Workshops Promote Trauma Prevention, Support Survivors

 

To facilitate the conversation about issues surrounding childhood trauma, Project Self-Sufficiency will offer the “Connections Matter” workshop in English, Tuesday, November 17^th, 2:00 p.m., and in Spanish, Wednesday, November 18^th, 2:00 p.m.  Tips for protection, prevention, and promoting resilience within the community will be discussed. The workshops are free, hosted on Zoom, and open to the public; interested participants are invited to call 973-940-3500 to receive log-in details. 

 

Speakers will address the impact of adverse childhood experiences on social, emotional, and cognitive development, and offer tips and strategies for building resilience.  Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are widely recognized as falling into three distinct categories, abuse, neglect, and household dysfunction.  Examples of negative behavior said to result from ACEs include smoking, alcoholism, drug use, absenteeism, and lack of physical activity.  These behaviors can cause a cascade of physical and mental health problems, from diabetes to cancer to suicidal thoughts.  It is estimated that approximately 67% of the population has experienced at least one adverse childhood experience.

 

The Connections Matter curriculum invites providers, parents, and community members to build caring connections to improve resiliency.  Discussion during the workshops will focus on understanding adverse childhood experiences and demonstrating how caring connections can serve as a primary buffer in the negative effects of trauma.  The training is appropriate for parents and providers raising and teaching school aged children.  The workshops are funded by the New Jersey Department of Children and Families and led by Prevent Child Abuse New Jersey. 

 

Project Self-Sufficiency is bringing together professionals, providers, and parents who are committed to increasing awareness of the impact of childhood trauma on juvenile development, future violence victimization and perpetration, and lifelong health and opportunity.  “Our goal is to help make our community a place in which every child can thrive by providing education and training on adverse childhood experiences and assuring safe, stable, nurturing relationships and environments,” explains Project Self-Sufficiency Chief Executive Officer Deborah Berry-Toon. “Protection, prevention, and resilience promotion can profoundly improve health according to recent discoveries in neuroscience, epigenetics, and epidemiology. The tools identified in these workshops can positively impact public health, safety, and productivity, and reduce public and private costs now and for future generations.”

Pregnant Women and New Mothers Invited to Monthly Gatherings

 

Pregnant women and those with young children are invited to monthly educational gatherings hosted by Project Self-Sufficiency in Sussex and Warren Counties. Along with information sessions about a variety of topics related to early childhood development and maternal-child health, the Mommy Parties feature food and interactive activities for mothers and children. The events are free and open to the public; the Sussex County Mommy Party will be held at Project Self-Sufficiency on Wednesday, November 11^th, noon, while the Warren County event will take place on Tuesday, November 17^th, 11:00 a.m., at the Trinity United Methodist Church in Hackettstown.  The Warren County events are designed to coincide with the arrival of the agency’s mobile services vehicle, Journey, which visits the Warren County location twice monthly.

 

The Mommy Parties are an important component of Project Self-Sufficiency’s outreach to pregnant women and parents of young children; other services include home visitation programs, monthly Baby Beginnings Fairs, semi-annual Pregnancy & Infancy Summits, and Parent Cafes.

 

“These monthly gatherings invite women in Sussex and Warren Counties to forge relationships with others in similar circumstances while learning crucial parenting skills and connecting with resources for additional support,” commented Project Self-Sufficiency Chief Executive Office Deborah Berry-Toon.  “We are grateful to be able to offer an opportunity for these families to gain the information and resources they need to become successful parents.”

 

To register for the Mommy Parties, to discuss your parenting needs, or to find out more about other programs and services available at Project Self-Sufficiency, call 973-940-3500, or visit https://www.projectselfsufficiency.org/pregnancy-help-sussex-warren-nj.

Earth Angels Holiday Support Program for Seniors Underway

 

Project Self-Sufficiency is currently seeking monetary donations and gift cards to local stores to be distributed to senior citizens as part of the agency’s Earth Angels initiative.  During mid-December, students in the New Jersey Youth Corps high school diploma program at Project Self-Sufficiency will stuff festive bags with gift cards and holiday items; the bags will be delivered by volunteers and Project Self-Sufficiency staff to seniors during the week leading up to Christmas.  Along with monetary contributions, the agency is seeking the donation of gift cards from local retailers, including Kohl’s, Shop Rite, Stop & Shop, Wal-Mart, and Weis.  Note cards, postage stamps, pet food, coffee, tea, candy, and packaged cookies are also welcome.

 

Newton attorney Elenora L. Benz, Esquire, originated the Earth Angels program in 1999 by enlisting the support of her staff member Mary Jones, along with clients, business colleagues, and community volunteers.  The initiative was taken over by Project Self-Sufficiency in 2017.  Although many Earth Angels recipients reside in Newton’s Liberty Towers and Frankford’s Homestead, the program has expanded every year to include senior citizens in other parts of the county.

 

“The Earth Angels program invites all of us to demonstrate compassion for those in our community who may feel overlooked or forgotten during the busy rush of the holiday season,” comments Project Self-Sufficiency Chief Executive Officer Deborah Berry-Toon.  “Our vulnerable seniors need our support, and we are extremely gratified by the outpouring of concern shown by those who donate to this valuable service year after year.”

 

“This year we expect to bring holiday cheer to more than 100 senior citizens in our area,” remarked Earth Angels Project Coordinator Alice Prendergast. “This program also gives us the opportunity to meet with our older neighbors, find out what they need, and introduce them to the services we offer throughout the year.”

 

Monetary donations can be made online at www.projectselfsufficiency.org or by making out a check to “Project Self-Sufficiency” and indicating “Earth Angels” on the memo line.  Donations of checks and gift cards can be dropped off Monday – Friday at Project Self-Sufficiency, 127 Mill Street, Newton, through November 20th.  To register to receive gifts from the Earth Angels program, or to find out more information, call Alice Prendergast at Project Self-Sufficiency, 973-940-3500.