Human Development>>Social Services |
Social Services
All NCC residences are served by the Social Services Department. The Social Services staff ensures that residents of NCC housing who need referrals for food, clothing, shelter and health care can secure these services both within the NCC Network and from outside providers. Social Services is also an integral part of helping residents plan events and gatherings. During the holiday season it collects toys, helps supply the fixings for holiday meals and provides Christmas trees so that NCC families that are in need and their children share in the holidays. In addition to providing core services to New Community residents,
Social Services also runs a variety of other programs. Its Meals on
Wheels program reaches residents of Newark's Central and West Ward.
The New Jersey Ease Care Management program reaches residents throughout
Essex County. And the Ryan White Family Comfort program reaches Newark
residents. MEALS ON WHEELS Meals on Wheels is a nutrition program that promotes healthy eating for the home-bound frail and elderly population. It is funded by the Essex County and New Jersey Divisions on Aging. Many seniors are unable to prepare a nutritious meal because they lack the financial resources or because a medical condition keeps them from cooking. Through Meals on Wheels, hot, well-balanced meals are delivered to senior citizens on a daily basis. Nutrition education information is provided regularly. These daily visits by Meals on Wheels help reduce the isolation of older people, most of whom are not able to get out every day. Hot meals are prepared and packaged by New Community and are delivered every afternoon, Monday through Friday. Frozen weekend meals for the weekend are delivered on Fridays. If they are able to, clients are asked to contribute at least $1.75 toward the cost of each meal to help defray the costs. Meals on Wheels allows senior citizens who are frail and live alone to enjoy a meal and, at the same time, maintain contact with the outside world. CONGREGATE PROGRAM The Congregate Program is a nutritional program that provides hot, healthy meals to residents of NCC's senior housing developments in order to promote a positive physical and social environment. A hot breakfast is delivered every day to home-bound seniors who are unable to shop or prepare their own meals because of physical limitations or a lack of transportation. Some residents eat in the community rooms of their buildings in a social congregate setting. Residents pay a small monthly fee based on their income. Meals are prepared and served to participants at one of the six NCC senior housing complexes: Associates, Commons Senior, Douglas-Harrison Apartments, Gardens Senior, Manor Senior and Roseville. NEW COMMUNITY/NJ EASE CARE MANAGEMENT PROGRAM The New Community/NJ EASE Care Management program, which began in 1998, allows senior citizens to receive health care and remain in their own homes with dignity. The program, which serves Essex County residents, develops and implements care plans, monitors and assesses participants and maintains their case records. Seniors and their families are linked to a variety of services through the program. If it isn't possible to allow a senior citizen to remain at home, NJEASE staff helps the family select a nursing home or alternative living placement and provides assistance in making the transition as painless as possible. Referrals for care management come to NJEASE from family members, friends, concerned citizens, health care agencies or Adult Protective Services. If a life-threatening crisis exists, intervention is immediate. To participate in the NJEASE program, individuals must be 60 years of age or older, reside in Essex County, and be considered frail and vulnerable. RYAN WHITE COMFORT PROGRAM The Ryan White Comfort Program provides services to the HIV/AIDS population to help them cope with everyday life. Participants live in Newark and the surrounding areas of:Irvington, East Orange, Orange, Maplewood and Bloomfield. Many of the participants are living at or below the poverty level and are disabled. The Ryan White Comfort program provides Meals on Wheels service. Homemaker services help participants with general house duties. Transportation is provided to medical appointments, support groups and mental health therapy. Case management helps determine the needs of participants and assists them in obtaining services from the NCC Network and outside providers. The program is funded by the city of Newark. RESIDENT SOCIAL SERVICES The Social Services Division assigns social workers to every NCC housing development. These social workers provide a wide range of on-site services to residents including entitlement assistance, information workshops, assistance obtaining services from government offices, advice, counseling and guardianship. NCC's social workers also work closely with families and children to foster a pleasant, family-centered living environment. For more information, please contact Gloria Chambers: (973)
623-6114 or send an email to gchambers@newcommunity.org
Harmony House
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New
Community has always worked to provide its residents with or link them
to the services they need in order to address life needs and issues.
Social Services is at the heart of that effort. NCC's Social Services
Department is a division of Human Development made up of professionals
who work with families and senior citizens so they can live independently
with dignity.