91心頭 Board of Directors Chairman Dr. A. Zachary Yamba has retired from his position with the organization, effective Dec. 31, 2023. Yamba joined the Board in September 2012 and became Chairman in June 2018 following the passing of NCC founder and Board Chairman Monsignor William J. Linder.

Yamba was involved with 91心頭 long before his official capacity as a member of the Board of Directors. He was a parishioner of Queen of Angels Church where Monsignor Linder served as priest during the founding of 91心頭. He had been asked to join the Board prior to 2012 but declined because of his employment responsibilities. After he retired, he joined 91心頭���s Board of Directors.

He has enjoyed being able to give back to the community through his work on NCC���s Board.

���The myriad of services that 91心頭 offers are critical to the total well-being of the community. And that has been my passion all along,��� Yamba said.

During his service with the Board of Directors, Yamba oversaw the re-syndication of NCC housing, helped lead the organization through the COVID-19 pandemic, established Board committees to have closer working relationships with NCC leadership staff, assisted in the re-accreditation process for , led NCC through times of leadership transition and helped relaunch the organization���s Golfing for a Cause fundraiser following the pandemic.

NCC Interim Board Chairman Edgar Nemorin said Yamba has been an ambassador, advocate and steward to 91心頭.

���As Board Chairman, he successfully ensured that 91心頭 continued its mission of providing services to the residents of Newark,��� Nemorin said. ���Although he has resigned as a Board Member and Board Chairman of NCC, we know that he is only a phone call away to assist us in fulfilling our mission.���

Under Yamba���s direction, the Board worked with senior leadership after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic to ensure the health and safety of NCC employees, residents and clients while maintaining the necessary services to the community. He also led the organization through two leadership transitions: the passing of Monsignor Linder and the retirement of CEO Richard Rohrman. He was instrumental in the search process for NCC���s current CEO Simone Gagneron.

���Dr. Yamba defines what it means to be in public service. The dedication and support he has provided to 91心頭 and the people of Newark is extraordinary,��� Gagneron said. ���He has clearly set the stage for others to follow. I would like to thank him personally and professionally for his guidance.���

Yamba said 91心頭���s mission is just as relevant today as it was in 1968 when the organization was founded and that its offerings continue to be vital.

���It���s my hope and prayer and certainly part of Monsignor���s vision that these services will continue to be provided as long as we have people who need them,��� Yamba said.

In addition to his work with 91心頭, Yamba has served the community in a variety of roles in the areas of education and community development.

Yamba is President Emeritus of . He served as President from 1980 to 2010, which is the longest tenure for that position at the school. He was also involved with the institution well before leading it. Yamba joined the humanities faculty when the college opened in 1968 and served as Dean of Faculty before he was appointed President in May 1980.

Current Essex County College President Dr. Augustine Boakye said Yamba strengthened the community through his work.

���Our Essex County College family and the Essex Community owe Dr. Yamba a debt of gratitude for enriching our lives and making education the cornerstone of community engagement and development,��� he said.

Yamba served as a commissioner of the for more than a decade and is a founding member of the , an affiliate of the of the . His other past affiliations include serving on the boards of the Essex County WIB, Newark Downtown Redevelopment Corporation, American Conference on Diversity, Christ the King Prep Academy, Council of Higher Education in Newark (CHEN) and . He is also an Emeritus Board Member of .

���For decades, Dr. A. Zachary Yamba has been one of Newark���s great educators and activists. Whether as President of Essex County College, Chairman of the 91心頭 Board or Commissioner of the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools, he has mentored and inspired his colleagues, students and residents of our city. His legacy is firm in the hearts and minds of the generations he empowered in his many endeavors,��� said Newark Mayor Ras J. Baraka. ���As Dr. Yamba enters this new phase of his life, we thank him for his leadership and service to Newark, and wish him joy and success for the future.���

Victoria Foundation Executive Officer Craig Drinkard said the City of Newark, Essex County and the State of New Jersey are all better places because of Yamba���s leadership.

���His tireless and regal service to Newark and all of humanity spans decades and has helped to transform the lives of countless individuals and families,��� Drinkard said.

President and CEO Vivian Cox Fraser said Yamba has demonstrated a lifelong commitment to advancing opportunities for families.

���As President of Essex County College and his leadership on the Board of 91心頭, Zack never lost sight of the people he was there to serve and help.���

A graduate of , Yamba was awarded honorary degrees from his alma mater, and the in Ghana. In 1980, Yamba, an All-America soccer player, was inducted into Seton Hall���s Athletic Hall of Fame.

Coote focuses on finding permanent housing for Harmony House residents in her current role. She goes out in the field to find apartments and researches as much information as possible about subsidized housing, low-income housing, affordable housing and market rent rates in the area. In addition, she provides resources to help clients obtain employment and creates individual service plans for them.

Finding permanent housing that clients can afford is challenging.

���It���s very difficult because we���re in an era where the demand is so high but the supply is extremely low,��� Coote said.

She doesn���t let the circumstances discourage her, however. She is continuously looking for ways to help her clients move to self-sufficiency and has helped several move into permanent housing.

Harmony House Director Yonette Fredericks said Coote came to the department with optimism and an eagerness to help clients overcome their barriers to obtaining permanent housing.

���Ms. Coote, willing to pitch in wherever she is needed, continues to be a beacon of hope for the clients and, ultimately, her peers,��� Fredericks said. ���The Harmony House team is pleased to have such a bright and tenacious Relocation Case Manager who continues to demonstrate the passion and commitment to aiding the fight against homelessness.���

Coote has always been passionate about helping others. In her free time, she fed the homeless and hosted clothing drives. She grew fond of 91心頭 and its mission when she began volunteering at the Family Resource Success Center. Director Joann Williams-Swiney suggested that she apply for a job with the organization and provided her with a recommendation.

���Emily was and is courteous and kind to every client she encounters. She is straightforward in a respectful way which fosters a connection with the clients she works with. She is a go-getter and a determined young woman who cares about those in her community,��� Williams-Swiney said. ���Emily truly embodies the mission of NCC.���

Coote decided she wanted a career in social work shortly after starting her post-secondary education at Essex County College. Coote���s mother, who passed away when she was born, was a social worker. When she was 19, Coote learned about her mother���s career and the passion she had for helping others. She was told firsthand accounts of how her mother had helped people and made a positive difference in their lives. It was then she decided to pursue social work as a career. After , Coote attended and graduated with a major in social work and a minor in women and gender studies.

Coote previously worked at in Summit in an administrative role. After the COVID-19 pandemic hit, she took a job as a tool rental associate at , where she rented out equipment and demonstrated how it worked to customers. She enjoyed the position but wanted to find a role to use her social work degree.

The best part of the job for Coote happens when a client thanks her and understands the services she is providing.

Coote is grateful that Harmony House exists in the area because it offers private space for families, which is rare. Most shelters have communal areas instead of individual units with private kitchens, bathrooms and bedrooms.

���I tell the clients all day that this shelter is considered the W [Hotel] to any other shelter in this city and in this county,��� she said.

In addition to privacy, Harmony House residents also have access to all the other services 91心頭 provides, including mental health counseling from Family Service Bureau of Newark (FSB); free tax prep, furniture assistance and energy bill assistance at the Family Resource Success Center; and educational services from .

Coote doesn���t limit her contributions at Harmony House to her official duties as a Relocation Case Manager. She also pitches ideas for events that she coordinates if they get approved. Right before Valentine���s Day she arranged for licensed individuals to provide haircuts and hair braiding for Harmony House children.

���I like that Ms. Fredericks allows me to bring in some ideas and actually execute them,��� she said. ���It was a real success.���

The CHOP team will provide the following: COVID-19 take home kits, COVID-19 vaccines, glucose readings and blood pressure screenings. Dinner will be served.

Please RSVP to Julienne at 973-585-9610 or Christiana at 973-585-9645. All are welcome.

The CHOP team will provide the following: COVID-19 take home kits, COVID-19 vaccines, glucose readings and blood pressure screenings. Dinner will be served.

Please RSVP to Julienne at 973-585-9610 or Christiana at 973-585-9645. All are welcome.

Thornton was impressed with the employer connections NCCTI offered to its students and liked that it was a short-term program.

���It was definitely something that I was able to do at the time,��� she said.

Thornton graduated from the PCT program in 2020 and started working at Cooperman Barnabas Medical Center (formerly Saint Barnabas Medical Center) in Livingston shortly after as a patient care technician. In December, she will celebrate two years in that position.

She works in a surgical step-down unit, which means she provides a level of care between the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and the general medical-surgical ward. She draws blood, performs EKGs, helps nurses with wound care, helps patients walk and perform physical therapy and washes patients.

Thornton has excelled in her role. She was even named Employee of the Month before her probationary period concluded.

Even though she was working full-time at Cooperman Barnabas Medical Center, Thornton decided to take on another full-time role as a patient care technician at University Hospital in Newark. She started that job in July. She works 5 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Cooperman Barnabas Medical Center and a night shift at University Hospital.

Thornton doesn���t plan to work two full-time jobs for an extended period, but has some financial goals to accomplish. She also wants to continue her education and eventually become a physician���s assistant. She is currently at Essex County College working toward becoming a registered nurse.

���We at NCCTI are very proud of the accomplishments made by Christina Thornton. We wish her continued success,��� said NCCTI Director Dr. Sylvia McCray.

Thornton enjoys her work as a patient care technician because it involves service to others. Before enrolling at NCCTI, she had jobs in group homes and homeless shelters.

���I just like helping people and making a difference in people���s lives,��� she said.

Despite starting the PCT program virtually during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, Thornton and her classmates were able to get hands-on instruction when conditions improved. Upon completion of the program, she felt prepared to begin her career.

NCCTI helped connect Thornton and her classmates to potential employers. Students were encouraged to fill out applications while on site. She recalls one classmate even received a job offer before she had passed the certification exam. Her own job offer came quickly after her interview.

Thornton is thankful for her experience at NCCTI.

���The staff was really good. It���s a good school,��� she said. ���They definitely do live up to their promise.���

NCCTI is an accredited post-secondary career and technical institution that offers the following programs: Automotive Technician, Diesel Technician, Building Trades Specialist, Clinical Medical Assistant, Patient Care Technician, Community Healthcare Worker, Culinary Arts Specialist and Business & Computer Technologies. NCCTI also operates a comprehensive Financial Opportunity Center and Bridges to Career Opportunities Program sponsored by the local and national Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) offices. For more information, call 973-824-6484, log onto or visit 274 South Orange Ave., Newark.

• Monday, June 20 at 1 p.m.: Grief
• Tuesday, June 21 at 6 p.m.: Stress Management

On-call support is available Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at 973-272-7488.
Text support is available at 973-980-4964.
Email FSBNJHH@newcommunity.org to schedule workshops for staff and students.

This program is brought to you through the New Jersey Hope and Healing Crisis Counseling Program (CCP). CCP is provided by Family Service Bureau of Newark in collaboration with the New Jersey Department of Human Services��� Division of Mental Health and Addiction Services and is funded through a FEMA/SAMHSA grant.

• Monday, June 20 at 1 p.m.: Grief
• Tuesday, June 21 at 6 p.m.: Stress Management

On-call support is available Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at 973-272-7488.
Text support is available at 973-980-4964.
Email FSBNJHH@newcommunity.org to schedule workshops for staff and students.

This program is brought to you through the New Jersey Hope and Healing Crisis Counseling Program (CCP). CCP is provided by Family Service Bureau of Newark in collaboration with the New Jersey Department of Human Services��� Division of Mental Health and Addiction Services and is funded through a FEMA/SAMHSA grant.

• Monday, June 13 at 1 p.m.: Self-Care
• Tuesday, June 14 at 11 a.m.: Grief
• Wednesday, June 15 at 5 p.m.: Anxiety
• Thursday, June 16 at 6 p.m.: Self-Care

On-call support is available Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at 973-272-7488.
Text support is available at 973-980-4964.
Email FSBNJHH@newcommunity.org to schedule workshops for staff and students.

This program is brought to you through the New Jersey Hope and Healing Crisis Counseling Program (CCP). CCP is provided by Family Service Bureau of Newark in collaboration with the New Jersey Department of Human Services��� Division of Mental Health and Addiction Services and is funded through a FEMA/SAMHSA grant.

• Monday, June 13 at 1 p.m.: Self-Care
• Tuesday, June 14 at 11 a.m.: Grief
• Wednesday, June 15 at 5 p.m.: Anxiety
• Thursday, June 16 at 6 p.m.: Self-Care

On-call support is available Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at 973-272-7488.
Text support is available at 973-980-4964.
Email FSBNJHH@newcommunity.org to schedule workshops for staff and students.

This program is brought to you through the New Jersey Hope and Healing Crisis Counseling Program (CCP). CCP is provided by Family Service Bureau of Newark in collaboration with the New Jersey Department of Human Services��� Division of Mental Health and Addiction Services and is funded through a FEMA/SAMHSA grant.

• Monday, June 13 at 1 p.m.: Self-Care
• Tuesday, June 14 at 11 a.m.: Grief
• Wednesday, June 15 at 5 p.m.: Anxiety
• Thursday, June 16 at 6 p.m.: Self-Care

On-call support is available Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at 973-272-7488.
Text support is available at 973-980-4964.
Email FSBNJHH@newcommunity.org to schedule workshops for staff and students.

This program is brought to you through the New Jersey Hope and Healing Crisis Counseling Program (CCP). CCP is provided by Family Service Bureau of Newark in collaboration with the New Jersey Department of Human Services��� Division of Mental Health and Addiction Services and is funded through a FEMA/SAMHSA grant.