Tag: chairman granados

Union County, NJ – The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders is pleased to announce the award of “Level the Playing Field” grants to all 21 municipalities in the County. Level The Playing Field is a new grant program designed to help every municipality provide inclusive playgrounds to children with disabilities, as part of Freeholder Chairman Sergio Granados’s 2018 Union County HEART initiative for community outreach and advocacy.

“Every child should be able to enjoy a playground in or near their neighborhood, and participate in enriching sensory experiences with friends, family and neighbors from all walks of life,” said Chairman Granados, who launched Level the Playing Field in 2017 while serving as Vice Chairman. “We would like this program to become a statewide model for counties and local governments, showing how we can work together and help all families make healthy outdoor play a lifetime habit.”

“Once all of the projects are completed, Union County will be the first county in New Jersey to have an inclusive playground for every municipality within its borders,” added Granados. “Based on our research, we may also be the first county in the U.S. with inclusive playgrounds for every municipality.”

“Through Level the Playing Field, the Freeholder Board continues to deliver on the Trust Fund’s promise of expanding and improving recreational opportunities for all County residents,” said Freeholder Alexander Mirabella, who is Chairman of the Trust Fund. “The benefits of inclusive playgrounds ripple out to include families and caregivers, helping to forge closer bonds within the whole community.”

Letters to all 21 municipalities announcing the availability of Level the Playing Field funding were mailed last fall, and all 21 responded.

A total of $500,000 in Level the Playing Field awards was funded through the Union County Open Space, Recreation and Historic Preservation Trust Fund. The following amounts were awarded to each municipality:

Berkeley Heights        $25,470.00     

Clark                          $25,470.00     

Cranford                     $25,470.00     

Elizabeth                    $25,470.00     

Fanwood                    $15,000.00     

Garwood                    $25,470.00     

Hillside                        $20,000.00     

Kenilworth                 $25,470.00     

Linden                         $25,470.00     

Mountainside             $25,470.00     

New Providence         $25,470.00     

Plainfield                     $25,470.00     

Rahway                      $25,470.00     

Roselle                        $25,470.00     

Roselle Park               $25,470.00     

Scotch Plains              $25,470.00     

Springfield                 $25,470.00     

Summit                       $25,470.00     

Union                         $17,010.00     

Westfield                   $15,000.00     

Winfield Park              $25,470.00     

Total:                          $500,000.00   

 

Many Union County parks already feature playgrounds with inclusive features. In 2016 the County also opened its first fully accessible playground, located in Mattano Park in Elizabeth.

In another recent project focusing on people with disabilities, last fall the Freeholder Board broke ground on Union County’s first all-inclusive Sensory Trial. The new 0.3 mile loop in the Watchung Reservation includes a Braille trail with rope guides and nature-themed play structures, designed to be enjoyed by all ages and abilities.

Other Union County programs for people with disabilities include the Sensory Friendly Theatre series sponsored by the Freeholder Board at the Union County Performing Arts Center, and programs at the County’s Ulrich Swimming Pool, Watchung Stables and Trailside Nature and Science Center.

The Freeholder Board also provides funding for special events such as annual fishing derbies, an ice skating social, summer carnival and barn dance, as well as programs for popular activities including golf, karate, yoga and volleyball.

UC HEART stands for “Empowering, Advocating for, Reaching and Teaching others.” In addition to the new Level the Playing field grant program, UC HEART includes creation of the first Office for People with Special Needs in New Jersey.

The new office is charged with improving recreational and social opportunities, reaching out to community groups and other stakeholders, and identifying new opportunities for engaging people with special needs.

More information about the Office for People with Special Needs is available on the County website, ucnj.org.

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Photo caption: At an opening ceremony last year, members of the Freeholder Board gathered with the Elizabeth community to celebrate the County’s first all-inclusive playground, located in Mattano Park. This year the Freeholders are providing a total of $500,000 in funding for all 21 municipalities to improve their local playgrounds for children with disabilities. Pictured here, last year’s celebration included current Union County Freeholder Chairman Sergio Granados, Vice Chairman Bette Jane Kowalski, Freeholders Linda Carter and Christopher Hudak, Elizabeth Mayor J. Christian Bollwage, former Union County Manager Alfred Faella, and members of the Elizabeth City Council and Board of Education. (Photo by Jim Lowney/County of Union)

 

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 Freeholder Chairman Sergio Granados and Freeholder Angel G. Estrada joined Jen Erdos of the Union County Office on Women in thanking Elise Joy of Girls Helping Girls Period as she delivered a donation of a year’s worth of feminine hygiene products to YWCA of Union County Director of Residential Programs Candyce Mayers at the YWCA in Elizabeth.

The donation, coordinated by the Union County Office on Women and YWCA Union County Executive Director Janice C. Lilien, was in honor of International Women’s Day.

Girls Helping Girls Period collects unopened boxes of products and distributes them to people in need, through food pantries, schools systems and outreach programs. For more information about the organization, visit www.girlshelpinggirlsperiod.org.

 

Union County, NJ – Student members of the Union County 4-H Variety Club reached across local and state borders to help displaced pets earlier this year. Through their “4-H for our 4 Pawed Friends” community service project, they collected donations to help St. Hubert’s Animal Welfare Center in Madison after the organization sheltered more than 700 pets in the aftermath of Hurricane Maria.

A representative of St. Hubert’s recently visited the Variety Club to honor the students with a St. Hubert’s Humane Hero award in recognition of their work.

“The Freeholder Board congratulates our 4-H students on earning the Humane Hero award,” said Freeholder Chairman Sergio Granados. “They demonstrated exemplary leadership by identifying a community in need, and developing a plan that involved their peers and neighbors in making a real difference.”

The 4-H for our 4 Pawed Friends project included making handmade catnip toys and collecting donations from schools, family and friends.

PetSmart in Watchung Square Mall also provided donations.

In all, the 4-H students collected over 500 food items, 150 dog and cat toys, 100 miscellaneous animal care items. A total of $363.00 in donations was used to purchase PetSmart gift cards for the shelter.

“The Freeholder Board is proud to support the 4-H mission of developing the youth leaders of tomorrow, and enabling young people to envision how the whole person — ‘Head, Heart, Hands and Health’ – can contribute to make our community stronger,” said Granados.

Union County 4-H is a program of the Rutgers Cooperative Extension of Union County, supported in part by the Freeholder Board, and headquartered at the Extension offices in Westfield. The program develops teamwork, organization, public speaking and other leadership skills by providing students in grades 1-12 with opportunities to explore their passions and interests.

For information on joining a 4-H club or volunteering as an adult club leader email Union County 4-H agent Jim Nichnadowicz at  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.

Photo caption (photo attached): Students in the Union County 4-H 4^th and 5^th Grade Variety Club collected donations to help St. Hubert’s Animal Welfare Center care of hundreds of pets displaced by Hurricane Maria. (photo credit: Union County 4-H Clubs).

Union County Freeholder Chairman Sergio Granados and Freeholder Bette Jane Kowalski attend the 2018 Union County Teen Arts Festival at Union County College in Cranford. The Union County Teen Arts Festival is an annual two-day celebration of the arts sponsored by the Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders through the Office of Cultural and Heritage Affairs in the Department of Parks and Recreation. The event is open to all students from public, charter, private and parochial middle and high schools in Union County.

Union County Freeholder Chairman Sergio Granados, Vice Chairman Bette Jane Kowalski, Freeholder Linda Carter and Freeholder Alexander Mirabella this evening congratulated the recipients of the 2018 Women of Excellence Awards at the 26th annual Women of Excellence dinner in Garwood. They were joined by New Jersey State Senator Nicholas P. Scutari and New Jersey State Senator Joe Cryan and Union County Clerk Joanne Rajoppi.

The 2018 Women of Excellence awardees are:

• Malathi Narayan Ananthakrishnan, New Providence (Arts in Education)
• Dr. Ludovina Archeval , Holy Redemer Home Care of Elizabeth (Health/Medicine)
• Brooke Campbell, Cranford (Children’s Advocacy)
• Maria Carvalho, Elizabeth (Youth Advocacy)
• Councilwoman Rose Checchio, Scotch Plains (Government)
• Candyce Mayers, Linden (Women’s Advocacy)
• Marguerite Modero, Roselle Park (Special Needs Advocacy)
• Donna Puzella , Summit (Business Leadership)
• Patricia Roman, Clark (Volunteerism)
• Margaret Salisbury, Union (Lifetime Achievement)

(Photos by Jim Lowney/County of Union)

Union County, NJ – Earlier this month, a group of 51 students in grades 9 to 11 from the Teacher Education Academy at UC TECH staged an indoor carnival for special needs learners. More than 140 participants from the community attended the event and enjoyed plinko, corn hole, dance revolution, hula hoop activities, a DJ, prizes and more.

UC TECH is part of the Union County Vocational-Technical School District. It is located on the main campus at 1776 Raritan Road in Scotch Plains.

“I would like to congratulate the students of the Teacher Education Academy on a successful event, and wish them all the best in their future careers,” said Freeholder Chairman Sergio Granados. “When young people take the lead on community service, their energy and enthusiasm is inspiring. The effort these students put into planning and preparing the carnival sets a wonderful example for us all.”

“The annual carnival provides students with a way to put their classroom lessons into action while giving back to the community,” said Vocational-Technical Schools Superintendent Peter Capodice. “I’d like to take this opportunity to thank our Teacher Education Academy head instructor, Dr. Anne Marie McNamara, for her exemplary dedication to mentoring and fostering student leadership at Vo-Tech.”

While the DJ kept the two-hour event moving along, the students distributed prizes as game captains and served as carnival captains to guide the participants through 10 different activity stations. At the conclusion of the event, all 51 student volunteers formed a line to send the participants home with a rousing “clap out.”

The annual carnival is the culmination of a year-long fundraising and planning effort by the students. In addition to providing a day of fun for the participants, the carnival enables students to gain hands on experiences with academic topics including human development, diverse learners and psychologist theory.

For more information about the Teacher Education Academy, UC-TECH and all Vo-Tech schools, visit ucvts.org.

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.

Photo Caption (photo attached): Student volunteers from the Teacher Education Academy at UC TECH planned and staged an elaborate two-hour activity carnival earlier this month for 140 special needs learners.

Union County, NJ – In recognition of Arbor Day 2018, the Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders is once again partnering with the Union County Shade Tree Advisory Board to sponsor the annual Arbor Day Tree Planting Program, which provides free trees for participating schools.

“The Arbor Day tree planting program is a Union County tradition that provides students with important hands-on lessons about the value of trees in our environment,” said Freeholder Chairman Sergio Granados. “Studies have shown that trees improve property values and provide many other civic benefits while absorbing airborne pollutants, providing a cooling effect in summer, preventing soil erosion, and helping to alleviate flooding. Just one tree can supply a day’s supply of oxygen for four people.”

This year’s free tree is a tree native to the northeast, the American Flowering Dogwood.  They are about five feet tall and weigh about 20 pounds, and each is provided with a protective cage. When fully grown they will be about 15-20 feet tall.

The trees are available on a first come first serve basis while supplies last. Requests from schools must be received by Tuesday, April 10, 2018.

Schools that are interested in a tree can request one by contacting Barbara Knapp at 908-789-3653 or bknapp@ucnj.org to obtain a registration form. 

For schools that receive a tree, free sessions in tree planting and care are available to students, teachers, and parent volunteers through the Union County and the Rutgers Cooperative Extension 4-H Master Tree Steward Program. The tree care sessions will be held at Williams Nursery in Westfield.  Please register for training by contacting Barbara Knapp.  

“Trees are a key asset in Union County, and the Freeholder Board takes stewardship of this resource very seriously,” said Granados. “The County tends to thousands of trees along our roadways and in our parks, we provide matching grants for planting trees in our 21 municipalities, and we support the Master Tree Steward volunteers who do a wonderful job of educating children about the value of trees.”

The U.S. Forestry Service provides free public domain software to calculate the dollar value of trees in an urban community. The latest version, i-Tree v.4, is user-friendly for individuals, students and community groups as well as professional planners.

Arbor Day has been a National Observance since 1872, encouraging the public to plant and care for trees.  This year it will be celebrated on Friday, April 27, 2018.

To find out more about tree care in Union County or to volunteer to be a Master Tree Steward, contact James Nichnadowicz, Union County 4-H Agent at Rutgers Cooperative Extension of Union County 908-654-9854 or jnichnadowicz@ucnj.org.

The Extension is supported in part by the Freeholder Board and is headquartered in the Colleen Fraser Building at the County complex in Westfield, at 300 North Avenue East. For information on all Extension programs visit 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.

Union County Freeholder Chairman Sergio Granados and Vice Chairman Bette Jane Kowalski presents a resolution to Union County Human Services Director Debbie-Ann Anderson, Union County Child Support Supervisor Susan Ruiz and Child Support Specialist Tonya Hendricks recognizing and congratulating the Union County Division of Social Services Child Support Unit on being named the Child Support Agency of the Year for 2017. The Division of Social Services Child Support Unit strives to be of service to the custodial parents by providing the children and their families with the financial and emotional support to be productive and healthy citizens in our society.

Recently, at its annual conference in Atlantic City, the New Jersey Child Support Council presented their Child Support Agency of the Year Award to the Union County Division of Social Services Child Support Unit for their exceptional management and outstanding service to the children and families of it Child Support program during the year 2017.

Union County Freeholder Vice Chairman Bette Jane Kowalski and Freeholders Linda Carter and Angela R. Garretson presents a resolution to Onyx Keesha and members of M. PoWeR Arts commending their efforts in assisting the revitalization the arts within the City of Plainfield by showcasing plays such as “Vagina Monologues” at the duCret School of Art. M. PoWeR Arts offers classes in filmmaking, acting, dance, writing and theater believing that arts education is essential to all.  Community theater is a key part of M. PoWeR’s vision, bringing dynamic stage production to life. 

Union County, NJ — The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders invites historical societies and other organizations to apply for two types of grants available through the Union County History Re-grant Program, funded by the New Jersey Historical Commission.

In support of the Re-Grant Program, Union County’s Office of Cultural and Heritage Affairs will conduct a free history grant writing workshop on Wednesday, April 18 from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. at the Trailside Nature and Science Center in Mountainside. Grant application forms will be available at the workshop.

“Whether you are an experienced grant writer or a novice, I encourage you to come and learn how to position your project for success,” said Freeholder Chairman Sergio Granados. “The Re-grant Program is a good opportunity to gain funding that assists with operating expenses and other costs.”

The two types of grants available through the Re-Grant Program are:

• General Operating Support grants. These grants provide assistance for the basic costs of operation, including but not limited to programming, preservation of collections, salaries and marketing. These grants are for Union County based historical societies, house museums or historic sites only. The maximum grant request is $5000.00.
• Special Project grants. These grants support history organizations, museums, schools, libraries and similar organizations with collections or programming relating to Union County and New Jersey state history. The maximum grant request is $3500.00.

The April 18 grant writing workshop is free but pre-registration is requested. To confirm attendance or to receive more information, call the Union County Office of Cultural and Heritage Affairs at 908-436-2912 or email John Prescott, jprescott@ucnj.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.

Connect with Union County on social media.