January 31, 2021
Call for Requests:
Community Engagement Virtual Salons (CEVS)

CEVS bring researchers together with patients, community members, and health care stakeholders to actively participate in cross-talk. It provides a forum for generating research questions, identifying evidence gaps, and defining outcomes meaningful to patients. To see a CEVS in action, take a look at the summary video featured below.

If you're interested in working with us, click here to learn more.
Rutgers Develops Rapid Screening Test for Omicron and Other Variants

A rapid test, which can be performed at laboratories experienced in COVID-19 testing, has been developed by researchers at Rutgers. The test can quickly detect clinical samples that contain the SARS-CoV-2 virus with signature mutations for each known variant of concern.

Social Service Collaboratives Helping Families Fare Better During Pandemic

South Jersey families receiving assistance from the Whole Families Approach, a program that pools social-service providers together in an effort to offer improved support, have experienced better outcomes than non-participants. 
Upcoming Events
Healing Racial Circles

February 2, 3pm ET

A Racial Healing Circle is an opportunity for individuals from diverse backgrounds to share their stories in a safe, brave, and responsible space. In the midst of a global pandemic where people of black and brown communities are feeling the effects of institutional and structural racism at disproportionate numbers. 
Funding Opportunities
Brand New Brand

Brand New Brand! is a juried, pro bono initiative where Ideas On Purpose rebrands a local nonprofit, for free. To be considered for Brand New Brand!, the nonprofit organization must:
     - Be within 150 miles of NYC.
     - Be “doing,” not funding.
     - Have been a 501c3 established for at least 3 years.
- Be able to host and manage a new website (WordPress).
- Agree to use/keep up the site and branding as provided for at least two years after the partnership.
- Agree to have the organization’s decision makers (a specific liaison, the executive director, etc.) attend 1-3 meetings at the IOP office.
- Commit to continuous communication with IOP throughout the branding process.
- Sign a contract outlining the specifics of the partnership, including exact tasks required (getting approvals, etc.), hour estimates, responsibilities and more.
- Be prepared for a few expenses (we’ll work to keep these to a minimum).

Application deadline is March 17th.
Learn more here.
Community Resources
New Jersey COVID-19 Information Hub: The State of New Jersey has put together a list of resources about the COVID-19 virus including testing sites, signs and symptoms, and FAQs about social services. 

You can find community-based and local COVID-19 testing site locations and hours here.

Middlesex County residents can register for a free COVID-19 test at sites throughout the county. Appointments required. The sites provide saliva-based test kits developed at Rutgers University.

Visit New Jersey’s COVID-19 Vaccine Registration site to pre-register for the vaccine. New Jersey's Covid-19 Vaccine Appointment Call Center can be reached at 855-568-0545.
New Jersey Alliance for Clinical and Translational Science

This newsletter is supported by the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences of the National Institutes of Health under award number, UL1TR003017 to Rutgers University. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not represent the official views of the NIH.

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