Somerset Home for Temporarily Displaced Children
Jeffrey Fetzko, ACSW, LSW, CFRE
Vol. 4, No. 2, January 26, 2006
The Executive Director's News is published specifically for the employees of the Somerset Home. This issue and past issues are available on our web site at http://www.somersethome.org/main/pages/employee_newsletter.htm.
Meet the new "Street SMART" Street Outreach Team
The new street outreach team, Isaac Odusanya and Sara Tabana, are off and running. Isaac was hired in 2004 as a senior youth counselor with a BA in Africana Studies from Rutgers University before being promoted to street outreach counselor. Sara was hired in November with a BA in religion from Rutgers University. Both outreach counselors have one thing in common, they are enthusiastic about the program and the kids they are helping. Isaac and Sara are bursting with new ideas and we look forward working together with them to take the program to a new level.
Financial Literacy
In addition, our Pathways staff will begin running a number of workshops targeting both youth and staff around the issue of financial literacy. Watch for workshop postings in February and March for the winter-spring series. Also, there will be a representative at upcoming staff meetings to discuss the credit union and its benefits.
Affinity Federal Credit Union
Somerset Home has developed a relationship with the Affinity Federal Credit Union which is based in Basking Ridge, N.J. In keeping with our financial literacy theme Affinity will be providing workshops and individual assistance to help you meet your individual financial goals over the coming months. Affinity offers direct deposit checking accounts, savings accounts, bill pay and auto/home loans and other banking products with very low rates. As a Somerset Home employee, you are eligible for all of their products.
We are scheduling a joint staff meeting for February to have a representative come out and outline some of the services available under this program.In the meantime to learn more about Affinity you can get to their web site by typing https://www.affinityfcu.org/ into your browser or just click on the Affinity logo above.
My Place II
The target date for opening My Place II transitional living program is March 1, 2006. When My Place II opens, we will have 20 beds of transitional living services. We are currently looking to hire a full-time case manager for the new program and if you are interested please contact Alex Ciccone, program director.
Did you know Somerset Home provides a match to your contributions to your 401 (k) pension plan?
Have you started your 401(k) plan yet? It is a great way to jump start your retirement planning! The more you contribute, the more Somerset Home contributes to your 401(k) plan. Here's how it works: If you contribute 1% of your salary we match an additional .5%; 2% gets you an additional 1%; and 3% will boost the employer match to 1.5%.
Start your retirement today with pre-tax contributions to a 401(k) retirement fund and get free investment counsel from our Merrill Lynch account representative. Watch your nest egg grow online and take it with you if you leave Somerset Home. Please sign up or adjust your contribution level by January 31 in order to take full advantage of this great benefit. Please note, you can still sign up or adjust your contribution level anytime during the year should you change your mind.
Please contact Carla Grabert for further information on the '8th Annual Run for Runaways' or for assistance in setting up your personal fund raising page.
As always, thank you all for your continued hard work on behalf of our youth.
