Somerset Home for Temporarily Displaced Children
Jeffrey Fetzko, ACSW, LSW, CFRE
Vol. 6, No. 12, June 12, 2008
The Executive Director's News is published every two weeks, and is specifically written for the employees, board of trustees and friends 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.
Financial Literacy Graduation Day
On Tuesday, June 3, 2008 we gathered for a special graduation party at corporate headquarters of Affinity Federal Credit Union in Basking Ridge to honor graduates from our Pathways/Affinity Financial Literacy program. The workshop series spanned ten months and was attended by nine of our young men from our Passages and My Place transitional living programs. Twenty workshops were conducted and the topics consisted of credit, checking accounts, identity theft, auto purchasing, predatory lending and many others. Guest speakers including many enthusiastic and knowledgeable Affinity staff who conducted financial literacy workshops (and served dinner) for our youth, on Tuesday evenings at Affinity's corporate headquarters.
Pathways staff member Jeanmarie Albert (right front) shares in the celebration with graduates Devon (left) and Jamil (right)
This was our pilot workshop series and next year we look forward to conducting the same program for the young ladies in Passages and Whitney House, said Ginny Garbowski, Affinity's Pathways Financial Education Chair.
It was one year ago when we first approached Affinity with the idea for a financial education seminar series. What has resulted is light years beyond our wildest expectation. Affinity has embraced the project, devoted countless hours of staff time and financial resources, reached out to members of the community with specialized expertise and thereby insured success of the workshop series. Affinity has become an amazing partner and we are proud of our affiliation with them. We are even more impressed with the commitment of our nine young people who stuck with the program for ten months and were able to learn so much. After attending this workshop series one of our young people now aspires to work in the financial services industry and hopes to one day become an accountant.
Congratulations Graduates!
Wild Kingdom on Third Avenue
A deer feeds on shrubbery and several more hide in the brush at the end of Shasta Drive, 1/2 block from My Place and Whitney House. The Bridgewater Marriott can be seen beyond the highway barrier.
Many of us have seen deer come down off the mountain to feed on the shrubbery in the Passages neighborhood. They are noticeably panicked once they arrive at the twenty foot high concrete barrier for Route 287 (above). Last week, a mother bear and her two cubs made it out to 287 through a break in the wall and the mother bear was killed by oncoming traffic. The cubs, by recent accounts are still roaming our Bridgewater neighborhood.
Please be aware of all wildlife you may encounter. No one likes being pushed into a corner and that is just what these animals feel when they hit the concrete wall such as the one in My Place' back yard. Remember to use caution around these scared animals because their behavior may become aggressive if they feel threatened or fear for the safety of their young.
Be a Good Neighbor – Be Bear Aware
New Jersey is home to all kinds of beautiful wildlife including black bears. Black bears are getting a lot of attention these days, for the wrong reasons. They’re venturing too close to homes and into backyards, looking for food. Bears that look for food near your home or in your yard likely have learned bad habits from people who feed them unintentionally by carelessly leaving out food or garbage. Never feed a bear. It’s dangerous, and it’s against the law. People who feed bears think they’re helping them. But it only invites trouble. It can make them a nuisance or even aggressive. When that happens, the bears must be destroyed to protect your family and your neighbors. What’s more, it’s illegal to feed bears in New Jersey. Anyone who feeds bears could face a penalty of up to $1,000 for each offense. Taking steps to avoid attracting bears with food or garbage is the best way to prevent them from becoming a nuisance near your home.
Here’s what you can do to be a Good Neighbor – Be Bear Aware:
- Use bear-proof garbage containers, if possible. They offer the best protection. Otherwise, store all garbage in airtight containers and place them along the inside walls of your garbage, or in the basement, a sturdy shed or other secure area.
- Put out garbage on collection day, not the night before.
- Wash garbage containers with disinfectant solution at least once a week to remove odors. Draping rags soaked in bleach over garbage bags also help to eliminate odors.
- Feed dogs and cats outside during daylight hours only. Immediately after feeding pets, remove all uneaten food and scraps as well as food bowls.
- Clean outdoor grills thoroughly after each use. Grease and food residue will attract bears.
- Do not place meat or any sweet foods in compost piles.
- Feed birds only between December 1 and April 1 when bears are least active. Suspend birdfeeders from a free- hanging wire, making sure the bottom of the feeder is at least 10 feet off the ground. Clean up spilled seeds and shells.
- Pick up any fruit that falls from fruit trees daily, and discard it in your airtight garbage containers.
- Consider installing electric fencing to protect crops, beehives and small livestock, if you live in an area with a large black bear population.
- Report black bear damage or nuisance behavior to your local police department or the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection’s Division of Fish and Wildlife at (908) 735-8793.
Capital Improvements
Whitney House Emergency Exit Completed
Bathroom counters, sinks and cabinets were installed in five bathrooms at Passages last week. Of the eight bathrooms under construction, five newly renovated bathrooms came back into service last week. Demolition has begun on the remaining three bathrooms.
Our 2006-2007 capital fundraising campaign concluded in December and included more than $500,000 for buildings and equipment for Somerset Home programs. Click on the highlighted link above for additional photographs of our two year capital program.
Graduation Party and BBQ
Please come and join us for our annual graduation party which will be held at My Place (5 Third Avenue) on Tuesday, June 24th at 5:30PM. (Rain date June 26th) Please park at Passages and walk to My Place due to limited parking on Third Avenue.
As always, thank you all for your continued hard work on behalf of our youth.
