This article originally ran April 3, 2009 on nj.com
Newark residents who are having trouble paying their utility bills will soon be able to apply for assistance at the North Ward Center's Family Success Center.
Vanessa Bohler, the director of the Family Success Center, said staff are to undergo training at the end of the month to be able to process applications for New Jersey Statewide Heating Assistance and Referral for Energy Services, also known as NJ SHARES.
NJ SHARES provides grants to pay utility bills to people who are otherwise ineligible for other types of assistance through a network of 173 community-based social service agencies operating out of 225 sites.
"This is one more tool we will have at our disposal to help families in need," Bohler said. "In this difficult economy, we need as many tools as possible to provide quick assistance."
Bohler announced the new program during a monthly board meeting of the Family Success Center's Community Advisory Board on Wednesday, April 1, 2009. The program fits in with the core services provided by family success centers, Bohler said.
The North Ward Center's Family Success Center is one of 32 such sites across the state, though located mainly in New Jersey's urban areas. The North Ward Center's Family Success Center started operating in June 2007.
Diana Kelley, the regional coordinator for the Division of Prevention and Community Partnerships with the state Department of Children and Families, said family support centers are gathering places where any member of the community can go for support, information and services.
"The family success center-approach is collaborative," Kelley said during the advisory board meeting. "Local residents serve as mentors and decision makers and families use strengths and skills to solve problems."
Every family success center must provide 10 core services, including access to child, maternal and family health information, development of a family success plan, self sufficiency and employment related services, information and referral services, life skills training, housing-related services, parent education, advocacy and home visits.
Because the need of each community is different, the community advisory boards help shape the mission of each family success center.
"The most important thing is hearing from the parents of your community," Kelley told members of the advisory board. "Your presence here is crucial to the success of the center."
During the meeting, Marilyn Colon, the City Hall liaison to the North Ward, passed out a thick package of information about services available in Newark.
Markisha Deville, the metro regional training coordinator for the Partnership of Family Success, told advisory board members that the Family Success Center needs to serve as a neighborhood resource center.
"You should be able to address any issue that comes up in a family," Deville said. "The services you should offer should range from A to Z. You need to be knowledgeable about all the services available in the community."
The chair of the advisory board is Gloria Nieves, the vice chair is Erica McPhatter and Madeline Valle is the secretary. Other board members are: Jerry Lopez, Arelis Romero, Javier Osorio, Ivelisse Lee and Sylvia Milan.
