Shirley Feldman End Of An Era - North Jersey Friendship House

North Jersey Friendship House Publication
Volume 4, Issue 2
Fall 2011
“Our Mission is to
maximize the
independence and
community living
skills of persons
experiencing severe
and persistent
mental illness, in
order to reduce
unnecessary
hospitalization,
secure other health
and welfare
services, as
required by each
individual referred to
Friendship House for
treatment; and to
render this
assistance
voluntarily in a safe,
comfortable
environment.”
Inside this issue:
Message from our
CEO, Jack Doyle
2
Three-Year CARF
Accreditation
Awarded
2
Autism Program
Celebrates First
Anniversary
2
Director of Vocational
Rehabilitation Site
Visit
3
Welcome to New Staff
3
Food and Wine Tasting
Charity Event
4
Play Ball! - Member/
Staff Softball Game and
BBQ
6
Family Auxiliary Garage
Sale
6
National Disability
Employment Awareness
Month
7
NJ Friendship House
125 Atlantic Street
Hackensack, NJ 07601
Tel: 201.488.2121
Fax: 201.488.4157
Shirley Feldman – End of an Era
It is with great sadness
that we mourn the passing
of Shirley Feldman, one of
North Jersey Friendship
House’s founders. Shirley
had been a member of the
Board since its inception
and served as the first
Board Chairperson.
Along with other members of the Teaneck
Chapter of the National Council of Jewish
Women, Shirley had a vision to create a
program that would provide socialization skills
and job training to people with mental illness.
Spearheaded by Shirley, Friendship House is
the product of all their hard work and
planning.
Shirley touched many people’s lives. Her main
focus first and foremost was the members.
She wanted to know that they were getting
the services that they deserved and were
participating in their treatment. Shirley also
made a point of getting to know staff. She
would greet them with a cheery “hello” and
ask about work and family, often inquiring
about their children and grandchildren.
Shirley tirelessly gave of her time and energy
to Friendship House. She sat on various board
committees; most recently the Executive,
Development, CARF, Human Resources and
Foundation.
Shirley embodied the true spirit of giving. In
addition to her dedication to Friendship
House, she devoted her time to other causes.
She was an honoree for the Israel Bond drive
in Teaneck, organized the library at the
Teaneck Jewish Community Center, was a
lifetime Trustee of the Teaneck Jewish
Community Center, was a lifetime member of
the Council, Hadassah, and the Brandeis
Women’s Auxiliary and was a past Vice
President of the Women’s Auxiliary of the
Bergen County Medical Society, Hadassah and
Council.
Jack Doyle, CEO states that “Shirley’s
contribution to Friendship House can not be
overstated. Friendship House would not be
the program it is today without the foresight
of people like Shirley Feldman. Friendship
House is a better place having had Shirley be
a part of it. She will be missed by us all.”
North Jersey Friendship House Launches its
New Branding
On October 1st, North Jersey Friendship
House unveiled its new brand!
Almost one year ago, CEO, John T. Doyle and
the Board of Trustees mapped out a strategic
plan to initiate a deep-dive into our
organization’s current positioning within the
community. This included a critical and
evaluative review of our website and other
marketing and informational pieces produced
by our agency. The goal was to more
effectively communicate the programs and
services we provide within our organization
and for those in need in our
community. “It is critically
impor tant
that
our
constituents and the
community-at-large fully
understand who North Jersey Friendship
House is, what we do, and how successful we
are at carrying out our mission,” said Jack
Doyle. “We have taken an important step
forward with the completion of our new
branding initiative.”
With strong organizational committees in
place, and the help of a consultant, North
Jersey Friendship House went to work
revitalizing its brand. While it was decided to
retain the deeply-rooted company name
established forty-seven (47) years ago, a new
logo and a tagline was needed. An updated
house-shaped design illustrates the
atmosphere and the environment of our
agency, while the words “Building Skills for
Productive Lives” clearly communicates and
(Continued on page 6)
Page 2
From the Desk of Friendship House CEO - Jack Doyle
The Board of Trustees authorized a contract
with Strama & Brothers Construction for a
major kitchen expansion. The new wing will be
used exclusively for preparation of meals for
outside contracts. Currently, over 1000 meals
are prepared daily and we anticipate doubling
that number with the addition of new contracts.
The demand is there and we are meeting it
through the efforts of Zwardie Nelson, our Food
Service Manager, and Friendship House
members and staff.
The kitchen addition is funded by a $300,000 Bergen County
Community Development Block Grant, and $250,000 from the
Friendship House Capital Reserve Account. The kitchen equipment is
projected to cost $130,000. We were very fortunate to be awarded a
grant from the Oritani Bank Charitable Foundation in the amount of
$100,000 for the purchase of the kitchen equipment. The Oritani Bank
Charitable Foundation was particularly impressed by the job
opportunities that this project offers our members. In addition, we
received a $10,000 donation from one of our member’s family. The
balance of the funds will be secured through fundraising efforts.
The construction of the kitchen is projected to be completed by the end
of June, 2012. We are looking forward to expanding our operations,
which will allow Friendship House to provide a more meaningful work
experience for many of our members. It will provide a number of
opportunities for members, advancing from food service trainee, to an
employee in the Friendship House Food Service Division and from
there, moving to permanent job placement in the community.
Autism Program Celebrates Its
First Anniversary
On September 15th the Adult Autism Day Program at Rockleigh celebrated its first anniversary. Since its
opening last year a lot of exciting things have taken place,
most noticeably the growth of the program. The program has
more than tripled its census in the span of one year. We continue to receive inquiries from many families looking for
placement for their young adult child who is transitioning out
of high school and who will need a continuum of care.
Mala Spivack, Clinical Director, attributes much of the success
of the program to a strong mission and a knowledgeable, dedicated, creative and caring staff headed by Amanda Hueting
and Amanda Verpent, who have created an atmosphere of
trust and respect which is optimal for our member’s growth.
There has been tremendous progress seen in our members
who attend the program both on a personal, social and voca-
Three Year CARF
Accreditation Awarded
CARF International recently
awarded Friendship House a
Three Year Accreditation for its
Day Treatment: Mental Health
(Adults), Employment Services:
Community Employment Services:
Job Development, Job Supports, Job-Site Training,
Employment Services: Comprehensive Vocational
Evaluation Services, and Employment Services:
Employee Development Services programs. This
latest accreditation is the 8th consecutive ThreeYear Accreditation that CARF has awarded to
Friendship House.
This represents the highest level of accreditation
that can be awarded to an organization and shows
Friendship House’s substantial conformance to the
CARF standards. An organization receiving a
Three-Year Accreditation has put itself through a
rigorous peer review process and has demonstrated to a team of surveyors during an on-site
visit that its programs and services are of the
highest quality, measurable and accountable.
CARF is an independent, nonprofit accrediting
body whose mission is to promote the quality,
value, and optimal outcomes of services through a
consultative accreditation process that centers on
enhancing the lives of persons served. CARF establishes consumer-focused standards to help organizations measure and improve the quality of
their programs and services.
tional level. Currently the majority of our members
are working in the community, and take pride in their
positions working at area senior citizen homes, the
local library and the Rockleigh Borough Hall. They are
performing tasks such as dishwashing, transport, filing
and assembly/packaging work.
Due to the increased number of participants in the
program, we have outgrown our initial space and have
expanded further. This new area has been set up to
simulate apartment-style living. We will focus on
teaching the next level of independent functioning,
activities of daily living and life skills. Our goal is to
continue to serve individuals with Autism Spectrum
Disorder in order to meet the needs of the Autism
community.
(continued on page 7)
Page 3
The Director of Vocational Rehabilitation Makes Site Visit
Alice Hunnicutt, Director of the Division of Vocational Rehabilitation Services, accompanied by Nils Richardson, President/CEO of ACCSES New
Jersey, recently visited Friendship
House. Mrs. Hunnicutt has been making a number of site visits around the
state to learn first-hand what services
are being offered to DVRS clients. On
September 1st, she came to Friendship
House for an extended visit. The Director’s first stop was at the Housing,
Health, and Human Services Center,
where over 100 guests (homeless individuals) reside. As part of our Janitorial Services Small Business Enterprise
operation, Friendship House has a contract to provide janitorial services at
the center. (Friendship House provides
cleaning services 365 days per year,
from 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.) Julia
Orlando, Director of the Center, gave
an overview of the services offered at
the center, i.e., housing, medical,
social services, etc., and acknowledged what a wonderful job Friendship
House members are doing. Roz, a for-
mer member and janitorial cleaner/
trainee, is now a full-time Friendship
House employee serving as a lead
supervisor at the Center. Mrs. Hunnicutt was impressed by our dedicated
members who work at the Center,
and particularly Roz.
She visited Friendship House’s main
facility at 125 Atlantic Street, where
she saw our kitchen operation in full
service, under Zwardie Nelson, Food
S e r v i c e M a n a g e r ’ s w a t c h f u l Nils Richardson, Jack Doyle, and Alice Hunnicutt
eye. Next, Rachel Diana, Production
Coordinator went over in great detail works in both the kitchen and workshop and the third member works in
the operation of the Workshop.
the kitchen. In addition, all three
She had lunch with three members, as members participate in our psychowell as Jack Doyle, CEO, Karen Rein- social group program.
ing, Director of Employment Services,
and Margaret Lenino, Senior Coun- After finishing her visit, Alice Hunniselor. There was a thorough discus- cutt said, “Friendship House provides
sion by the members of their experi- opportunities for individuals with disences at Friendship House. One mem- abilities to find careers. They are a
ber works in our in-house mainte- best practice model of success that
nance program and on outside jani- should be replicated throughout New
torial contracts, another member Jersey.”
Welcoming New Staff Members
N orth Jersey Fr ien dship House
welcomes our newest staff members
Brian Pagan, Chris Qualey, Rachel
Sugerman, Esther Chucaralao, Donna
Carroll Smith, and Nicholas Ferrell.
The newest staff member in Food
Services
is
Brian
Pagan. Brian comes to
us with over seven (7)
years experience in
the
food
service
industry as a head
cook and sous chef. He
will be working as one
of our cooking instructors, and will be
responsible for preparing the food for
many of our food service contracts.
Chris Qualey is a part of Janitorial
Services. He comes to us from the
Ridgewood school district, where he
was a District Custodial Supervisor. He
brings a wealth of
experience to the
position. Chris is
r e spon sible
f or
overseeing janitorial
accounts at Kean
University and the
local Motor Vehicle
Commissions.
Two new additions to our counseling
staff are Rachel Sugerman and Esther
Chucaralao.
Rachel has a Master’s degree in
Psychology from Fairleigh Dickinson
University. She
interned at the
Touchstone
Re h abil it at ion
Facility working
with substance
abuse
and
disruptive disordered boys and has
volunteered at the Sunrise Assisted
Living Facility, working with
Alzheimer’s patients.
Esther is currently pursuing her
Masters Degree in Counseling
Psychology at Felician College. She is
a Navy veteran and also interned at
Friendship House during this past
year. Esther also volunteered with
the Big Brother Big Sister program.
Donna and Nick recently joined the
staff at the
Adult Autism
Day Program
as Life Skills
Coaches.
Donna
has
her AAS in
Early Childhood Education from
Bergen Community College. She has
multiple certificates for working with
individuals with disabilities and has
(continued on back cover)
Page 4
“A Toast to Mental Health” ~ Food & Wine Tasting Charity Event
On Thursday evening, October 13th, North Jersey
Friendship House held its 1st Annual Food and Wine
Tasting charity event at the Hiram Blauvelt Art Museum
in Oradell. The purpose was to raise funds that
strengthen the programs and services we provide, but
also to deliver a message about the wonderful work
being done everyday within our organization.
The enjoyable evening featured fourteen (14) well
known restaurants, caterers and wine suppliers, along
with our very own Friendship House Bakery. Each
establishment served dishes from their menu, providing
an exquisite assortment of national and international
cuisines. Rave reviews were given by all! Adding to the
festive atmosphere was the exciting Treasure Chest
raffle and the Silent Auction prizes.
The highlight of the evening was our special guest,
famous novelist Mary Higgins Clark. Ms. Clark
eloquently spoke to the audience about the clinical and
pre-vocational programs at Friendship House that
enable individuals with disabilities to live healthier and
more productive lives. She further reflected on the
importance of the Adults with Autism Day Program. “It
is wonderful that so many children on the autism
spectrum are being helped by well established
programs”, stated Ms. Clark. “However, when these
children turn eighteen (18) years of age, much of this
support comes to an end. This is when the Friendship
House program comes into their lives and provides a
continuum of care for these wonderful young adults.”
Postscript:
It should be noted that the Hiram Blauvelt Art Museum
donated their venue for our event. The food and wine
served during our event was fully donated by our
restaurant, catering and wine sponsors. Thank you all!
Page 5
We Thank Our Special Guest Mary Higgins Clark
Julia Orlando, Mary Higgins Clark, and
Sharon de Marrais
Jack Doyle, CEO, Mary Higgins Clark, and
Mary Pestana, Chairperson
Arnold Litt, Trustee & Past Chairperson,
Mary Higgins Clark, Hon. Charlotte Vandervalk,
Trustee & Past Vice Chairperson, and
Robert Relay, Marketing & Development
Our Food and Wine Sponsors
Our Other Contributors
Hilton Woodcliff Lake ◊ River Vale Country Club ◊ New York Sports Clubs - Westwood
Mezzaluna Salon & Spa - Westwood ◊ Stolen Moments Inc. - Paramus ◊ Valley Tent Rental - Park Ridge
Allen Linen Supply - Paterson ◊ Bradford Portraits - White Plains ◊ Botanical Salon & Spa
Morton’s Steakhouse - Hackensack ◊ The Iron Horse - Westwood ◊ Mindy’s Munchies - River Vale
Panico Salon & Spa - Oradell ◊ La Toscana - River Edge ◊ Cork & Keg - Emerson ◊ Stony Hill Inn - Hackensack
Park Ridge Marriott ◊ Bergen PAC - Englewood ◊ A+ Cleaners - Woodcliff Lake ◊ The Gym - Montvale
De Piero's Farm - Montvale ◊ Demarest Farm Market - Hillsdale ◊ Carousel Cakes - Nanuet
JonLissa Salon - River Edge ◊ Schaefer’s Gardens - Haworth ◊ Bellissimo Ristorante - Montvale
Fresh Market - Montvale ◊ A & P - Woodcliff Lake ◊ Hallmark - Woodcliff Lake ◊ Cycle Sport - Park Ridge
Audible.com ◊ Stop & Shop - Emerson ◊ Porter House Steakhouse - Montvale ◊ Vero Farms & Marketplace - River Vale
AAMCO/Globe Discount Tires - Hackensack ◊ Bananas Comedy Club - Hasbrouck Heights
Page 6
Play Ball!
On Friday, September 16th, Friendship House took to
Foschini Park for the annual Member-Staff Softball
game and BBQ. The sunny skies and cool breeze of
the early Fall day set the perfect backdrop for the
event. After a buffet style BBQ provided by the
kitchen staff and the grill team of Bob Relay and
Stephanie Barnhard, it was time for the game to
begin.
It was an impressive display of athleticism and determination by both teams. And, although the Staff
showed a great deal of enthusiasm, ultimately they
were unable to defeat the reigning champions. Both
teams were aided by the energy of the cheering
sections, who graciously showed their support for
every player who stepped up to bat.
As always, the day was a ton of fun and enjoyed by
all who participated. A big thank you is extended to
all of the members and staff who dedicated their
efforts to insure that everyone had a fabulous time!
Family Auxiliary Garage Sale
On Saturday, September
17th, the Family Auxiliary
kicked off another one of
its fabulous Garage Sale
events! Working for many
months leading up to the
sale, officers and members of the organization
gathered a vast array of
clothing, books for children, teens and adults,
Esther Chucaralao, one of our Counselors, Maria, a
household
items
and
volunteer and our Family Auxiliary gather for a photo decorative accessories. As
celebrating this successful event.
Margaret Ferrara, Auxiliary Secretary stated: “We priced all our merchandise to move quickly
out the door!” With the help of hard-working and exuberant volunteers,
the sale was an overwhelming success.
One of the primary objectives of the Family Auxiliary is to provide additional sources of funding for the social activities of the North Jersey
Friendship House members. “Our success today further strengthens our
ability to carry out our mission and our purpose,” echoed Charles
Ferrara, President of the Family Auxiliary.
North Jersey
Friendship House
Launches Its New
Brand
(Continued from front page)
underscores what we strive to do everyday
through our clinical services and vocational
programs.
Our new colors of green and blue were
selected after careful thought and some
research. Green is known to be a relaxing
color that is associated with health and
healing, while blue is considered a calming
color that represents strength and trust. A
perfect fit with North Jersey Friendship
House.
In concert with our new website, all
collateral marketing and communicative
elements such as our agency brochures,
letterhead, newsletters and business cards
will effectively carry our message and our
identity more effectively into the
community we serve.
Page 7
National Disability Employment
Awareness Month
October was National Disability Employment
Awareness Month. This national campaign
raises awareness about
disability
employment issues and celebrates the many
and varied contributions of workers with
disabilities.
Friendship House has been providing quality
workers to over 60 businesses throughout
Bergen and the surrounding counties for
over 47 years. During this past year
Friendship House placed 294 members in
independent and integrated employment
jobs in the fields of janitorial, food service,
cashiering, retail and clerical.
The theme for this year is “Profit by
Investing in Workers with Disabilities”.
According to Kathy Martinez, Assistant
Secretary of Labor for Disability
Employment Policy, “Workers with
disabilities represent all skill sets and are
ready to get the job done. Return on
investment means hiring the right talent.”
For information on hiring one of Friendship
House’s members, please contact Karen
Reining, Director of Employment Services at
[email protected] or
(201) 488-2121.
Autism Program Celebrates Its First Anniversary
(Continued from page 2)
In August 2011 Mrs. Jean Lam, grandmother
of one of the members generously donated
her 2005 Honda Odyssey minivan to the
Autism Program. The addition of this van
allows the staff to safely transport our
members to community outings and local
work sites.
North Jersey Friendship House & Post 21 Club
presents our
2nd Annual Adults with Autism
Spring Fundraiser
Thursday, March 29th 2012
6 - 9 PM
The Rockleigh
Rockleigh, NJ
International Cuisine, Musical Entertainment, Silent Auction & Raffle
(For tickets or sponsorship opportunities see www.njfriendshiphouse.org or www.post21club.org)
In Honor of/
Memorial Donations
In Memory of Brian McKendry
Joseph Grattan
Dr. Robert Jones
Stacye Page
In Memory of Shirley Feldman
Egon & Marjorie Berg
lan & Mary Brown
Peter & Mary Collins
John T. Doyle
Dr. Dvoken
Joseph & Nita Gottesman
Newton Gresser
Helen Kaplan
Martin Kornheiser
John Mckendry & Audrey Newman
Florence Meyer
Gladys Preuss
Marcia Schiffman
Ilene Singh
M.I. & Marsha Stamler
Paul & Ellen Steiner
Anita Stern
Marjorie Woodruff
American Economic Group, Inc.
Archer & Grenier
Bernard & Henrietta Wolfeiler
I.J. Feldman Foundation
Martin A. Lebson & Associates
In Memory of Carolyn Ziptko
Joanne Alessi
David & Joan Bourhill
Jeffrey & Michelle Dato
Dolores DeMatteo
John T. Doyle
Robert & Janet Kazimir
Fran Kornfeld
Pat & Larry Motyl
Daniel & Eileen Segal
Karen Szakacs
Carol & Rich Tantillo
Dolores Varga
In Honor of Brian Bassuk
J & L Kurzweil Tzedakah Fund
In Honor of Joe & Nita Gottesman
Fiona Sloane
Volume 4, Issue 2
Member’s Corner
In June 2011, North Jersey
Friendship House member and
extraordinary athlete, Mark H.
traveled to Athens, Greece to
participate in the Special Olympics World Summer Games. As
one of 7,000 competing athletes
from around the world, Mark, 29,
joined Team USA and assisted in
bringing home the silver medal
in Track and Field. An avid runner and state wide Special Olympian since the age of
ten, Mark earned an individual silver medal in the 800
Meter, sixth place in the 400 Meter and finished fourth as
part of Team USA in the 4x100 meter relay. As Mark
proudly stated, “I got a silver medal and had a good
time.” According to his mother, “It was an amazing
journey.” We at Friendship House are so proud of Mark’s
accomplishment and wish him the best as he continues
to compete in the Special Olympics.
Welcoming New Staff
(continued from page 3)
worked as a paraprofessional with Bergen County Special
Services.
Nick has a BA from Hofstra University in Radio
Communication and has worked at CNBC and WBAS. He has
a passion for music, having spent time at summer camps
teaching kids how to play the drums. His knowledge of
music will be an asset at the Adult Autism Day Program.
Join us in welcoming these new employees to their
positions and wishing them a long tenure at Friendship
House.
Stay in Touch with Us!
By providing your e-mail address, we will
keep you informed about volunteer opportunities, events and other exciting things
happening at Friendship House. Connect
with us on all social media as well.
Kindly use www.goodsearch.com for all your on-line searching and shopping. Each time you
search or make a purchase (no matter how big or small), a contribution is made to help
further our mission! Our warmest wishes for a wonderful holiday season.
125 Atlantic Street ● Hackensack, NJ 07601
P. 201.488.2121 ● F. 201.488.4157
Board of Trustees
Chairperson
Mary H. Pestana, MBA, OTR
Trustees
Brian Bassuk, Ed.D.
Immediate Past Chairman
Michael B. Kates, Esq.
Arnold D. Litt, Esq.
Gloria Hopf
John McKendry, CFM
Vice Chairpersons
Richard Lehmann, Esq.
Robert McNerney, MAI, CRE
Harry N. Tuvel, P.E.
Secretary
Roy G. Lucas, SIOR
Treasurer
Jennifer Murrin, M.A.
Dwight Threepersons, M.S.Ed.
Peter Tucci, Sr.
Hon. Charlotte Vandervalk
Honorary Trustee
Hon. Kazmier Wysocki
Paul D. Muller, CFP
Chief Executive Officer
John T. Doyle, M.S., MPA
Find us on the Web!
www.njfriendshiphouse.org
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Organization
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