under the provisions of a 2009 state law, a $3.00 fee is ascribed to each document processed by the Union County Clerk and dedicated to the Union County Homeless Trust Fund. The County of Union began collecting the fee in May, 2010. Since then, the Homeless Trust Fund has collected approximately $959,704.

Trust Fund collections can be used for:

• Prevention services such as one-time financial assistance for those at-risk of homelessness;
• Rental assistance vouchers for affordable housing projects or units within housing projects that provide permanent affordable housing for the homeless and those at risk of homelessness;
• Permanent affordable housing for the homeless and those at risk of homelessness;
• Supportive services such as social workers connected to affordable housing.

In this instance, the funds approved by the Freeholder Board will provide “wrap around” or support services to the Union County Housing First Consortium in conjunction with the recently-awarded NJ Department of Community Affairs 2016 Housing First Initiative for 35 State Rental Assistance Program (SRAP) vouchers—which could provide up to ten years of rental assistance per person.

“This reduces the stress on our shelters, and most importantly, it reduces the burden and distress on homeless individuals and families who might otherwise be residing in a place not meant for human habitation, or in a temporary location,” said Bruce H. Bergen, Chairman of the Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders.

The consortium consists of Bridgeway Rehabilitation Services, the Elizabeth Coalition to House the Homeless and Mount Carmel Guild Integrated Case Management Services. Bridgeway Rehabilitation Services is the lead agency for the program.

“We are proud that we were among the first agencies in the state to collect revenues that are providing relief to Union County’s homeless,” said County Clerk Rajoppi. “This is a humanitarian and worthwhile initiative.”

A total of 513 persons, in 328 households, were experiencing homelessness in Union County, according to the 2016 Point-In-Time Count.

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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 Freeholder Chairman Bruce H. Bergen and Freeholders Alexander Mirabella and Vernell Wright thank Victor and Jamie Fuzo of Roselle Park for donating a blue spruce from their yard that will be displayed in the Union County Courthouse Rotunda in Elizabeth during the Holiday season.

The tree will be the centerpiece of the annual “Christmas Carol Sing-a-long Around the rotunda Christmas Tree” on Friday, December 23, at 11:00 a.m. The Union County Courthouse is located at 2 Broad Street, Elizabeth.

 

Emergency construction will require the Goethals Bridge to close in the New Jersey bound direction for one night.  Two drainage catch basins are damaged and must be repaired. They are located on the New Jersey bound roadway under and just west of the Travis Spur Railroad Bridge.  

The closure is scheduled for this Thursday (December 8)  from 10PM-5 AM.  

The Bayonne Bridge will not close Thursday night, and delays at the Bayonne Bridge and Outerbridge Crossing are not expected.

Union County Freeholder Chairman Bruce H. Bergen and Freeholders Angel G. Estrada and Alexander Mirabella joined Assemblywoman Nancy Muñoz at the Jewish Federation of Greater MetroWest NJ BIG GIVE fundraiser at the Jewish Community Center in Scotch Plains. They were joined by NJ State Association of Jewish Federations Executive Director Jacob Toporek and Jewish Community Foundation Executive Director Stanley Stone.

The BIGGIVE is a community-wide event that is part a month-long series of events designed to build community. The Jewish Federation of Greater MetroWest is the largest Jewish philanthropy in New Jersey and the eighth largest Federation in the country, serving the Jewish community in Essex, Morris, Sussex, Union, and parts of Somerset counties

Chairman Bergen and Freeholders Estrada and Mirabella were honorary chairs of the event.

Union County Freeholder Chairman Bruce H. Bergen and Freeholder Bette Jane Kowalski joined Santa and Mrs. Claus at the Union County Tree and Menorah Lighting Celebration during the 33rd annual Holiday Nature Craft Show at Trailside Nature and Science Center in Mountainside.

 

(Photos by Jim Lowney/County of Union)

The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders and the County Manager invite you to the annual “Christmas Carol Sing-a-long Around the rotunda Christmas Tree” on Friday, December 23rd, at 11:00 a.m. 

The event will be held in the rotunda of the Union County Courthouse building, 2 Broad Street, Elizabeth, NJ.

County Manager Alfred J. Faella is the master of ceremonies. The event includes caroling, musical entertainment, and a visit from Santa.  Mr. and Mrs. Victor Fuzo of Roselle Park donated this year’s Christmas Tree in the rotunda, a blue spruce tree.