Extended Care Mourns Loss of Director of Social Services

Michelle Lang — Tue, 04 Aug 2020 16:20:17 +0000

Avril Cunningham always had a warm greeting for those at 91��Ƭ Extended Care Facility. She was committed to her job as Director of Social Services, working in her role helping residents for 25 years before she passed away April 7.

“She loved that job so much,” said Cunningham’s sister Marjorie Scarder. “She was so dedicated to 91��Ƭ at every level.”

Scarder said Cunningham would work late during the week and on weekends to assist residents. And she always had a smile and a kind word to share.

Extended Care Administrator Veronica Onwunaka said Cunningham’s passing is a huge loss for the facility.

“I always call her the best social worker in the whole tri-state,” Onwunaka said. “She would go above and beyond. She would go to the resident’s apartment and clean it up for them, set it up for them, so they would be comfortable when they went home. The love of these residents was a priority in her heart and in everything she did.”

Cunningham’s kindness extended beyond her work at Extended Care, according to Scarder.

“She was a very kind-hearted person. She would give you the shirt off her back,” Scarder said. “She is my younger sister but she acts like she’s my older sister.”

Scarder is reminded of Cunningham when she sees items Cunningham gave her. Because Cunningham was such a generous person, Scarder has items throughout her home from her sister.

Cunningham lived in Orange with her adult son upstairs while Scarder lived downstairs. The sisters were very close, with many strangers mistakenly thinking they were twins.

“We were always together. If they see one of us, they’re like, oh where’s the other?” Scarder said. “I miss her. I cry every time I think of her. It’s been so hard.”

Cunningham came to New Jersey at the age of 18 from Jamaica and began working in a factory. She decided to go to school and attended Essex County College and Kean University. After obtaining her degree, she worked at a welfare office for a time before finding the position at 91��Ƭ Extended Care Facility, which she loved.

Scarder said Cunningham was extremely faithful to her job and was even talking about it before she was admitted to the hospital.

“She was sick and she was still thinking about work,” Scarder said.

Cunningham leaves behind her son, three sisters and two brothers. Because she passed in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic and many of her relatives live in New York and Massachusetts, her family plans to hold a memorial service in her honor in April 2021 to coincide with the first anniversary of her passing.

CMA Student Juggles Full-Time Job And Classes

Michelle Lang — Wed, 29 Nov 2017 18:54:17 +0000

Samaya Hutchinson is participating in the Certified Medical Assistant program at 91��Ƭ Workforce Development Center. She hopes to one day become a registered nurse.

Having a full-time job while going to school is never easy, but it becomes even more of a challenge when you’re working nights and attending classes during the day. That’s what Samaya Hutchinson is doing to complete the Certified Medical Assistant program at 91��Ƭ Workforce Development Center.
Hutchinson works as a certified home health aide at Brighton Gardens, Sunrise Senior Living in West Orange from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. She also works Saturday afternoons and sometimes Sunday. She attends class from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. during the week.
Getting very little sleep hasn’t deterred the 21-year-old.
“It’s hard but I push myself because I want more for myself,” she said. “I want to finance myself so I don’t have to depend on my parents.”
Hutchinson moved to East Orange last year from Jamaica. She lives with her mother, stepfather, three sisters and two brothers.
She has wanted to work in the health care field since she was about 6 years old, when her grandmother passed away. “Because I didn’t have the chance to help her, I wanted to be a nurse,” Hutchinson said.
Her sister, who wanted to be a doctor, got very sick when she was 15 and passed away. That pushed Hutchinson even more toward health care.
Hutchinson’s ultimate goal is to become a registered nurse. She plans to complete the Workforce CMA program and work as a certified medical assistant full-time while also maintaining her role as a certified home health aide on the weekends. She wants to earn a bachelor’s degree as well, which she hopes to start working toward in 2019.
91��Ƭ Workforce Development Center staff members are convinced she’ll achieve her goals.
“Samaya is destined for success. She’s smart, hard-working and committed to making the necessary sacrifices to meet her professional and personal goals,” said Workforce Development Center Director Rodney Brutton. “This is evident by Samaya’s perfect attendance participating in the CMA program although she works a full-time job at Brighton Gardens, Sunrise Senior Living.”
“Ms. Hutchinson is a motivated and diligent student whom I had the pleasure of having in my class,” said CMA instructor Seham Abouelhassan. “Ms. Hutchinson is always willing to learn and has proven to be responsible and punctual in spite of her overnight job which I know to be tiresome and draining.”
Hutchinson enjoys taking classes at Workforce. She said it’s a friendly atmosphere with good teachers. She also has a very close relationship with the other students.
“My classmates are like family to me,” she said.
Hutchinson is very driven to attain the education needed to pursue her dream career and maintain independence. Another goal she has is to get a driver’s license and her own car next year.
“I’ve always wanted to help others and make people proud, especially my mom,” Hutchinson said.
She is well on her way to doing both.

Jamaica – 91��Ƭ

Extended Care Mourns Loss of Director of Social Services

CMA Student Juggles Full-Time Job And Classes