Public Invited to Discuss Media's Impact on Children at Project Sussex Kids General Council Meeting

Sussex County residents are invited to attend one of two meetings of the innovative Project Sussex Kids, the County Council for Young Children designed by the New Jersey Department of Children & Families to address the needs of local families who are expecting or who are parenting young children.  The meetings of the Project Sussex Kids General Council will be held at Project Self-Sufficiency on Tuesday, May 17th, at 9:00 a.m. and again at 6:00 p.m., in order to maximize opportunities for participation by the general public.  Keynote speaker Gwen Federico-Malone, MSW, Associate Director of Domestic Abuse & Sexual Assault Intervention Services (DASI), will offer an informative presentation, “The Role Media Plays in How Children Perceive the World and Themselves,” to all participants.  Refreshments will be provided; childcare is available upon request.  Project Self-Sufficiency is located at 127 Mill Street in Newton.

Participating parents will learn about the potentially harmful messages children receive from the media on a regular basis, and discuss ways for parents to mitigate the impact of the media onslaught.  “Children have always learned how to behave in the world from the stories of their time, and the mass media are today's story-tellers,” explains Federico-Malone.  “If the stories our children see routinely involve violence as a solution to problems, or simply as a random omnipresence, what kind of personal value system and cultural worldview are we passing on to our children?”

County Councils for Young Children have been established in all of the state’s 21 counties to bring together parents, caregivers, as well as health, education and social service professionals to enhance communication, coordination and collaboration of services.  The meetings of the General Council are designed to gather information from area residents about their concerns.  Several projects are in the works already, including the creation of a comprehensive resource guide.  Plans to work alongside childcare centers and preschools are being developed.

In addition to joining the General Council, the agency continues to seek volunteers to join workgroups to identify community needs.  Groups meet locally to seek input about health and wellness, safety, community events and other topics.  The groups are divided according to the age or needs of the children in the family, including prenatal, special needs, families of infants, toddlers and preschool-aged children, families of school-aged children, and Spanish-speaking families.  To facilitate participation, meetings are held regionally in Newton, Sussex, Vernon, Hopatcong, Ogdensburg and Montague. 

Project Self-Sufficiency is a private non-profit community-based organization dedicated to improving the lives of low-income families residing in northwestern New Jersey. The agency’s mission is to provide a broad spectrum of holistic, respectful, and comprehensive services enabling low-income single parents, teen parents, two-parent families, and displaced homemakers to improve their lives and the lives of their children through the achievement of personal and economic self-sufficiency and family stability. Since 1986 Project Self-Sufficiency has served more than 20,500 families, including over 30,000 children. 

The Project Sussex Kids General Council Meeting is free and open to the public, but registration is required.  To attend the General Council Meeting or to volunteer to participate in one of the Project Sussex Kids workgroups, call Project Self-Sufficiency at 973-940-3500.  Additional information is available at www.projectsussexkids.org.

Parent Expo Addresses Topics of Interest, Provides Resources for Local Families

Sussex and Warren County parents recently enjoyed a Parent Expo, sponsored by the Sussex County Family Success Center at Project Self-Sufficiency and Project Sussex Kids, the County Council for Young Children.  The event featured interactive sessions about nutrition, child assault prevention, summer activities for kids, and resources for families with special needs children.  Keynote speaker Diane Lang addressed Positive Parenting while patrons enjoyed dinner.  Participants were also treated to raffles and goodie bags filled with parenting resources. 

Montclair State University Adjunct Professor Diane Lang instructed parents about effectively communicating with their children by using the Positive Parenting method to avoid power struggles during the keynote presentation that highlighted the evening’s activities.  In addition to the keynote presentation, break-out sessions were available to patrons about a variety of topics.  Sussex County Family Success Center and Project Sussex Kids staff members offered an overview of ten conversation topics for parents and children to help prevent child sexual abuse.  Vivian Berrio of NJ SNAP-Ed Rutgers Cooperative Extension discussed the prevalence of sugar in foods and offered nutritional alternatives for children and parents.  Ria Smith and Charlene O’Brien of the Hardyston Township Special Education Parent Advisory Group provided advice about resources for children with special needs, and gave tips to parents about starting advisory groups in their own school districts.  Free programs for adults and children within the Sussex County library system were explained by Jenise Sileo and Beverly Rowan.

In addition to Project Self-Sufficiency, organizations which hosted information tables at the event included American Red Cross; Birth Haven; Care Plus New Jersey; Caring Partners; Center for Prevention and Counseling; Domestic Abuse and Sexual Assault Crisis Center; DAWN Center for Independent Living; DL Counseling; Family Intervention Services; Family Partners of Morris and Sussex; Family Promise; Ginnie’s House; Girl Scouts of Northern New Jersey; Hardyston Special Education Parent Advisory Group; Legal Services of Northwest New Jersey; NAMI; New Jersey Comfort Partners; NJ Shares; NJ SNAP-Ed; Parent Interactions with Schools; Partnership for Maternal and Child Health; Planned Parenthood; Project Self-Sufficiency Master Gardeners; Statewide Parent Advocacy Network; Sussex County Community College; Sussex County  Division of Social Services; Sussex County Library; Sussex County Office of Public Health Nursing/NJ CEED; Sussex County Special Child Health Services; Sussex County YMCA; Sussex/Warren Chronic Disease Coalition; United Way of Northern New Jersey Success by 6; and Zufall Health Center.

“The Parent Expo gives parents the opportunity to interact with experts in a variety of fields, and to ask questions and get information about issues faced by their families,” commented Deborah Berry-Toon, Executive Director of Project Self-Sufficiency.  “We are grateful to the community groups, parent volunteers, educators, health organizations, and social service agencies in our community who came together to offer this event for local families.”

The Sussex County Family Success Center at Project Self-Sufficiency is part of a network of Family Success Centers across the state whose purpose is to strengthen families and neighborhoods; develop networks of family services that foster healthy families; and to build connections within families, between families and to the community.   The Family Success Center provides a wide range of services to participating families, including assistance with healthcare, substance abuse prevention services, career planning, job training, parenting workshops, and life skills training. 

Project Sussex Kids, the Sussex County Council for Young Children, is an effort funded by the New Jersey Department of Children and Families, which is designed to address the needs of families who are expecting or who are already parenting children up to the age of eight.  County Councils for Young Children are being established in all of the state’s 21 counties to bring together parents, caregivers, and professionals to enhance communication, coordination and collaboration of services.

For information about the programs and services offered at Project Self-Sufficiency through the Sussex County Family Success Center or through Project Sussex Kids, call 973-940-3500 or 844-807-3500, or visit www.projectselfsufficiency.org.

Free Seminar about Access to Health Care

Project Self-Sufficiency will host a free workshop, “Health Advocacy: Accessing Health Coverage and Services for Your Family,” on Tuesday, May 10th, at 6:30 p.m.  Participants will learn about health insurance eligibility, the benefits of the Affordable Care Act, and receive suggestions for accessing health care.  A health advocacy manual developed for individuals with special needs will be reviewed.  The workshop is presented by Project Sussex Kids, the Sussex County Council for Young Children, in conjunction with the Statewide Parent Advocacy Network.  Refreshments and childcare will be provided. 

Project Self-Sufficiency is a community-based non-profit organization which specializes in services for low-income families in northwestern New Jersey.  Programs offered at Project Self-Sufficiency include family literacy education, computer training and job placement services, assistance with parenting skills, childcare, counseling and advocacy, referrals, and help with emergency basic needs.  Information about the programs and services offered at Project Self-Sufficiency is available at www.projectselfsufficiency.org or by calling 973-940-3500 or 844-807-3500. 

Project Self-Sufficiency is located at 127 Mill Street in Newton.  “Health Advocacy: Accessing Health Coverage and Services for Your Family,” is free and open to the public, but registration is required.  Register on line at www.spanadvocacy.org.