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A community gathering place that brings families together through free events & local activities and connects families to helpful resources in Somerset County...
Winter Holiday Family Fun Night
On December 11th EmPoWER Family Success Center enlisted the help of Hillsborough Township and Zen Image Studios of Somerville to offer the Winter Holiday FREE Family Fun Night with Santa. The building was buzzing with the sounds of Christmas music and happy children as nearly 150 individuals enjoyed cookies and cocoa, arts and crafts, games, prizes, and free 8x10 professional photos with Santa. Over 20 volunteers provided their time and skills to facilitate this event!
When Santa arrived he welcomed the guests with a cheerful and hearty greeting and then took his place in a beautifully adorned Christmas chair to help EmPoWER Family Success Center and Zen Image Studios give the gift of free holiday photos. Each family went home with an 8x10 printed photo with Santa to serve as a reminder of this lovely evening. Three lucky families went home with raffle prizes including a 16"x20" enlarged photo with Santa and two Holiday Gift Baskets filled with movies, candy, gift-wrapping supplies, sparkling cider, and more.
We look forward to upcoming 2015 Family Fun Nights and encourage you to check our website often for details www.empowerfsc.com
Check out the links below for more
Family Success Center happenings:
View our December calendar & Event descriptions
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Happy Holidays from the Family Success Center Team
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NJ Transit Media Campaign to Address Prescription Drug Abuse
This holiday season, the Safe Communities Coalition has gifted all commuters and travelers with a very important message about prescription drug abuse at select NJ Transit train stations. Data shows that 70% of 12 year olds who abuse prescription drugs get them from family or friends. The campaign intends to remind families to lock up their prescription drugs or to dispose of them at a local permanent prescription drug drop-off box, especially since families and friends may be getting together as the holiday season approaches.
The posters are located at the Bound Brook, Bridgewater, Bernardsville, Far Hills, Lyons, New Brunswick, Newark Penn Station, and Somerville train stations and will be taken down on December 28. If you see the poster while traveling, please take a picture and post it on your social media networks or simply send it to friends and family. It's important to educate the community about how dangerous the prescription drug abuse epidemic is and how we can help to prevent it.
Visit www.safecoalition.org to find
a permanent prescription drug drop-off box closest to you!
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Join the Safe Communities YOUth Coalition
Through its hard work and dedication, the Safe Communities YOUth coalition helps to build a better community by encouraging youth to make safe and healthy decisions and preventing substance abuse. The group meets bi-monthly and focuses on substance abuse prevention strategies and developing leadership, citizenship, and teambuilding skills. Currently, the youth coalition is recruiting new members for the upcoming year. The next meeting will take place on: January 22, 2015 from 6 to 7:30 pm 27 Warren Street in Somerville. If you are in middle school and interested in being the voice that reduces drug abuse in Somerset County, this is the organization for you! If you'd like to join or have any questions, please contact: Abena Dakwahene at 908-722-4900 or [email protected] |
Coordinated School Health
Breakfast Campaign
The Anti-Poverty Network of New Jersey invited Coordinated School Health specialist, Ruth Prothero to speak on a panel about the success of the school breakfast campaign in Bound Brook School District. Collaborating with Bound Brook school nurse, Sally Hoben, Ruth was able to discuss how Bound Brook increased breakfast participation by 564% from September 2013 to May 2014. The audience learned how providing breakfast after the bell can make a tremendous difference in child nutrition and learning. Participants were encouraged to advocate for breakfast after the bell programs in their communities. |
