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Summer 2025: The Harbor Lights Newsletter: April, May, June
June, Vol. 4
| | Celebrating Our History, Vision and Future | |
We've Been Busy!
Moving Forward in 2025
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It has been an incredibly busy but rewarding three months, as Dawn and I navigate not only our new roles, but our new relationships in the community we serve.
Our focus is the future - of our young people in residence, of our House, of our partnerships, collaborations, and programs. Cultivating and training our staff, expanding opportunities and supports for our residents, raising the bar of excellence in practice, and walking the walk has been the highlight and joy of our work this spring and summer. We know the value of our organization, the importance of the work we do, and our uniqueness in the Ocean and Monmouth County communities. As we share our movement toward and excitement for the future, we continue to invite - our community to come and see the work we do on Conifer Street, our peers and colleagues to continue to expand and elevate our program offerings, and our supporters to share our table and experience our House.
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Had the pleasure of meeting General Stan McCrystal at the OceanFirst Foundation breakfast meeting of nonprofit CEO’s and leaders. Inspiring talk on character, service, and being part of a solution where you stand.
The General personally autographed a copy of his book, On Character: Choices That Define A Life. His incription reads - "To Our Youth, With Best of Futures Ahead!"
| | Grateful to Council of New Jersey Grantmakers for a day filled with connection, education and inspiration. Great speakers and breakout sessions. Dawn and I continue to create the bridges and pathways to the future for Ocean's Harbor House… | | | |
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Thank you to all of our sponsors, donors, staff, and supporters for joining us on the Seaside Heights Boardwalk for our spring fundraiser "A Walk in Their Shoes"! It was a beautiful, fun morning spent with amazing people! Special thank yous to our very generous host - The Sawmill, as well as the Ocean County Sheriff's Dept Honor Guard, and Corporal Juan Mercado and the beautiful “Sangria" !
Thank you Design 446 - Ann Marie Baker and Team for our wonderful signs and banners!
| We raised an incredible $28,000 in support of our SHORE House. We are grateful to our community, and proud of our residents, who participated to make this event a heartfelt success. | |
May 2025
A Taste of Our World :
A Graduation Celebration
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Our Gratitude Dinner in May took on special meaning for The House, as we acknowledged and celebrated our senior graduates, those completing certification programs, and those completing The SHORE House Program and taking their place in the wide world.
This is what The SHORE House, our transitional living program, gives to the young people of our community. This is what the program is intended to do and accomplish, and succeeds.
This is why we exist, rooted in the local community we serve. This is our neighborhood. These are our young people. They are our Future.
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THE SHORE HOUSE SPOTLIGHT:
Our Graduates!
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Support the teens and youth of our SHORE House. Become a Harbor Light today. Your gift, for as little as $10 a month, will help support our program and the teens and young adults who call The SHORE House home. Click the button below to become a Harbor Light, and be part of extending the light of hope and promise of the future to the youth of our community.
| | | Prom. Graduation. Celebration. Planning the future. All the rites of passage that are accorded to being a teenager, a high school senior, are experienced and shared at The SHORE House. Our Program Director, Jenny Allen, our Youth Navigator, Jay Trifiro, and our Primary Counselor Breonna Kesto, and our residential counselors are the emotional center of the House for these young people. They are appreciated, celebrated, and their value in the world is demonstrated. As they move on, we move with them. | | This year is indeed a transformative and innovative one for Ocean’s Harbor House and The SHORE House, from leadership to program and community activities. Our Program Director, Jenny Allen, and Youth Navigator, Jay Trifiro, are connecting and integrating our residents with the Toms River, Monmouth and Ocean County communities as never before. Encouraged and guided to find their voices and claim their place, the residents of the SHORE House are exercising their agency in actively determining the course of their future. | | Around Our Community.... | | | | | |
How It Started...
Dawn and I are so proud of this house, these residents, this program. Community is happening now on Conifer Street, under the leadership of Jenny and Jay. Our residents became builders of beds for children without them, under the guidance of our fellow non-profit, Sleep In Heavenly Peace. Because all children deserve a safe, comfortable place to lay their heads - and the residents of The SHORE House understand this better than anyone.
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And how it's going...
It began with the idea of giving back, paying it forward, and living in gratitude. Stepping up and doing for others what has been done for you.
This is The SHORE House, these are our residents, your neighbors, our young future.
We would say this is an excellent start….
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Volunteers Build Beds For Those In Need In Ocean County
By Chris Lundy -
June 2, 2025
Harbor House residents and staff worked with volunteers to build beds for Sleep In Heavenly Peace.
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The residents of The Shore House are committed to 'Productive Hours,' at work, in school, or volunteering in the community. Program Director Jenny Allen and SH resident C participated in a Wellness Day tabling event at Brookdale College, sharing information on the services, mission and community education available through the SHORE House program.
"Having our residents interact and engage with their peers is an important part of their role in the community, as well as in their personal development," said Allen. "It is important for them to develop a sense of belonging, as well as advocate for themselves."
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Soroptimist Student Awards were held on
Thursday, June 19 at the Clarion Hotel of Toms River. In addition to honoring outstanding students in our area, the Soroptomists acknowledged our work on behalf of distressed youth in Ocean County and presented a donation to Ocean's Harbor House at the event.
"It was an enjoyable evening," said Youth Navigator Jay Trifiro. "While my guest and I marveled at the flavor of our dinners, multiple organizations shared stories of local women and their individual achievements. It was a great experience, witnessing not only the awards but the heartfelt recognition.
We greatly appreciated being included in such an array of gifted and talented people."
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Thank you Press Communications!
Getting the message and Mission out there is such a critical part of what we do. We thank Wendy Price, Director of Sales for Press Communications, who led us to Jason Allentoff, Vice President and CEO of Micromedia Publications Inc., and Marilee Pettit, Senior Account Officer for Press Communications - and got us in the paper and on the radio!
To listen, click the button below, go to 'Make a Difference Mondays,' and scroll down to the Ocean's Harbor House feature:
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Standing with our community, advocating in support of our homeless neighbors. The SHORE House residents attended our local zoning meetings and community rally in support of those homeless individuals who are voiceless. These young people are learning to use their voice for good, and impact the change they want to see in their future.
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What a day! We began with the hard work of Mary Teresa Bijeau, Josefina Chacon and the Kiwanis Club of Point Pleasant, NJ, beautifying our SHORE House.
Then, on to the Playdrome Lanes for Glen Kelly and his wonderful team bringing our neighbors together to support Ocean's Harbor House' Bowling For Change,' and finally standing with our community and sharing our voices in support of our homeless neighbors.
Truly a day well spent…
| | | | The most important part of the community that exists in the Greater Toms River Chamber of Commerce is the connections and kindnesses shared. Thank you, Lori Hagaman Donnelly for creating a great night for our SHORE House youth and staff! | |
Our team is unbeatable! Every day, everywhere, Jenny and Jay (our J & J Traveling Road Show) bring the message of support, education, job development, character building and hope to the young people of our community as they grow and build their networks. | |
Jenny & Jay ‘expresso’d themselves for the grand opening of the BREW Grounds Cafe, in support of Bright Harbor Healthcare and Young People in Recovery - ‘Brewing Change, Breaking Down Stigma’! We show up and support our peer nonprofits!
| | | | aka Dare to Love owner and baker Neela Alturi, with her delicious cookies! | | l-r: Jonathan Petro, Matt Manfra, Ken Malagiere, Jen Shufran, Doug Baker, Dr. Pam Monaco, and husband Don. | | l-r: CFO Dawn Samaritano, OHH Admin Mary Teresa Bijeau. | | |
And That's a Wrap...
Thank you to everyone who attended/supported/sponsored our Starry Night!
What a great evening - we are so grateful for our community -
| | l-r: Our wonderful sponsors; OHH Board President Jim Hadley & Vice President Matt Manfra, our Auctioneer, OHH board member and jeweler extraordinaire Ketti Schoenfeld. | |
l-r: Jonathan Petro, Donna Carlson, Dawn Samaritano, Ken Malagiere | | It was a hot night at The Ocean County Artists' Guild, but we enjoyed the company of our dear friends, board members, staff and supporters - and our artist community! A special thank you goes out to OCAG Executive Director Danielle Archdeacon, and Ms. Kate Roselli and the Toms River Regional Orchestra Ensemble for their beautiful performance in support of their peers- our SHORE House residents. | | | | | | l-r: Donna Carlson, Dawn Samaritano, and Ann Marie Baker , Vice President of Design 446. | | A warm but beautiful evening... | | l-r: Youth Navigator Jay Trifiro, Program Director Jenny Allen | | At every event, we are fortunate to have the talents and the delicious signature cocktails created and served by The Wander Bar. Thank you to our bartender, Russell, for his time and his talent! | | Thank you to our wonderful community of artists... | | The best seat in the house - the rocking chairs. | | Our wonderful volunteer, Diane Boeni. | | | The beautiful SeaStar pendant by Ketti Designs....donated for our live auction by Gemsmith. | | | Jim Hadley, OHH Board President, Ann Marie Baker, Design 446, Dr. Pam Monaco, Ocean County College President, Matt Manfra, OHH Board Vice President. | | | | |
