Our programs celebrated SEL Day (Social Emotional Learning) Day this past week. Children at the afterschool program in Hillsborough did an activity together as a team focused around problem solving.

The Willow Grove Family Friendly Center's Family Fun Night Hackettstown hosted a family fun night last week.

LifeSet recently hosted a group activity at the ice skating rink at Union Sports Area. Seven Young Adults were in attendance and all reported this was their first time ice skating. All four LifeSet Specialists, as well as LIfeSet Team Supervisor Michelle Raskin, were in attendance as well and learned to skate alongside the Young Adults. Young Adults that chose not to ice skate participated in a competitive game of Uno as they cheered on their peers.

The YES Early Learning Center @ St. Ladislaus Celebrated National Children’s Dental Health Month by hosting the “Dental Hygiene Day” event in collaboration with members of Team Salud from RWJ Barnabas Health.

Youth in our YPC program worked together to create anti-bullying posters as part of their unit on building empathy this week. The posters are now proudly displayed in our group room and serve as a reminder to always show each other kindness and empathy.

On Tuesdays, Unity Square welcomes residents by appointment only to shop their new choice food model. Clients register for a time slot and when they arrive at Unity Square for their appointment, a Unity Square volunteer or team member helps them select the food, hygiene, and household items they need.

The YES Early Learning Center @ St. Ladislaus Celebrated Martin Luther King Jr. Day by hosting the “I Have A Dream” Read Aloud Day event in collaboration with volunteers from RWJ Barnabas Health whom took time out of their busy schedules to come and read to our students.

Warren County, New Jersey is home to many beautiful mountains, lakes, historical buildings, and bridges. Over 100,000 people live in Warren County and according to the 2020 census, Phillipsburg had 15,249 residents. Philipsburg is the most populated municipality in Warren County and unfortunately continues to combat the issue of homelessness. Warren County’s Department of Human Services offers resources to help those in need who are unsheltered or at risk of losing stable housing.

Catholic Charities, Diocese of Metuchen received a generous gift from the Middlesex County Probation Division. A $700 donation was given to the Ozanam Family Shelter which is located in Edison, New Jersey and can provide shelter for 16 single women and 26 families. Besides shelter, Ozanam can provide meals, assistance with permanent housing, employment and children's educational placement, and case management services.

The mission of Community House at St. Thomas, Corp. is to provide affordable, stable housing for adults of very low income who are living with significant physical disabilities and to provide social services that compliment, support and foster the resident’s independence and quality of life.

The Adopt a Family program was created over 25 years ago based on the need of low-income families involved in Catholic Charities services to have holiday gifts to provide to their children on Christmas morning.

The Philipsburg Food Pantry is open from 10 AM to 3:30 PM, Monday through Friday. Volunteers unpack donated and purchased food, sort and stack food on our pantry shelves, prepare grocery bags for our clients, and break down empty boxes and carry them to trash bins. Volunteers can also provide basic case management services and should have an awareness of local resources or be willing to learn. Please send resume to MHunter@ccdom.org and indicate Volunteer Work (Food Pantry / Thrift Store) in the subject line.

According to the Community Food Bank of New Jersey, more than 650,000 people face hunger in our state, and that number includes over 175,000 children—stats that most New Jersey residents would likely find surprising. Unfortunately, New Jersey has a very big food insecurity issue. The sad part is that most of those suffering, don’t know where to turn to get help.

Life can be very hectic for working parents of school-age children, and for many the most challenging time comes when the school bell signals the close of the day. The time when mothers did not work and were home to greet their youngsters after school are long gone. Today in most families dads and moms work most times beyond the school day or they have other obligations.

When you drive through New Brunswick, you may not notice a building on Remsen Avenue that used to be a firehouse. That building is the Unity Square Community Center, and they are feeding the community with their food distributions three times a week.

Created by Youth Villages in 1999, LifeSet is a pilot program at Catholic Charities that strives to serve young people in the least-restrictive environment and create a smooth transition for young people who age out of foster care settings. Youth Villages has received national recognition for being an innovative organization using effective treatment models to achieve positive outcomes for children and families. In December of 2021 there were 3213 children in foster care in NJ and since LifeSet launched with Catholic Charities in the Fall of 2020, they have served 103 youth, with 26 active Youth at this time.