The business and religious community in northern Warren County recently welcomed Project Self-Sufficiency to its Warren County Outreach location with a celebratory lunch hosted by First Hope Bank. The agency’s Warren County office at 35 Main Street in Blairstown will be housed in the Outreach Center for the First Presbyterian Church of Blairstown. The Warren County Outreach center is the result of a unique partnership between the church and the non-profit agency; the space is provided by the First Presbyterian Church, while the services are courtesy of Project Self-Sufficiency. The office was scheduled to open last year, until the floods caused by Hurricane Irene damaged the first floor of the building. Since then, crews have been working steadily to rehabilitate the building; new walls, floors, carpeting, wiring and windows were put in place and the installation of the agency’s computer workstations is underway. The grand opening for the Warren County Outreach location will take place in June.
First Hope Bank Board Chairman, Chief Executive Officer and President Norman E. Beatty, welcomed the guests to the celebratory event, noting, “Having been involved with Project Self Sufficiency for a number of years in Sussex County and knowing the positive effect the organization has brought on many peoples’ lives who momentarily are down on their luck, it was only proper when Project Self Sufficiency established an outreach in Northern Warren County located in Blairstown, that I would want to gather civic and religious leaders in Warren for them to learn more about this extraordinarily effective public spirited organization.”
Project Self-Sufficiency’s Blairstown site will contain an Employment Lab where participants will be able to take advantage of all of the services offered at the agency’s Newton location, including computer and career training, assessment, and access to job search resources. In addition, the facility will be staffed with a Case Manager who will be able to conduct intake and assessment of interested participants, teach parenting classes and life skills seminars, and provide referrals to other services available throughout the agency.
“Project Self-Sufficiency and the First Presbyterian Church of Blairstown have worked diligently for over a year to bring this project to fruition, and we are very excited about being able to offer computer classes, parenting workshops, and other services to northern Warren County residents,” commented Deborah Berry-Toon, Executive Director of Project Self-Sufficiency. “We are very grateful to First Hope Bank for this warm welcome and we are looking forward to working closely with the business, social service and religious community in this area.”
Since 1986, Project Self-Sufficiency has offered a wide range of programs to low-income families which are designed to help them to become economically self-sufficient. Services available at the agency’s Newton location include literacy skills training, GED instruction, childcare, career and interview skills training, job search assistance, legal education, parenting skills workshops, computer courses, assistance with emergency basic needs, counseling and referral, and other programs. The agency also offers periodic job fairs, parenting fairs, health fairs and other activities which allow participants to access the resources of local social service and healthcare organizations. Project Self-Sufficiency has served more than 18,000 families, including over 30,000 children, since its inception.
To schedule an appointment with a case manager at Project Self-Sufficiency’s Blairstown site, located at 35 Main Street, call 908-362-1777. Appointments can also be scheduled at the Blairstown location by calling the Newton office at 973-940-3500.
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