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| Agency Mission and CAP Promise |
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The agency's mission is to provide services that improve the quality of life and promote self-sufficiency.
CAP Promise: Community Action changes people's lives, embodies the spirit of hope, improves communities, and makes America a better place to live. We care about the entire community, and we are dedicated to helping people help themselves and each other.
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| Contact Information |
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Rivers Edge Campus
(Headquarters)
110 Cohansey Street
Bridgeton, NJ
08302
(856) 451-6330
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The name Gateway Community Action Partnership reflects our expanded coverage area, but more importantly, it signifies what we are all about. We are a gateway to success for individuals and families in our community and we achieve those results through actions done in partnership within that very community we serve. So please take a minute to read our newsletter and learn more about our successes and struggles as we serve a Gateway to Community Action in Partnership with others for everyone's benefit!
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Gateway Making Progress On River Grove Development
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Gateway is making significant progress on the Community Center in its River Grove Family Apartments development in the Southeast Gateway Neighborhood in Bridgeton. The 68-unit River Grove Family Apartments development is focused on providing safe and affordable housing to local residents and families.
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Gateway Scholars Program Wraps Up Successful Summer Component
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Gateway wrapped up its summer employment component of the Gateway Scholars program on August 29. Students from across Cumberland County went through an extensive application and interview process in order to be a part of the program. Gateway chose 10 youth to participate in this new program that provided area youth with paid summer employment for 8 weeks during the summer program. The scholars will now gear up to begin the second component of the program which includes college readiness training, life skills, and mentoring to ensure future success. For more information about the Gateway Scholars program, contact Carole Green at
[email protected]
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Some of our Gateway Scholars reflected on their summer experience:
"For the summer of 2018, I worked at Gateway in the Childcare Department. Before working in the daycare I worked at the summer camp. I enjoyed learning about each child's personality. Also sharing a laugh with my co-workers. This experience was learning, fun and interesting. I learned a lot of skills and more about Gateway. I really enjoyed the experience and hope to do it again."
-Typria Epps
"My experience working at Gateway Community Action Partnership was perfect. It was so much that I've learned in just a little bit of time. This summer was the best and I have so many memories. I want to thank Shelly and Katrina for teaching me new things about what nursing is about and the procedures/steps to what they do, the greetings, comfort, respect and much more."
-Chyna Chandler
"This program helped me get started at a young age and prepared me for adulthood. I would definitely give this program a 10 out of 10. The scholars program broke me out of my shell as a shy person. I like how we get hands on experience and actually deal with people with real life problems. I look forward to coming next year and learning more."
-Jashaya Warner
"This summer, I got the amazing opportunity to work at Cheryl Chadwick as part of the Gateway Scholars program. I was so excited to be placed here due to my love of working with kids. At Cheryl Chadwick it's more than just a daycare and more than just "playing with babies". It's teaching and preparing these young, wonderful, adorable minds for the next stages of their lives. The outstanding teachers in room 3 were so great to me, we laughed, talked and overall bonded. At the end of the summer, I was sad to leave behind my new friends and my little classroom family. I will never forget the summer of 2018 and the people that helped change my life path."
-Miya Carey
"I see myself working with kids in the future. The kids really brought out the bright side of me. I'm truly grateful for being in the scholars program and I look forward to doing more in the program. It's only the beginning to greatness."
-Jaiyanna Warner
"My summer on the farm was a very informative experience. On the farm, I had the pleasure of working with hydroponic farming, soil farming, the Gleaning program, my coworkers and various encounters with the creepy crawlies. I have learned so much from the farm from life lessons to physic lessons and I can honestly say that this has been one of the best summers of my life."
-Nakera Hughes
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Gateway Staff Spotlight: Lucila Barrios
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Name: Lucila Barrios
Position: Assistant Director/HS Education Manager
How long at Gateway: five years
Recent accomplishment: Took on two projects during the past two years, Grow NJ Kids and DonorsChoose.org. As a result, more than $400,000 has come into the classrooms in the way of supplies, tablets, equipment, curriculum and other monetary benefits to the children's learning.
What is most rewarding about your job: Helping my Ed Coordinators, teaching staff, students, and families achieve their goals through guidance, support, and the provision of essential resources. Being able to see a smile on a child's face, spontaneously laughing when they say something hilarious, leading my team of Ed Coordinators in their leadership roles, being a team leader in our Early Head Start/Head Start program and witnessing growth in our students, teaching staff, colleagues, families, and myself. I am blessed to see these things happening every day.
Tell us something about yourself: I am a musician in my church. I enjoy singing and playing the guitar since I was six years old. I have a beautiful five year old son and have been married for seventeen years.
Hopes, Dreams, Ambitions: To continue to inspire people to give their best. Each one of us has a capacity to lead and inspire others. We are leaders making leaders. May we continue to solidify the educational foundation in the lives of our students through teaching, dedication, role modeling, and love.
What they are saying about Lucila: Edward Bethea, Gateway Executive Vice President/COO: "Lucila is a terrific education manager and a really dedicated leader within the agency. She is hard working and has demonstrated a lot of initiative in acquiring resources that have provided our Head Start classrooms and teachers with the tools that benefit our children's learning. She is a great example of someone who promotes our mission "to provide services that improve the quality of life and promote self-sufficiency.""
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Gateway Staff Spotlight: Ny Cung
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Name: Ny Cung
Position: WIC Clerk
How long at Gateway: 5 years
Recent accomplishment: Helped the State WIC program translate some documents to Vietnamese; helped move and organize the Camden WIC office's files during a sudden re-location in November.
What is most rewarding about your job: Help translate for our Vietnamese client.
Tell us something about yourself: I have a twin sister named Tran. I was born in Vietnam and came to the United States in 1995 at age 20 with my immediate family. Other family members were already here and we wanted to join them. My uncle sponsored our family in coming to the United States.
Hopes, Dreams, Ambitions:
I hope to help Gateway WIC grow stronger and more widespread, so that many people can know about WIC Program. I dream that in 10 more years in my country Vietnam and many another countries have a WIC program, too, so we can help people change their lives. I have ambitions to be a Nutritionist and being bilingual helping Vietnamese clients understand more about nutrition education.
What they are saying about Ny:
Our supervisors say that Ny is very hard working and efficient. She always finds something to do in her down time to keep busy and always helps her co-workers. She has a great attitude and treats all clients kindly with dignity and respect.
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Gateway Adds Another Certified Community Action Professional
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| Edward Hilt, right, with Charles McCann, center, and Matt Hinkle, 2018 CCAP classmate and the CEO of the Eastern West Virginia Community Action Agency. McCann, CCAP, is a highly respected mentor and instructor to those preparing to become Certified Community Action Professionals. |
Gateway Program Planner Edward Hilt officially joined the ranks of Certified Community Action Professional (CCAP) on Thursday, August 30 as he was presented his certificate and CCAP pin at the National Community Action Partnership (NCAP) annual national conference in the Sheraton Denver Downtown in Denver, Colorado.
The CCAP presentation was held during the conference's gala awards dinner which is a keynote event at the annual gathering.
Hilt, who joined the Gateway Planning Department in March 2008, qualified to sit for the CCAP exam at the end of 2017. Hilt studied for five months for the rigorous, four-hour test in Washington DC on June 20 and was notified he had passed eight days later.
"We want to be an organization that strives to be better. An organization whose employees strive to do their best and be their best. Becoming a CCAP is probably the highest achievement a person working in Community Action can attain," Albert B. Kelly, CCAP, Gateway president & CEO, said.
"Ed's accomplishments are inspiring and impressive, but at the same time, not surprising. He has worked hard and been a valued member of our staff since joining Gateway. He took it upon himself to explore and study and succeed in becoming a CCAP."
Hilt attended the week-long NCAP national conference in Denver and was presented his CCAP certificate and pin at the gala awards dinner held.
"It was an honor to receive my CCAP certificate and pin at the National Community Action Partnership convention and I was proud to represent Gateway," Hilt said. "I want to thank Mr. Kelly, Mr. Bethea, and Mike Cudemo (VP of Planning) for providing the resources and support in making this happen. I also want to thank the other CCAPs at Gateway for their encouragement as I prepared for the exam."
A candidate must submit a Candidate Data Form and an Executive Skills Portfolio, which when graded, must garner enough points so that the candidate can qualify to sit for the CCAP exam.
To put Hilt's accomplishment in perspective, there are more than 1,100 CAP agencies nationwide with more than 220,000 employees, of which there are approximately 1,000 CCAPs, meaning that roughly 4% of all CAP employees have earned CCAP status.
Hilt is in good company at Gateway, which currently has eight CCAP's on staff: Albert Kelly, Executive VP/Chief Operations Officer Edward Bethea, VP/Planning Michael Cudemo, VP/Compliance Denise Todd, VP/Head Start Bonnie Eggenburg, VP/Women, Infants & Children (WIC) Jaya Velpuri and Program Planner Gene Vernacchio. Former WIC Director Electra Moses and the late Herbert P. DiMaio, Senior VP/Planning, also earned CCAP status while working with the agency.
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Gateway Celebrates 31 Years Of Service With Gala On Nov. 8
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Gateway Community Action Partnership will hold a 31
st anniversary gala on Thursday, November 8 at the Borgata in Atlantic City to mark 31 years of service to thousands of individuals and families in Southern New Jersey.
The event begins at 6 p.m. with a social hour followed by dinner, awards, music and dancing. Cost is $200 per ticket for a memorable night at a memorable site.
Gala Committee Chair Frank Messina and Committee Co-Chair Christine Messina, of AllRisk Property Damage Experts, along with Gateway Executive Vice President/Chief Operations Officer Edward Bethea, CCAP, have worked hard to make the event a worthy celebration marking 31 years of dedication to the community.
Awards for exemplary community service will be presented to the following organizations in the following categories:
Samuel H. Jones Jr. Community Development Awards will be presented to:
- OceanFirst Foundation
- TD Charitable Foundation
Dr. Frank D. Brigio Memorial Spirit of Community Awards will be presented to:
Founded by Albert B. Kelly, CCAP, current president & CEO, as Test City Child Care Center Inc., the agency became the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs' designated CAP serving Cumberland, Gloucester and Salem counties in July 1987. The agency changed its name to Tri-County Community Action Agency Inc. upon becoming the CAP in 1987 and changed its named again in 2011 to Gateway Community Action Partnership to better reflect its expanded service base in Atlantic, Cape May, Camden and Mercer counties in New Jersey and the Germantown/Lehigh Section of the City of Philadelphia.
Gateway began with an annual budget of approximately $500,000 and 40 employees and has grown to an agency with a $64 million annual budget and more than 750 employees providing services in core areas such as literacy, child care, nutrition education, weatherization and energy conservation, social services, affordable housing and economic development.
"The Borgata is a fabulous location for an evening that we feel will also be amazing. It will be a night to celebrate what we have accomplished, but with an eye on continuing to serve our community for many years to come," Kelly said.
For additional gala information or to purchase tickets, contact Kyana Evans at 856-497-6631 or via e-mail at [email protected].
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Bridgeton Native Dorothy Street Gives Back To Community In Big Way
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Dorothy Street, a Bridgeton native and lifelong resident, is someone who believes in giving back to her community. She has been doing that by volunteering at Gateway's Food Pantry for the last 10 years. After retiring in 2006, Dorothy wanted to spend her free time helping others and the food pantry has given her that opportunity by helping individuals and families with food. Dorothy credits her decade-long commitment at the food pantry to her passion of helping the less fortunate. "I like what I do," Street said. "I like helping others."
Deborah Williams, Gateway staff member, works with Street each month at the food pantry. Williams said, "Dorothy is a very positive person. She is extremely dependable. She really likes what she does and she has a good heart."
The Food Pantry is open the third week of every month. Individuals who are income eligible can receive food including fresh fruits and vegetables. For more information about the Food Pantry, contact 856-451-6330.
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Rowan University Donates Books, Book Bags To Glassboro Head Start
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Rowan University donated books and book bags to Glassboro Head Start prior to the start of the school year. Rowan makes an annual donation to the center. Kudos to head teacher Ms. Lechaur Russell for keeping up a great rapport with our donors.
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Gateway Head Start Holds Bring Dad To School Day Events
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Linwood Head Start Dads having a good time with their children.
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Hamilton 1 Head Start Dads are enjoying activities at the center.
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Gateway CAP Head Start Recruitment Activities
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Head Start and Cheryl Chadwick employees (and church members) recruiting at the Crusaders for Christ Church event. Pictured are: Donna Brown, Janet Brown, Lydia Reber and Diane McGee.
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Gateway WIC Holds Annual Information And Resource Fair
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Gateway's Women Infant and Children (WIC) Program held its annual Information and Resource Fair on August 24 and the Zoo Pavilion located at the Bridgeton City Park in Bridgeton. The event included free food, face painting, moon bounce, giveaways and information from local community agencies.
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Salem Family Success Center's Partnerships Helping Community
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The Salem Family Success Center, in collaboration with FamCare, developed a women's support group called Chick Chat that allows the women to come together to discuss various issues from health and wellness, parenting and relationships, while receiving support and feeling empowered. The women talk while having dinner, as well as receiving incentives for their active participation in the group. Above, the women display certificates from a graduation ceremony.
The Salem Family Success Center, in partnership with The Huddle, established a Dress for Success Closet for men. Any male that received assistance from a Salem FSC staff with the development and completion of a resume would receive a suit to wear on an employment interview, a hygiene kit and a voucher for a free haircut. The center has also been successful working with Gateway's Jump Start program.
The Jump Start program is designed for people to Jump Start their life and offers workshops that include license restoration, financial literacy and job readiness skills.
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A Warm Welcome To Gateway Community Action Partnership's Newest Employees
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Welcome To Gateway CAP's New Hires!
Esaul Martin, Greater Bridgeton Family Success Center
Ingrid Ayala Herrera, Early Head Start
Emily Schwartz, Head Start
Natalie Rivera, Head Start
Dahian Martinez Gomez, Head Start
Mariam Atta Adly Bastaorous, Head Start
Jalen Blount, Gear Up Prep
Helen Zamora Lopez, Head Start
Sarah Vandever, Head Start
Sharon Holts, Head Start
Alexis Price, Head Start
Alyssa Rivera, Head Start
Kim Winston, Head Start
Belkis Abad De Garcia, Head Start
Crystal Capaldi, Cheryl Chadwick Early Learning Center
Sarah Kwortnik, Head Start
Alba Aristizabal, Head Start
Valen Hart, Head Start
Tatiana Chica Jaramillo, Head Start
Jessica Ramos, Head Start
Hayat Fetouh, Head Start
Elizabeth Swain, Head Start
Brianna Davis, Head Start
Keyoni Collins, Next Generation of Community Leaders
Tyrone Chandler, Next Generation of Community Leaders
Alavion Harris, Next Generation of Community Leaders
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Hat Day For Residents At Spring Gardens Senior Housing!
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Support Gateway CAP By Shopping At AmazonSmile
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| You can support Gateway's mission "to provide services that improve the quality of life and promote self-sufficiency" while shopping at Amazon's "AmazonSmile" during this holiday season or any time of year. Please click on the link below the next time you shop. More information about the program follows the link. Thank you. Click Here To Donate To Gateway Through AmazonSmile!
What is AmazonSmile?
AmazonSmile is a simple and automatic way for you to support Gateway Community Action Partnership every time you shop, at no cost to you. When you shop at
smile.amazon.com, you'll find the exact same low prices, vast selection and convenient shopping experience as Amazon.com, with the added bonus that Amazon will donate a portion of the purchase price to Gateway.
How do I shop at AmazonSmile?
To shop at AmazonSmile simply click on the link above or go to
smile.amazon.com from the web browser on your computer or mobile device. You may also want to add a bookmark to
smile.amazon.com to make it even easier to return and start your shopping at AmazonSmile.
Which products on AmazonSmile are eligible for charitable donations?
Tens of millions of products on AmazonSmile are eligible for donations. You will see eligible products marked "Eligible for AmazonSmile donation" on their product detail pages. Recurring Subscribe-and-Save purchases and subscription renewals are not currently eligible.
Can I use my existing Amazon.com account on AmazonSmile?
Yes, you use the same account on Amazon.com and AmazonSmile. Your shopping cart, Wish List, wedding or baby registry, and other account settings are also the same.
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A
round Gateway Community Action Partnership ... News and Notes
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Internet Essentials
, a program offered by Comcast, gives income-eligible families access to the Internet for $9.95 a month with no activation fee, equipment fees or price increases. Having the Internet enables children to do homework, type reports or do research and enables the parents to e-mail teachers as well as look for jobs, pay bills or find doctors.
Gateway Community Action Partnership is working with Comcast to inform families of the program. Internet Essentials is available to households that have children eligible to participate in the National School Lunch Program or if they receive HUD housing assistance. They must reside in a Comcast service area and must not have subscribed to Comcast Internet in the last 90 days or have overdue Comcast bills. Also, low-cost computers are being offered for $149.99 and free training is accessible if needed. To get more information or to sign up, visit www.internetessentials.com or call 1-855-846-8376. ... Gateway operates the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants & Children (WIC) in Camden, Cape May, Cumberland, Atlantic and Salem counties. The program provides supplemental foods, nutrition education, lactation support, immunization education and health care referrals to income-eligible pregnant women, new mothers, infants and children up to age 5. Gateway WIC serves more than 23,000 clients annually through flexible hours through its eight (8) offices and a full-service, health screening mobile office. WIC is an equal opportunity program. If you believe you have been discriminated against because of race, color, national origin, age, sex or handicap, write immediately to: USDA, Director-Office of Civil Rights, Room 326-W, Whitten Building, 1400 Independence Avenue SW, Washington, DC, 20250 - 9410. For additional information on the Gateway WIC program or nearest office location and hours of operation, call the Gateway WIC program at 856-451-5600 or 856-225-5050. ... Gateway's Head Start program is once again sponsoring the Child Care Food Program. This program is designed to provide meals to children receiving services in Head Start centers located throughout Atlantic, Cape May, Mercer, Cumberland, Gloucester and Salem counties. Meals are available at no separate charge to all children 12 and under enrolled in the Child Care Food Program and are served without regard to race, color, national origin, disability, age or sex.
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Sincerely,
Michael Cudemo
Gateway Community Action Partnership
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