Dear Friends of IHN,
During this time of year, we are especially thankful for all of the donors, volunteers, congregations and the generosity of the community that has helped us make a positive impact for the homeless families of Essex County, New Jersey. As we celebrate the holiday season and upcoming New Year, in the warmth of our home, please remember those who are struggling to do the same. We thank you for all your support and wish you and your family a happy holiday season and healthy New Year!
With gratitude,
|
|
Jackie Baillargeon
Interim Executive Director
|
|
Let's Congratulate Tayshawn on His Award!
Thanks to supporters of our free After School and Youth Program, Tayshawn Ware was able to attend our tutoring sessions that operate 5 days a week / 42 weeks a year. With the support that we offer, along with his hard work, Tayshawn has made great strides with his homework and in class. As a result, he was presented a Leadership Award at his school. CONGRATULATIONS TAYSHAWN, and thank you to all the donors, volunteers and friends of IHN that make our free After Care and Youth Programs possible!
(Image: a handwritten letter from Tayshawn Ware)
|
|
|
|
New Glasses for Celebrity
When single dad, Tracey, along with his two daughters, Celebrity and Serenity, came to IHN in need of emergency shelter, it was also apparent that Celebrity was in immediate need of new eye glasses. Vision health is essential and this needed to be remedied. Karen Eisenberg, a coordinator host from Congregation Agudath Israel, reached out to Dr. Gurian, owner of the Gurian Hearing and Vision in West Caldwell. The amazing Dr. Gurian then donated his time and presented Celebrity with a brand new pair of eye glasses. THANK YOU KAREN AND DR. GURIAN!
(Image: Dr. Gurian, owner of the Gurian Hearing & Vision)
|
|
Make a Donation by Dec. 31
& Double Your Impact!
|
|
Again this year,
Partners for Health Foundation
has agreed to
match donations
made by December 31, dollar-for-dollar. This is a tremendous opportunity for you to double your impact.
Here’s how your donation
can have double the impact:
Donate $90 and it becomes $180
Donate $125 and it becomes $250
Donate $150 and it becomes $300
|
|
|
Please Support Our Holiday Gift Card Drive
|
|
|
|
We welcome all gift cards, but the following are most needed to provide our families with essentials this winter: Target, Shop-rite, Walmart, Bed, Bath & Beyond, Walgreens, CVS or Visa.
Your gift will provide our clients needed necessities for the holidays. Thank you for your support!
Please drop off or mail to:
IHN
46 Park Street
Montclair, NJ 07042.
|
|
IHN Gatsby, Gaming and Giving Gala Recap
|
|
Thank you to everyone that made the IHN Gatsby, Gaming and Giving Gala a great success!
With over 170 people in attendance and thanks to generous donations, we raised over $170,000. These funds will help IHN continue to meet the needs of families who come to us for shelter and assistance.
During the event, our IHN guest family,Jaleasa and Elijah, presented their heart-felt story of struggle and success. Keynote speaker, Jennifer Velez, Executive VP of Community & Behavioral Health at RWJBarnabas Health, stressed the importance of the life-changing services that IHN provides. With the Gala proceeds, IHN will continue to be able to provide those life-changing services.
|
|
|
Thank You to All of Our Donors and Volunteers!
|
|
28 Days Project
Tackles "Period Poverty" in NJ
|
When a family struggles to obtain the basic necessities of food, clothing, and shelter – the mother and those in the family who menstruate, face an additional struggle every 28 days. Unfortunately, women with financial struggles often also face "period poverty" – the lack of access to feminine hygiene products due to financial constraints.
28 Days Project
tackles this head-on by providing free menstrual care products to women in need for a more confident, less stressful period.
28 Days Project
is a NJ-based 501(c)(3) non-profit organization serving the menstruation needs of 500 women per month. Formed in 2016 by Jamy Barton and her sister Amy Dietrich, the organization works with local non-profit partners to determine the needs of women they serve and provide deliveries of pads and tampons. “The need for menstrual hygiene is so often overlooked. The ability for a woman to manage her period in a safe, clean, consistent way is key to her emotional and physical well-being. It gives her the confidence to tackle challenges and the ability to lead her and her family to a brighter future. Our goal in running 28 Days is to meet that human need head-on with good products and consistent delivery.” shared Ms. Barton.
IHN has been a recipient of products from
28 Days Project
since September 2018. To learn more or to support the 28 Days mission, visit www.28daysproject.org.
|
|
Children's Pajama Donations
|
A special thank you to Allison and the staff at
Allison Ziefert Real Estate Group Keller Williams Mid-Town Direct
for donating so many cute and warm pajamas for the IHN children this winter season. Allison and her staff have been donating pajamas throughout the year and have played an essential role in keeping our IHN children warm and cozy in their beds.
Image: Allison Ziefert (left) and Emma Justice (right)
|
|
|
|
|
IHN Families Are Stylish This Winter...
|
...thanks to Joyce Michals, a long time donor to IHN. Every year she hand-knits beautiful hats and scarves to keep IHN families warm in style! Along with her many donations of coats and new winter accessories, Joyce has played a important role in keeping IHN families warm this winter!
Image: Danee Sarman (left) and Joyce Michals (right)
|
|
Welcome Our New IHN Staff
|
|
Our most recent addition to the IHN staff is Interim Executive Director, Jackie Baillargeon. Jackie is a skillful leader, manager and lawyer who has practiced in the civil and criminal non-profit arenas as well as in the philanthropic field for over thirty years.Most recently, Jackie was the Director of The Guardianship Project (TGP), a full service legal and social services demonstration project of the Vera Institute of Justice. TGP served as court appointed guardian for over 150 individuals who were found “incapacitated” under the law and no friends or family to care for them.
Jackie is a graduate of the University of Massachusetts at Amherst and Harvard Law School.
|
|
 |
Meet our Development Associate, Danee Sarman. Danee has over 8 years of experience in a non-profit development setting specializing in planning, and executing fundraising events, and building donor relations. She wants every day to be an opportunity to make a positive change in the world. Prior to joining IHN, Danee was the Foundation Coordinator at the Princeton Medical Center Foundation, and previous to that, was at the New Museum of Contemporary Art in New York. Danee hosts a Master of Arts Degree in Museum Studies from University of Oklahoma, and a Bachelor of Science in Business Management from Pace University.
|
|
|
|
Welcome our intern, Justin Ramlackhan. Justin is a 23 year old student, who attends Montclair State University and is in his first year of graduate school. He is pursuing his master’s degree in social work, after completing his associate degree in social science at Essex County College and his bachelor degree in Sociology at Montclair State. At IHN he is involved with pre-screenings, rental assistance, the shelter program, and the after school program.
|
|
|
|
Call for Host and Support Congregations
|
|
Will You Host Our Families?
|
Prospect Presbyterian Church has been hosting Families for 32 years! We are very appreciate of the work they do for our homeless families.
We have many weeks open in 2020 that our families will be in need of shelter. If your congregation is able to host our families for a week at a time, please get in touch with Angie Benedict, our Volunteer and Outreach Manager, to find out how you can help.
Contact Angie Benedict at angie@ihnessexnj.org
or call #973-746-1400
|
|
Get Social with Us! Follow us on Facebook and Instagram
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
