Sussex County residents are
invited to attend one of two meetings of the newly-formed 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 children up to the age of eight. The meetings of the Project Sussex Kids
General Council will be held at Project Self-Sufficiency on Wednesday, July 1st,
at 9:00 a.m. and again at 6:00 p.m., in order to maximize opportunities for
participation by the general public.
Project Self-Sufficiency is located at 127 Mill Street in Newton.
County Councils for Young Children
are being 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.
“Project Self-Sufficiency is
honored to be the lead coordinating agency for this community partnership in
Sussex County,” remarked Haley McCracken, Coordinator of the Sussex County
Council for Young Children program at Project Sussex County. “We are looking forward to creating an
environment where Sussex County parents and families can come together with
providers to identify and discuss issues which impact the health, education and
well-being of all of our children.”
Several projects are in the works
already, including the creation of a comprehensive resource guide and an
interactive website. Plans to work
alongside childcare centers and preschools are being developed.
In addition to joining the General
Council, the agency is currently seeking volunteers to join workgroups to
identify community needs. Groups will
meet locally to seek input about health and wellness, safety, community events
and other topics. The groups will be
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 will be
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 20,000 families, including over 30,000 children.
To volunteer to participate in
one of the Project Sussex Kids workgroups or to find out more information about
the programs and services offered by Project Self-Sufficiency, visit www.projectselfsufficiency.org
or call 973-940-3500.
