|
|
Vol. LXV, No. 2
|
Happy New Year!
|
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
|
|
|
|
Vol. LXV, No. 2
|
Happy New Year!
|
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
|
Nancy Rubenstein
Literacy Coordinator, Princeton Young Achievers
Sharon J.B. Copeland, MSW, LSW
Executive Director, Enable, Inc.
Roszel Road, Princeton
Anastasia R. Mann
Chair, Princeton Human Services Commission
To the Editor:
For the third year in a row Princeton Young Achievers thanks the Princeton community for its generosity and support of our holiday Book Angels program. Once again Labyrinth Books and the former Chicklet Books each hosted a Book Angel tree, filled with PYA students’ book requests. This year, books were purchased and donated by members of the Princeton area community through the bookstores and the Princeton Public Library. A book donation from BlackRock Financial put the total number of books over one hundred. Members of the Trenton Princeton Zeta-Amicae Sorority joined some of our literacy volunteers to wrap all the books, and each child in the program received a new book for the holidays.
The Book Angels program was started three years ago by Randi Katzman, who deserves special thanks. In addition, I thank the Freda family, Princeton Township Affordable Housing, the AmeriCorps/Bonner Foundation, Pamela Elmi, PYA executive director, and Ann Vershbow, PYA education director.
The Book Angels program is one of PYA’s numerous book-giving initiatives that support our Literacy For Life! program’s mission to foster a love of reading in students. Our volunteers read aloud one-on-one to students once a week for the academic year. I invite members of the community to visit our centers and get involved with our students as homework helpers or literacy volunteers.
Nancy Rubenstein
Literacy Coordinator, Princeton Young Achievers
To the Editor:
We thank all who have been involved with Enable this past year. We are grateful for our dedicated volunteers — over 400 strong — who help to enrich the lives of persons with disabilities that we serve. We thank those who financially make contributions to sustain us. Our sincere thanks to nearly 200 staff who remain committed to our mission. And, we are so appreciative of the hundreds of persons with disabilities and their families that entrust us to serve them.
We acknowledge and thank everyone who contributed to our December Holiday Gift Drive by purchasing gifts, donating food, wrapping gifts, making deliveries, or providing funds. With their help, we provided gifts and food to 206 individuals. Our Holiday Gift Drive co-chairs, Liz Boyle of West Windsor and Lois Miller of Princeton, Jct., orchestrated behind the scenes work to ensure all tasks were completed.
Ninety-five groups and individuals were involved, including employees of Bloomberg, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Hopewell Valley Community Bank, NRG Energy, Inc., PEAC Health & Fitness, Pepper Hamilton, Petco, and Turner Construction Company. Schools included The Hun School of Princeton, West Windsor Plainsboro High School South, The Waldorf School of Princeton, Thomas Edison State College. Other notable groups were the congregations of Beth El Synagogue, St. David’s Episcopal Church, St. David the King RCC, and the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Princeton; the Center for FaithJustice; and Mercer County Single Volunteers.
Without the generous support of the local community, we wouldn’t be able to provide these services each year.
Best wishes for a healthy and prosperous New Year.
Sharon J.B. Copeland, MSW, LSW
Executive Director, Enable, Inc.
Roszel Road, Princeton
To the Editor:
With gifts having been unwrapped, bags unpacked, and trees being tossed to the curb, the Princeton Human Services Department would like to thank the greater Princeton community for its overwhelming generosity last month during the 11th Annual Holiday Wish List Drive.
Kids throughout Princeton have felt the impact of the economic recession, with many of those in low-income families hit especially hard. Thanks to the efforts of individuals and community partners, 199 local children received presents for the holidays. (To keep children from having to choose between snow boots and a truck or doll, children request both a “need” and a “wish.”)
Neighbors helping neighbors is a motto of the Human Services Department, and the gift drive makes it manifest: Altogether 67 individual donors granted the ‘needs’ and ‘wants’ of their neighbors. Local agencies also lent a hand: the Princeton Township Police Benevolent Association; the Princeton Rotary Club; and Princeton University’s Athletes in Action Program sponsored children’s wishes while Hats for the Homeless provided hand-made baby blankets, sweaters, hats, and scarves for 35.
Three participating businesses remembered those in need: the Bank of Princeton, Lucy’s Ravioli Kitchen, and Management Interventions, Inc. The Human Services Department thanks each partner for taking time out of the holiday season to fulfill a holiday wish of a local child. Any organization or individual wishing to participate in next year’s drive can contact the Executive Director of Princeton Human Services, Cynthia Mendez, at cmendez@princeton-township.nj.us or at 609-688-2055.
Anastasia R. Mann
Chair, Princeton Human Services Commission