County of Union, New Jersey

 

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.

#  #

 

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.

The Hillside Chapter of UNICO recently held a Veterans Appreciation Breakfast and Program at the Hillside Knights of Columbus in Hillside.

Well over 100 Veterans from all parts of the state, including the Lyons Hospital of the Veterans Administration in Lyons, attended the free breakfast and program. Donations were collected and turned over to Lyons Hospital for use for the Veterans.

Left to Right Hillside UNICO Chapter President Angelo J. Bonanno, Union County Sheriff Joe Cryan, Union County Freeholder Alexander Mirabella, Hillside Council President and Third Ward Councilman Don DeAugustine, and Adam Samiec, a Bronze Star and Purple Heart recipient for the Korean War, Hillside.
Sitting: World War II Veteran Mario Mauro, of Hillside, and World War II Veteran Steven Pega of Cranford.

Union County Freeholder Vice Chairman Sergio Granados and Freeholder Vernell Wright joined Assemblyman Jamel Holley, Elizabeth Mayor J. Christian Bollwage, Elizabeth Councilman Manny Grova, Rahway Councilman David Brown, Community Access Unlimited (CAU) Executive Director Sidney Blanchard and other officials in cutting the ribbon officially opening CAU’s new headquarters at 80 Grand Street in Elizabeth.

CAU intends for the new 60,000-square-foot, five-story building to be used by both the agency and the wider community while also serving as a symbol of advocacy and community integration.

CAU is a statewide Elizabeth-based nonprofit providing support programs and services to adults with disabilities as well as youth served under the Department of Children and Families (DCF) to enable them to live independently in the community, providing support in areas including housing, vocational skills and life-skills training, education, advocacy and recreation.

Tree to be moved on December 6th

A beautiful blue spruce from the home of Mr. and Mrs. Victor Fuzo in Roselle Park will be donated on December 6th and will adorn the Courthouse Rotunda during the Holiday season.

“This is the 60th anniversary of this tradition and it’s something that we all look forward to seeing at the Courthouse,” said Freeholder Chairman Bruce H. Bergen. “On behalf of my colleagues on the Board, I would like to thank Mr. and Mrs. Fuzo for their donation.”

Victor Fuzo, a former Roselle Park Councilman who is also a good friend of Freeholder Alexander Mirabella, said he planted the spruce more than 35 years ago, and that it is a “perfect” tree in its appearance, with no blemishes.

“I planted it when it was only 18-inches high in the backyard, and then moved it to the front,” he said.

On the morning of Tuesday, December 6th, a crew from the Union County Shade Tree Bureau will go to Roselle Park to cut the tree and load in onto a flatbed truck. Once the tree reaches the courthouse at 2 Broad Street in Elizabeth, a crane will hoist it onto the front steps.

Once inside the courthouse rotunda, the tree is tied with rope and lifted into a barrel stand that is weighed down with concrete. Then the process of adding lights and ornaments begins.

As in years past, workers will take a few days to decorate the tree, which will require multiple strands of lights. The public is invited to view the tree until about the second week of January.

The public also is invited to participate in a Christmas sing-along around the tree hosted by the Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders, with a visit from Santa Claus. The date for the sing-along will be announced within the next few weeks.

Union County, NJ – Students from the Kean University Center for Leadership and Service bundled up and took rakes and clippers in hand last weekend to prepare Chatfield Garden for chilly weather. The enthusiastic Adopt-a-Park volunteers removed old vegetation to help ensure that the plantings overwinter properly. Chatfield is a formal garden located in Union County’s Warinanco Park, in Roselle. A favorite spot for photographers, it was originally designed for tulips. It is now home to perennials that flower all season, attracting butterflies and other valuable pollinators. Individuals and groups are welcome to join the hundreds of volunteers who participate in Adopt-A-Park projects every year. For more information call the Union County Department of Parks and Recreation at 908-789-3683 or visit ucnj.org/adopt-a-park.

#  #

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.