A MESSAGE FROM SETH KAPER-DALE, CEO, RCHP-AHC

Dear RCHP-AHC Family, 

It’s mid-June, more than two full weeks since our 20th Anniversary celebration, and I’m still glowing! It was such a privilege to have 300+ people gather together, to acknowledge the incredible work of this little organization in so many spheres of justice and mercy.

I am proud of the work we’ve done together. In my remarks, to start the event, I spoke about RCHP-AHC’s ‘nimble’ way of existing. We are not ‘locked in’ to any one way of thinking, to any one social issue, or funding stream, or long-term answer. If we are ‘locked in’ to anything, it is to listening to the Spirit of the Almighty moving and careening through our lives and communities. We get a nudge, a hunch, a glimmer, a spark, and off we go!  

That is what has led us to make a difference in the lives of so many. You are essential to it.  

As we enter the summer of ’26, I’d ask you to listen with us and FOR us. Sometimes the voice of the Almighty comes to those who are not in the boardroom, or the..........

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FEATURE STORIES

Highlighting RCHP-AHC’s First Project: Irayna Court 

Submitted by Lori Freedman, AHC Tenant Services Director.  This story features tenant, Sam H. 

Twenty years ago, in 2006, RCHP Affordable Housing Corp. was incorporated, the tangible outcome of a group of people who struggled with, and educated themselves on, the question of what happens to homeless youth once they “age out” of foster care.  Armed with financing from the NJHMFA Special Needs Trust Fund and Middlesex County HOME Investment Partnership funds, as well as State Rental Assistance Vouchers from the NJ Department of Community Affairs, the first project of the nascent organization was to create a shared housing community above the church for six homeless young women age 18-21. 

Since opening in 2008, Irayna Court has provided housing and supportive services for almost 50 young women.  Each resident has their own bedroom and bathroom and shares a kitchen, living room and laundry room with the other young people and a Resident Assistant who lives there as well.  While their previous experiences are different, once they move in, they all have in common the safety, security and stability that having a warm and welcoming home provides.   

The experience of one resident, Samantha “Sam” H., exemplifies how.......

Q & A with Jamie – AHC DIRE Legal 

Jamie DiNicola received his JD in 2018 from Rutgers Law School and has worked at DIRE Legal as a Staff Attorney since 2022.  Jamie and his team work tirelessly to serve clients who walk through the doors of the AHC agencies that work with our immigrant neighbors. 

How has the nature of your work changed within the last 6 months to a year?  How has the focus shifted? 

I would characterize it as going from preventative care to an emergency room type situation.  So it’s gone from doing a lot of affirmative filing like getting people green cards quickly, getting work permits quickly – things of that nature, to now trying to get people out of detention, trying to get the government not to send people to third-party countries that they’ve never stepped foot in before. 

Can you talk a bit about the bond hearings that you’re attending and what’s happening leading up to those hearings? 

Prior to Trump 2.0, basically, everyone was at least given the opportunity when they were detained by ICE to seek bond, meaning they could go in front of an immigration judge and say “I’m not a danger to the community, I have no criminal record, and I promise I’ll appear for all my future court hearings”, because immigration court can sometimes drag on for years. 

What this current regime is now doing is saying “well.................

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UPDATES & HAPPENINGS

RCHP-AHC Celebrates 20 Years! - Event Recap 

We were thrilled to have such a “standing room only” turnout for our RCHP-AHC 20th Anniversary Celebration.  Thanks to everyone who came out to share in the joy of the people and organizations that make up the rich tapestry of what RCHP-AHC is all about! 

The evening was sprinkled with films by Sam Friedman, our resident videographer, showcasing the amazing work done by all the organizations and ventures that reside under the AHC umbrella. 

Silvia Palacios and her Global Grace Cafe Team cooked up, prepared and served a delicious spread of food for our guests that was enjoyed by all! 



Thanks to our guest speakers (Congressman Pallone, Mayor Foster, Councilman Hersh and State Refugee Coordinator Shaina Ward - pictured below), as well as our honored guests and award winners (Jim Zarra, Lori Freedman, Lisa Berman, Lucille & Richard Adelmann, and Tim McNeily) for making the evening even more special.

We also thank I-RISE interfaith liaisons (and award winners - pictured below): Parvez Rostom, Muslim Center of Greater Princeton; Louise Sandburg, The Jewish Center of Princeton's Interfaith Refugee Resettlement Committee; and Pastor Bonnie Gay of Princeton Alliance Church, for their amazing dedication to supporting I-RISE clients.  



And finally, this celebration could not have happened without the efforts of Pastor Seth and the AHC Board of Directors planning committee:  Susan Kleiner, Cori Anderson, Bosco Boscarino, plus an army of helpers: Fida Ayoubi, Dru-Valerie Bright, Deb Convery and the many hands that worked behind the scenes to help make the magic happen!

20th Anniversary Commemorative Mugs and Coaster Sets 



Didn’t make the RCHP-AHC 20th Anniversary Celebration?  Stop by Global Grace Marketplace or The Upcycle on Raritan Avenue in Highland Park to make a donation for an AHC mug and/or coaster set (coasters made by the Interfaith-RISE Woodshop)!  Your contribution will support our low-income and immigrant clients.  Thank you!

New Book with Chapter by Pastor Seth!  

Elizabeth Detention Center: A Social History of Immigration Detention in New Jersey and the United States - Through a longitudinal, site-specific study unique in its kind, this volume unites the voices and perspectives of formerly detained migrants, scholars, journalists, lawyers, and social and faith movement leaders. 

Available for Pre-Order at Rutgers University Press and Amazon. Look for a July release date!

Become a Monthly Sustainer to Support RCHP-AHC's Innovative Lease/Sublease Program. 

For 20 years, the Reformed Church of Highland Park Affordable Housing Corporation has helped welcome people home. This year, as we celebrate RCHP-AHC's 20th anniversary, we are inviting community members to mark this milestone by becoming monthly recurring donors. 

The RCHP-AHC’s lease/sublease program helps people secure housing when the traditional rental market shuts them out. The lease/sublease program is currently facing a shortfall of roughly $250,000. 

Yes, that number is large. But shared across a community, it becomes more possible. When divided across the approximately 1,000 people currently housed through the program, the gap comes to about $250 per person per year, or about $20 per person per month. That means your monthly gift of $20 can help close the gap between housing insecurity and home. 



Across Highland Park and the surrounding community, more of our neighbors are facing housing instability just as the safety nets meant to support them are being stretched thin. Monthly donors provide steady, reliable support. This allows RCHP-AHC to plan ahead, respond to urgent needs, and continue standing between vulnerable community members and housing loss.  Scan the QR code or visit https://rchp-ahc.org/donate/  Thank you!

The RCHP-AHC Story Told in Words and Images

In April, we released our Annual Report for 2025. Visit our webpage to read about the challenges and triumphs for all the organizations that make up the RCHP-AHC mosaic! 

And we now have a new RCHP-AHC YouTube channel! Thanks to Sam Friedman, our resident videographer, for helping us create our own “reality TV”, with videos that show the full range of what it means to be a compassionate community, on full display.

PROGRAM CELEBRATION

Global Grace Health Cares for Community! 



In April, GG Health hosted a community Health Fair at RCHP that included orgs from the health and social services field. Community members and I-RISE clients were among the many that took advantage of health screenings and info tables that featured community resources and careers in the health field.

Thanks to Dr. Norma Bowe and the amazing GG Health team for making this event possible! 

We’d also like to thank: NJ Office of New Americans; NJ Dept of Health; Kean University School of Public Health, South Amboy Adult Daycare Care Center; I-RISE Refugee Health Promotion program; Montclair State School of Nutrition & Food Science; AHC Neighbors Housing Neighbors; Bayway Family Success Center; Vision of Hope Recover Center; Crossroads4Hope (cancer support); Be the Change.

TENANT CELEBRATION

PROGRAM UPDATES & HIGHLIGHTS

I-RISE Honored with 2026 NJTESOL/NJBE Dr. Elizabeth “BJ” Franks Advocacy Award.  

On May 20th, Diana Bowen (I-RISE Exec. Dir.), Michelle Davis (ELL Co-Dir.), and Wendy Jager (former ELL Dir.) attended the awards ceremony, which recognized and highlighted our efforts in providing support and resources to Multilingual Learners and their families as they navigate through difficult times. 

Each year, this award is given to acknowledge a person or organization in New Jersey that has served as a catalyst for the advancement of the needs and concerns of Multilingual Learners in our state. 

As she received the award for I-RISE, Diana spoke of our many branches of advocacy for refugees and asylees and highlighted the frontline support that ELL instructors automatically provide for their students.  

We are thrilled to have the work of our amazing staff recognized, and we thank the staff at NJTESOL for being so gracious and supportive! (pictured: Diana delivering acceptance speech and also with NJTESOL staff)

Global Grace Cafe 

Our tasty “down-home” food has its origins in many “homes”.  India, Afghanistan, Guatemala, Venezuela and Haiti, just to name a few.  Stop by Global Grace Cafe for international cuisine that fills the stomach but doesn’t empty your wallet! 

We also have more “traditional” dishes, such as lasagna, fried chicken and Asian-style sweet & sour chicken. 

Open from 11:30am – 1:30pm, Monday through Friday. 

QUESTIONS?  Contact ggcafe@rchp-ahc.org

Global Grace Cafe is at the Reformed Church of Highland Park – 19 South 2nd Avenue

THE UPCYCLE HAS EXPANDED ITS HOURS 2 DAYS A WEEK ON TUESDAYS & THURSDAYS!

Store Hours:

Tuesday & Thursday 10am - 8pm

Wed, Fri, Sat 10am - 6pm

Donation Hours:

Tuesday & Thursday 11am - 6:30pm

Wed, Fri, Sat 11am - 3pm

See flyer for details. We thank you for your continued generosity, for both donations and purchases!

Located at 127 Raritan Avenue, Highland Park

Visit our website for more info on donating items plus info about our furniture partner, the I-RISE Woodshop.

Questions? Contact upcycleshop@interfaithrise.org or 908-208-1370

Please LIKE and FOLLOW us!

Global Grace Farms Summer Farm Shares Now Available!   

Enjoy 12 weeks of organic vegetables from Global Grace Farm. This year we’ll be growing Okra, Bell peppers, Tomatoes, Eggplant, Zucchini, Kale, and more. 

Scan the QR code on the flyer or visit the Global Grace Marketplace website to purchase. Shares cost will be pro-rated as the Summer progresses. 

The shares will be available for pickup from the Global Grace Marketplace every Friday from 11 am to 6 pm located at 208 Raritan Ave, Highland Park, NJ. Questions? Email Ashar at ggfarms@interfaithrise.org or call the Marketplace at 609-310-1664.

Ashar can always use some volunteer help with tending the veggies. Come out on a Saturday, any time from 9am - 12 noon. GG Farms is located at 12 College Farm Road. 

For more info, contact Ashar, Director of GG Farms at GGFarms@interfaithrise.org

Global Grace Marketplace

GG Marketplace, alongside an already wide variety of fair-trade items, carries beverage makers to suit your mood, whether it’s soothing tea or high-octane coffee. 



After you’ve had your tea or coffee, don’t forget the kids for either an engaging bedtime story or spirited yoga session!

Stop by 208 Raritan Avenue in Highland Park or Shop online

I-RISE Woodshop 

The Woodshop has a lot going on! 

The cement cinder blocks are gone! Tim and his team have refurbished the old wood bench that was supported by cinder blocks and added matching wood supports. They also built an entirely new wood bench out of recycled wood (bench with dark stain finish). The courtyard sitting area in back of RCHP looks even nicer with these great additions! 

AND the Woodshop now has kitchen cutting boards for sale – three different sizes – at The Upcycle Thrift store and Global Grace Marketplace (both located on Raritan Avenue in Highland Park). 

Interested in volunteering? Contact tim@interfaithrise.org No experience necessary, just a willingness to learn.

Still Waters Anti-Trafficking  

Client and Staff Celebrations 

Submitted by Maria Ovando, Admin Coordinator 

We are so happy to celebrate with one of our clients, a labor trafficking survivor with a pending T-Visa application who successfully found a job and is succeeding. This opened the door for him to pass his road and knowledge test for a driver's license. He was then able to buy a car and is moving forward with his life.  

Additionally, a former client was able to reunite with his wife after 5 long years of waiting. Despite the current immigration situation, this reunification was possible. 

I want to highlight our Case Manager Esther Carrion, who is now the sole case manager for Still waters, but is doing an amazing job caring for trafficking victims. Her kindness and understanding of the trauma that our clients have been through makes her an outstanding support for them. Her ability to hear but also act to solve and accompany our survivors to stabilize difficult situations in their lives is amazing. We are grateful for her devoted and dedicated work.

RCHP-AHC made it through the governmental changes and reductions of early 2025 but we face a challenging future. Help us keep meeting the most pressing needs of NJ's most vulnerable communities. 100% of donations from the public will go to Direct Client Assistance. Thank you!