On Thursday evening, October 24, Homefirst will hostAn Evening of Thanks, the first annual Union County Family Service Awards at The Galloping Hill Golf Club in Kenilworth. The event will recognize and honor individuals from different communities in Union County who serve families in need in extraordinary ways in their civic and private lives. NJ State Assemblyman Jon Bramnick will serve as Master of Ceremonies for the event. Union County Freeholder Alexander Mirabella is the Honorary Event Chair, joined by an Event Committee of 20 community volunteers.
The goals of The 2013 Union County Family Service Awards program are: (1) to raise awareness about families in need; (2) to celebrate local citizens who volunteer their time to help their neighbors; (3) to encourage other individuals to make a commitment to serve families in need; and (4) to support the many free programs made available to low income families in Union County by Homefirst.
An Evening of Thanks is sponsored by a diverse group of businesses and community leaders. Lead Sponsors include Allstate New Jersey Insurance Company, Bramnick, Rodriguez, Mitterhoff, Grabas & Woodruff, LLC, Attorneys at Law, and Ellen Catlin of Garwood. Sponsors include The Alternative Press, Steven and Marybeth Lapham of Scotch Plains and Casey and Priscilla Woodruff of Westfield.
The evening will start at 6:00PM with a wine & hors d’oeuvres reception, featuring music from At Ease, a Westfield High School jazz group and the Florian Schantz Jazz Combo of Westfield, followed by the awards ceremony and dinner at 7:30PM. The event will include a live auction as well as entertainment provided by the Celebration Singers, a community choral group based in Cranford. Ellen McGovern, Executive Director, will speak on behalf of Homefirst and will present a film about the agency’s services and their impact on families and children in need. The evening is scheduled to conclude by 10:00PM.
Established in 1986 in Plainfield, Homefirst delivers comprehensive solutions to homelessness by providing transitional and permanent housing, homeless prevention assistance and family support services. Working with a diverse coalition of partners, including community groups, religious congregations, foundations, businesses, nonprofits, government agencies and volunteers, Homefirst is a leader in Central New Jersey in assisting families experiencing homelessness and in preventing homelessness. Homefirst uses innovative national models to give families the tools and the resources they need to overcome adversity and develop self-sufficiency. The agency builds strong communities – one family at a time.
An Evening of Thanks: The 2013 Union County Family Service Awards promises to be a memorable and enjoyable event. Press representatives are asked to please contact Ellen McGovern, Executive Director at Homefirst, at ellen@homefirstinc.org or at 908-753-4001 x13 for further details or to RSVP for the event.
Event Information
Overview
On Thursday evening, October 24, Homefirst will host An Evening of Thanks: The 2013 Union County Family Service Awards at The Galloping Hill Golf Club in Kenilworth. The event will recognize and honor individuals from different communities throughout Union County who serve families in need in extraordinary ways in their civic and private lives. NJ State Assemblyman Jon Bramnick will serve as Master of Ceremonies for the event. Union County Freeholder Alexander Mirabella is the Honorary Event Chair, joined by an Event Committee of 20 community volunteers.
Goals
The goals of The 2013 Union County Family Service Awards program are: (1) to raise awareness about families in need; (2) to celebrate local citizens who volunteer their time to help their neighbors; (3) to encourage other individuals to make a commitment to serve families in need; and (4) to support the many free programs made available to low income families in Union County by Homefirst.
Honorees
Three nominations were requested from the mayors of each municipality in Union County. One Honoree will be selected from each town by an independent panel of community leaders in Union County. Honorees will be chosen based on how their efforts support and strengthen families in need, the impact of their volunteer work, the longevity of their service and their commitment to helping families in Union County. Preference will be given to nominees who help families that lack access to social services.
Program
The evening will start at 6:00PM with a wine & hors d’oeuvres reception, featuring music from the Florian Schantz Jazz Combo of Westfield, followed by the awards ceremony and dinner at 7:30PM. The event will include a live auction as well as entertainment provided by the Celebration Singers, a community choral group based in Cranford.
Ellen McGovern, Executive Director, will speak on behalf of Homefirst and will present a film about the agency’s services and their impact on families and children in need. The evening is scheduled to conclude by 10:00PM.
Host
Homefirst delivers comprehensive solutions to homelessness by providing transitional and permanent housing, homeless prevention assistance and family support services. Established in 1986 in Plainfield, the agency assists over 1,500 adults and children every year throughout Union County. The programs of the agency are designed to educate and empower families in crisis and to develop the skills for self-sufficiency. Homefirst builds strong communities – one family at a time.
Community Participation
An Evening of Thanks is meant to be a public event, a community celebration of service. Citizens, community groups, civic organizations, businesses and religious congregations are invited to participate as volunteers, supporters and sponsors. For more information about how you can be involved, please visit www.homefirstinc.org or contact Ellen McGovern, Executive Director at Homefirst, at ellen@homefirstinc.org or at 908-753-4001 x13.