Mercy House Director Cheryl A. Riley (right) joined staff and volunteers in handing out over 300 backpacks to families in need during The Mercy House’s annual Back-to-School Giveaway at its Newark location on August 13, 2024. (Photo by Archdiocese of Newark/Sean Quinn)
Ahead of the rapidly approaching school year, the Archdiocese of Newark’s Mercy House distributed over 500 new backpacks filled with school supplies during its annual Back-to-School Giveaway at locations in Newark, Jersey City, and Elizabeth this month.
More than 300 backpacks were handed out in Newark on August 13, while approximately 100 were given away in both Jersey City on August 15 and Elizabeth on August 16. The backpacks came in a variety of colors, so each child went home with a design they liked. They were also stuffed with classroom essentials, from pencils to crayons to glue sticks.
“The Mercy House lives out the Catholic Church’s mission to help everyone in need. In this case, we knew families desperately needed items they couldn’t afford for the new school year, so we made sure they got everything and then some,” said Cheryl A. Riley, director of The Mercy House, who credited archdiocesan parishes and a few outside organizations with donating the school supplies. “Nothing beats putting smiles on children’s faces, and that’s what we did at this giveaway.”
While picking up classroom essentials, families at the giveaway also received free cups of Italian ice, and several families won prizes raffled at each site. The donated prizes and gifts included dolls, trucks, and water toys.
Founded in 2018, The Mercy House provides nonperishable food, clothing, baby supplies, furniture, and help finding work and housing for anyone in need. Its three locations in Newark, Jersey City, and Elizabeth each serve roughly 300 people weekly. If you would like to volunteer or donate, contact Cheryl A. Riley at cheryl.riley@rcan.org. For more information, visit www.rcan.org/mercy-house/.
AbouttheArchdiocese of Newark?
The Archdiocese of Newark serves 1.3 million Catholics throughout Bergen, Essex, Hudson, and Union counties. The Archdiocese has 212 parishes, 67 Catholic schools, and many missions and ministries. Hundreds of Masses are celebrated in more than a dozen languages each week. Cardinal Joseph W. Tobin, C.Ss.R., the sixth archbishop of Newark, leads the Archdiocese with four auxiliary bishops. Together, they serve the northern New Jersey community through faith, education, and social services. For more information, visit www.rcan.org.
Pictured here, Danielle Lopez, who has been named Hudson County Community College’s first Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) for Accessibility Services.
– Hudson County Community College (HCCC) has appointed Danielle Lopez as the College’s first Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) for Accessibility Services.
“The entire HCCC family is delighted to welcome Danielle Lopez to the College,” said HCCC President Dr. Christopher Reber. “She will lead and support our accessibility and accommodation programs for students and employees. In addition to serving as our Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)/Section 504 Coordinator, Danielle will be our primary compliance and content expert for all accessibility matters. She will play a key role in advancing our culture of care and our overarching priorities of student success and diversity, equity and inclusion.”
Ms. Lopez will manage and supervise the HCCC Office of Accessibility Services (OAS). A key component of her work is to reduce systemic barriers and promote disability awareness and a culture of accessibility. In her new position, Ms. Lopez will collaborate with multiple campus constituents, including faculty; the Offices of Academic Affairs; Student Affairs and Enrollment; and Diversity, Equity and Inclusion; Human Resources; Counseling and Wellness; Registrar; Public Safety and Security; Facilities; Communications; Information Technology; Legal Counsel; and others.
A dedicated and enthusiastic higher education professional, Ms. Lopez is highly experienced in accessibility and disability services, advisement, and administration. For the past ten years, she served as Assistant Director and Academic Counselor at City University of New York (CUNY) Center for Student Accessibility. There, she developed and implemented best practices to help students with disabilities and diverse needs achieve academic success. In addition, Ms. Lopez served as an Adjunct Lecturer at CUNY, teaching psychology courses. As a Project REACH mentor, she assisted individuals with autism, coordinated curricula and service plans, and facilitated meetings related to academic, social, and professional development. Ms. Lopez also mentored students with disabilities to support their campus initiatives at the College of Staten Island.
Ms. Lopez received her Master of Science degree in Disability Services in Higher Education from the School of Professional Studies at CUNY, and her Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology from the College of Staten Island, CUNY. Her professional affiliations include the Association on Higher Education and Disability (AHEAD), New York State Disability Services Council (NYSDSC), and CUNY Coalition for Students with Disabilities (CCSD). She holds certification in Mental Health First Aid from the National Council for Behavioral Health.
“I am very happy to be a part of Hudson County Community College, where diversity, equity, and inclusion is valued and lived,” Ms. Lopez stated. “I look forward to working with our students and my new colleagues to further advance opportunities and accessibility for everyone at HCCC.”
Jersey City Earns 100/100 in Nationwide Evaluation of LGBTQ+ Policies and Services by the Human Rights Campaign
JERSEY CITY, NJ – For the 11th consecutive year, Mayor Steven M. Fulop is proud to announce Jersey City has, once again, earned a perfect score from the nationwide 2023 Human Rights Campaign’s Municipal Equality Index(MEI), citing the administrative efforts to create an inclusive and welcoming community where every LGBTQ+ residents, employee, and visitor can thrive.
 Bakari G. Lee, Esq., Vice Chair of Hudson County Community College’s Board of Trustees, is the recipient of the Association of Community College Trustees Northeast Regional Trustee Leadership Award.
Vice Chair Lee is the sole nominee from the Northeastern United States for ACCT’s prestigious M. Dale Ensign National Trustee Leadership Award.
August 23, 2023, Jersey City, NJ – For more than 120 years, America’s community colleges have played a vital role in transforming lives by creating pathways to economic opportunity and financial security. Today, community colleges face myriad challenges such as funding issues, keeping apace of rapidly changing technologies, and, most importantly, developing the means to assist students in continuing and completing their studies. Community college trustees work with college administrators and staff, local and national government entities, and area industries to meet these challenges, and to ensure opportunities abound for those who wish to successfully pursue a community college education.
Pictured from left, Dr. Christopher Conzen, Executive Director, Secaucus Center and Early College Programs; Elana Winslow, Associate Professor, Business; Raffi Manjikian, Instructor, Chemistry; and Anna Krupitskiy, Vice President for Human Resources. Â
The College is one of only 20 U.S. community colleges to earn this recognition.   Â
For the second year in a row, Hudson County Community College  (HCCC) has received the national “2023 Most Promising Places to Work in Community Colleges†Â
OPENING CELEBRATION FOR CONTEMPORARY PEACEMAKERS EXHIBIT: EVENT DESIGN BY TERESA-FEEL THE LOVE WITH KARMA- GOYA & HCCC SCULPTURE FOR CHANGE
HCCC celebrates Dr. King’s activism through historical documents, the arts, and community projects in the Benjamin J. Dineen III and Dennis C. Hull Gallery. The exhibit timeline begins with King’s legendary visit to Jersey City and archives other social changes throughout the decades, ending with the Black Lives Matter Movement. In the spirit of MLK’s National Day of Service, we partnered with Goya Foods and are accepting can donations to support the HCCC food pantry and Hudson Helps.
Join us for an opening reception on Wednesday, February 15th from 3:00-7:00 pm. Enjoy light refreshments and a live performance by singer-songwriter, Kärma. Be the change with our Waves of Change backdrop and take a selfie with friends!
Hudson County Community College honored graduating students from the Classes of 2020-22 who began their journeys in Hudson’s ESL Program during the “ESL to Graduation: A Celebration†event.
Hudson County Community College (HCCC) is one of the most ethnically diverse higher education institutions in the United States, with students who were born in 119 different countries and speak 29 different languages. Many are recent arrivals to the United States coping with unfamiliar surroundings, cultural differences, and a new language. The College’s commitment to students’ success often begins by helping them overcome language challenges through the Academic English as a Second Language (AESL) program.Â
On Tuesday evening, May 24, 2022, the College honored graduates from the Classes of 2020-22 who began their academic journeys in the HCCC ESL Program. The “ESL to Graduation: A Celebration†event was held at the HCCC Culinary Conference Center, 161 Newkirk Street in Jersey City. The celebration featured welcoming remarks by Jed Palmer, Interim Director of ESL and Academic Foundations English (AFE); and “Tales of Immigration: Past and Present†presented by Linda Joy Miller, Associate Professor, ESL.Â
HCCC 2005 graduate Bahmini Ketheesan, Manager, SERV Finances and Accounts Group, Stevens Institute of Technology, spoke about “Student Success Stories: Pastâ€.Â
Simone Ebeid, a member of the Class of 2021 who earned her Associate in Science, Medical Sciences degree, and Elie Natuwila, Class of 2022 who will receive his Associate in Science, Criminal Justice degree at commencement ceremonies on May 26th, spoke on “Student Success Stories: Present.â€
HCCC President Dr. Christopher Reber, and Vice President for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, Yeurys Pujols offered congratulatory remarks to the graduates who are receiving degrees in Business, Computer Science, Criminal Justice, Culinary Arts, Digital Arts, Early Childhood Education, Engineering, English, Health Services, Hospitality Management, Human Services, Mathematics, Medical Assisting, Medical Coding, Nursing, Psychology, Radiography, Studio Arts, and several other disciplines.
“The Classes of 2020-22 include 497 students who came to the United States from all around the world and began their higher education journey in the HCCC ESL program,†Dr. Reber said. “Attendees hail from Algeria, Brazil, Colombia, The Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Ghana, Haiti, Honduras, India, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Mexico, Morocco, Pakistan, Peru, and Senegal. We are enormously proud of them for the courage, determination, and persistence they demonstrated in navigating the challenges of learning to read, write, and speak a new language, and then continuing on to earn their associate degrees.â€
The HCCC Academic ESL program provides students with the high-level English language skills needed to study at a United States college or university, and to succeed and advance in careers. Classes focus on academic essay writing, grammar, reading, and speaking and listening skills. Overall, HCCC ESL students are from 45 different countries. Students enrolled in the Academic ESL program are eligible to apply for the Johanna Van Gandt (JVG) Scholarship for ESL Students that provides tuition support.
For more information on the Academic ESL program, please email esl@hccc.eduor call 201-360-4384.
About Hudson County Community College Hudson County Community College serves more than 18,000 credit and non-credit students annually. The College offers nearly 80 degree and certificate programs, including award-winning English as a Second Language, STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics), Culinary Arts/Hospitality Management, Nursing and Health Sciences, and Fine and Performing Arts. The HCCC Culinary/Hospitality Management program was ranked number six in the U.S. by Best Choice Schools. Over 94% of HCCC Nursing program graduates passed the NCLEX the first time out, placing the program’s graduates in the top tier of two- and four-year nursing programs nationwide. In 2017, the Equality of Opportunity Project ranked HCCC in the top 5% of 2,200 U.S. higher education institutions for social and economic mobility.
HCCC has partnerships with every major four-year college and university in the greater New Jersey-New York area and beyond, accommodating seamless transfer of credits for further undergraduate and graduate education.
The College’s commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion has been recognized with the 2021 Association of Community College Trustees (ACCT) Northeast Region Equity Award; and the INSIGHT Into Diversity2021 Higher Education Excellence in Diversity (HEED) Award honoring HCCC as one of nine community colleges nationally to be named “Top Colleges for Diversity.†The National Institute for Staff and Organizational Development (NISOD), in collaboration with Diverse: Issues in Higher Education, named HCCC as a “2022 Most Promising Place to Work in Community Colleges.†HCCC was a finalist this year for the American Association of Community Colleges’ (AACC) “Advancing Diversity Award of Excellence.†Hudson County Community College Receives INSIGHT Into Diversity 2021 Higher Education Excellence in Diversity (HEED) Award
HCCC one of just eight community colleges in the country to be awarded this national honor.
Mayor Fulop and Jersey City Together Target Underlying Contributors of Long-term Community Violence Exacerbated by the Pandemic
Mayor Steven M. Fulop joins Jersey City’s Division of Community Development (DCD) to announcethe launch of a new grant-funded Violence Prevention Program designed to acknowledge, target, and respond to the uptick in violence resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic. The RFP was designed in conjunction with Jersey City Together.
Jersey City has dedicated $500,000 in the first tranche towards the Violence Prevent Program Request for Proposal (RFP). Eligible organizations can apply for funding to launch this program focusing on helping the City’s youth, adults, and seniors within low- and moderate-income areas as defined by HUD. The RFP is open through February 18, 2022.
“We are committed to driving down crime and violence in our area, and this community-based Violence Prevention Program will leverage our local resources to address the underlying conditions that result in long-term violence,†said Mayor Fulop. “With this program, we want to ensure safer, healthier, and equitable communities by providing at-risk residents with the tools to heal from traumatic experiences, while also providing the support and skills to achieve their short- and long-term life goals.â€
The comprehensive Violence Prevention Program will address structural inequities and invest necessary resources. The new initiative will complement programs implemented in the last year, such as Mental Health First Aid efforts, as part of a comprehensive approach to address domestic violence issues, homeless outreach, violence prevention, and mental health support – all of which have seen stark increases since the onset of COVID-19.
“Jersey City Together fully supports allocating and investing in proven violence prevention strategies for our City. Community-based violence reduction models like these use outreach, connecting individuals to social services and other supports to respond to the problems we face, as a proactive approach to prevent violence from occurring,” said Bill Lillis, a member of Jersey City Together’s strategy team.
The program is shaped by community-based prevention frameworks utilizing intervention methods that are proven effective, including:
· Community mobilization efforts
· Youth outreach
· Public education
· Leadership involvement
· Mentorships
· Trained credible messengers
· Social services navigation/support
· Life management action plans
“The program will serve at-risk individuals who experience violence within their community while centering the needs of constituents. This directly aligns with our mission ‘to strengthen Jersey City through fostering strong partnerships and responsibly investing our funding resources in the community,’†said Community Development Division Director Deja Anderson.
The deadline for submitting proposals is Friday, February 18, 2022, at 11:59 pm. Applicants should be proficient in languages found within Jersey City. The Request for Proposal application can be accessed through the Jersey City website here.
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