NJCDC Makes a Difference

On Saturday, October 29^th, NJCDC held two Fall Festivals in two different locations in Paterson, NJ. At the NJCDC headquarters on Spruce Street, the Paterson Youth Council (PYC) provided a day of arts and crafts, games, and face painting for the students and families of the Paterson Family Center and the Community Charter School of Paterson. With over 100 parents and students in attendance, the PYC sponsored event allowed for community building between two closely linked educational institutions in the Great Falls Neighborhood.

In honor of Make A Difference Day—a National Day of Service, NJCDC’s team of AmeriCorps members organized a 2^nd Fall Festival at School #5 with the purpose of building community and strengthening families. Throughout the day, over 200 community members came out for a day of fun and service.

The day’s activities included face painting, pumpkin painting and activities to engage both students and parents. The service component included a food drive for victims of Hurricane Irene and the AmeriCorps’ “Say Thank You Initiative”. This initiative gave students and families the opportunity to write thank you letters to local teachers, doctors, police and fire workers in the community that strive to provide a safe, healthy and happy Paterson.

The AmeriCorps members also used the day to lead parent workshops on healthy living and healthy eating. The workshops taught parents how to make a healthy Halloween enjoyable and fun for children. In addition to the workshops, medical students and doctors from the University of Medicine & Dentistry of New Jersey (UMDNJ) volunteered their time to provide health screenings (diabetes testing, vision test, and blood pressure tests) for children and families. NJCDC and the families of the Great Falls District are extremely thankful for the time and care shown by the volunteers from UMDNJ.

The highlight of the School #5 event was a special dance performance by the Great Falls Teen Center Dance Team of International High School. The Great Falls Dance Team, led by an AmeriCorps member, has held daily rehearsals since the beginning of the school year, and made their debut performance this past Saturday. This dance team is an excellent example of NJCDC’s creative integrated community building tactics.

NJCDC’s CEO Bob Guarasci was enamored by the level of community support, “I am tremendously thankful for the community engagement on our day of service. This day would not be possible without the hundreds of parents and children that showed support of Make a Difference Day and the community partners that volunteered their time to provide much needed services to our families.”

About AmeriCorps & the Paterson Youth Council

The Paterson Community Schools Corps: NJCDC partners with the national AmeriCorps program to provide services in our local community through the Paterson Community Schools Corps. AmeriCorps members are individuals who wish to dedicate a year of service as a means of gaining valuable life experience. Members work directly with students, parents, and teachers in the high-risk community-based schools. NJCDC’s AmeriCorps program consists of 25 members and is designed to transform five Paterson neighborhood schools into fully functioning community schools. A community school is open six to seven days a week for a longer day to better provide comprehensive services for students and families.

The Paterson Youth Council: The Paterson Youth Council, organized by New Jersey Community Development Corporation, is the premier voice for the young people of Paterson, representing and engaging the youth of Paterson to create opportunities to improve themselves and their community. Made up of 25-35 dynamic young residents of Paterson between the ages of 13 and 19, the youth council serves as a venue to discuss issues that concern and affect them most.