Free Parent Expo in May

Parents are invited to a free Parent Expo hosted by Project Sussex Kids, the Sussex County Council for Young Children, and the Sussex County Family Success Center at Project Self-Sufficiency on Thursday, May 5^th, from 5:00 – 8:00 p.m. at Project Self-Sufficiency.  The event will feature updates about nutrition, summer activities for children, health and wellness, parenting tips, and other information for families.  Keynote speakers will address parenting skills, nutrition, child sexual assault prevention, and resources for families with special needs children.  Participants will be treated to dinner and goodie bags filled with parenting resources.  Free childcare is available upon request.  The Parent Expo is free and open to families from Sussex and northern Warren Counties, but space is limited and registration is required. 

Therapist, educator and author Diane Lang will offer a keynote presentation about Positive Parenting, including the role that environment and role models play in the development of happy, optimistic children.  Family Success Center staff members will offer a presentation about the Enough Abuse program, a community-wide education effort which aims to mobilize adults and communities to prevent child sexual assault by increasing awareness of the warning signs displayed by predators and as well as victims.  The New Jersey Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program will conduct an information session about current nutritional guidelines for children and adults, including how to select, purchase and prepare appropriate food, and how to manage a food budget using SNAP benefits.  A discussion of local resources for special needs children will be offered by the Hardyston Special Education Parent Advisory Group.

In addition to Project Self-Sufficiency, organizations who will host information tables at the event include American Red Cross; Birth Haven; Caring Partners of Morris and Sussex; Center for Prevention and Counseling; CLEAResult; Diane Lang Counseling; Division of Child Protection and Permanency; Family Intervention Service; Family Partners of Morris and Sussex; Family Promise; Girls Scouts of Northern New Jersey; Hardyston Special Education Advisory Group; Kinship CarePlus; Legal Services of Northwest New Jersey; NAMI Sussex; NJ Shares; NJ SNAP-Ed Rutgers Cooperative Extension of Sussex County; Parent Interactions with Schools/Teachers; Planned Parenthood; Project Self-Sufficiency; Project Sussex Kids; Project Self-Sufficiency Garden Club; Sussex County Library; United Way of Northern New Jersey; NJ Success by 6; Sussex County Special Child Health Services; Sussex Warren Chronic Disease Coalition; Sussex County Office of Public Health Nursing/NJ CEED; and others.

“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,” explains Deborah Berry-Toon, Executive Director of Project Self-Sufficiency.  “We are grateful for the participation by the health organizations and social service agencies in our community, and we are looking forward to a wonderful and informative evening.”

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 is the Sussex County Council for Young Children, a program funded by the New Jersey Department of Children & Families to address the needs of local families who are expecting or who are currently parenting children. 

Participation in the Parent Expo is free and open to the public, but space is limited and registration is required for attendance.  To register for the Parent Expo, or for more information about the programs and services available at Project Self-Sufficiency, call 973-940-3500 or 844-807-3500.

Free Workshop about School Accommodation Plans

Project Self-Sufficiency will host a free workshop, “Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act,” on Tuesday, May 3^rd, at 6:00 p.m.  Participants will discuss the benefits of 504 accommodation plans for students who are struggling in school, and learn about the right to services and accommodations for students with disabilities and special health or emotional needs.  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.  “Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act” is free and open to the public, but registration is required.  Register on line at www.spanadvocacy.org.