Hundreds of illuminated Chinese lanterns floated into the night sky at Thursday’s Project 250 gathering on behalf of Project Self-Sufficiency. Celebrants toasted the success of Project Self-Sufficiency and pledged to continue to support the agency’s programs for low-income families in the coming year. Author and entertainment reporter Jancee Dunn kept the crowd in stitches as she related stories from her life in the spotlight, and thanked attendees for their support of the agency. The event was held at the Sussex County home of Kathy and Lou Esposito, and it served as the kick off of the agency’s year-long celebration of its 25th anniversary. Several current participants were also on hand to highlight the impact Project Self-Sufficiency has had on their lives.
Jancee Dunn has written for many different publications, including Rolling Stone, the New York Times, Vogue, GQ, Jane, and O: The Oprah Magazine. From 2001-2002 she was an entertainment correspondent for Good Morning America. She also served as a veejay for MTV2, and has published three books, "But Enough about Me", "Don't You Forget about Me" and “Why is my Mother Getting a Tattoo? And Other Questions I Wish I Never Had to Ask”. “I'm so happy to help celebrate 25 years of Project Self-Sufficiency's important work in Sussex County. When I was asked to be a part of Project 250, I jumped on board. My folks have volunteered there for many years, and I see firsthand the impact that this organization has had on low-income families—nearly 20,000 of them since the organization started.”
The continued down turn in the economy continues to offer challenges to Project Self-Sufficiency. The agency must aggressively seek funding in order to keep its doors open, and because of the bleak job market in New Jersey, participants keep streaming through those doors in search of help. “As we celebrate our 25th anniversary serving low-income families from this area, we are thankful for the generosity demonstrated by the community towards our participants, who have struggled to find work and hold their families together during the current recession,” commented Deborah Berry-Toon, Executive Director of Project Self-Sufficiency. “The funds raised by Project 250 go directly to the children of the families served by Project Self-Sufficiency. We are extremely grateful to the Esposito family for hosting this event at their beautiful home, and for the hard work by the Project 250 Steering Committee in organizing this memorable affair. We are excited to be celebrating the successes of the past 25 years, and we are confident that the community will continue to lend a helping hand to our neighbors in need.”
Some of the services funded by Project 250 include the Little Sprouts Early Learning Center, which provides day care and preschool services for 83 children, ages 6 weeks through 6 years; childcare and early childhood education; parent-child activities and field trips for agency participants; substance abuse relapse prevention; parenting skills training through the agency’s parenting center; GED instruction; job and employability skills training; support groups; therapy referral programs; home visitations to families in need; day camps during the summer months; the food pantry; and the emergency basic needs assistance program which responds to families in crisis.
Noted Beverly Gordon, President of Project Self-Sufficiency’s Board of Directors, “Project 250 is one of my favorite events because it combines inspirational stories from current participants with hope for the families who will be crossing over our threshold in the future. We are grateful to Kathy and Lou Esposito for the use of this spectacular location, and Jancee Dunn who took time out of her busy schedule to spend an evening with us.”
Board member Kathy Esposito, the hostess of this year’s Project 250, added, “My husband, Lou, and I are honored to be hosting Project 250 this year. Supporting Project Self-Sufficiency’s mission of service to low-income families is very important to us, and we are delighted to be able to help in any way that we can.”
Project Self-Sufficiency’s mission is to provide the services necessary for single parents, teen parents, displaced homemakers and two-parent families to improve the quality of their lives and those of their children through the attainment of economic self-sufficiency and family stability. Project Self-Sufficiency offers a supportive family-centered environment where life issues are addressed through a combination of individual counseling, peer support groups, case management services, parenting skills training, life skills management training, home visits, childcare and early childhood education, family activities and health education. Since 1986 Project Self-Sufficiency has served more than 19,000 families, including over 30,000 children.
To make a contribution to Project Self-Sufficiency, or to find out about the programs and services available to low-income families at Project Self-Sufficiency, call 973-940-3500.
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