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.���

Qualifying individuals are able to make an appointment through the Family Resource Success Center to drop off their documents for the certified IRS tax preparers to work on the returns. Once completed, the clients are given a time to pick up their documents and the tax preparer explains why the client is receiving money back or owes money to the government.

Harlina Tucker receives disability, has difficulty using her hands because of carpal tunnel syndrome and says she isn���t very internet savvy. As a resident of 91心頭 Associates, 180 South Orange Ave., Newark, she learned about the free tax prep service from her Resident Services Coordinator.

���I didn���t even know that I could do taxes,��� Tucker said. ���This is the first time since I���ve been on disability that I���ve been able to do taxes. So it is very informative. And she told me a few other things that I probably can do so I can pay taxes in the future.���

Patrick Taylor has used the free tax prep service at 91心頭 for two years.

���The service is very good. I recommend people to come here because they���re quick, they’re pleasant and they���re very professional. They do a great job,��� he said. ���They tell you if you owe or not and if you do owe, what to do. They explain it. They���re very patient with people.���

Sam Gaddy has been getting his taxes done at 91心頭 for five years.

���They���re very accurate. I���m always satisfied when they do my taxes,��� he said. ���If there are any discrepancies, they go far and beyond just to help you out.���

VITA Tax Preparer Yolanda Aguilera is from Newark and explained that the service is meant to help low-income residents properly file their tax returns without having to pay large amounts.

���Some of the paid preparing companies, they���re taking 20 percent to a third of their returns a lot of times. And these people just can���t afford it,��� she said. ���I think this is just a perfect way to help them financially. Financial literacy and education are super important, especially in these low-income and disenfranchised areas and so VITA represents a future and creating generational wealth and understanding amongst Black and Brown people.���

91心頭 began offering free tax preparation nearly 20 years ago in partnership with Paradise Baptist Church in Newark with Bishop Jethro James.

Family Resource Center Director Joann Williams-Swiney said tax prep clients also fill out an intake form to determine if they can take advantage of other services.

���We���re not only providing the very valuable tax service to residents but also making sure that they���re connected to other services that they may need that they may not know we provide,��� she said. ���It���s important to us not to just cover the basic tax return but to cover whatever else they may need in order to move forward and be successful financially.���

The center has many services and referrals available, including financial literacy, benefit screenings, SNAP (food stamps), energy and water assistance, lead abatement, homelessness assistance and prevention, rental assistance, substance abuse services, health care, prescription drug programs, prenatal programs and advocacy, among many others.

Volunteers are an important part of the free tax prep services. Williams-Swiney said without them, the program would not be possible. This year Ronald Johnson, Adela Miller and former 91心頭 employee Tyrone Green are volunteering.

���We thank them for their service,��� Williams-Swiney said.

In the first month of offering free tax preparation services, the Family Resource Success Center saw 106 clients. The service will be available until the tax deadline, which is April 18.

The free tax preparation is offered by appointment only Tuesdays and Thursdays for drop off and Fridays for pick up from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Individuals can call the Family Resource Success Center at 973-565-9500 to make an appointment. The center is located at 274 South Orange Ave., Newark. Click to see the flyer for additional information, including eligibility requirements.

The COVID-19 pandemic has not only been a health crisis, but it has also had a devastating financial impact for many. One of those people is Anisha Mohammed. She lives in Newark and because she couldn���t work during the height of the pandemic, she is four months behind on her rent. With eviction protection set to expire at the end of 2021, she fears losing her housing.

���I couldn���t go to work and then I just started back at work this year,��� Mohammed explained. She paid her rent as long as she could until she exhausted her savings.

Mohammed and many other Newark residents have applied for the city���s Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP). ERAP funds will pay up to 12 months of past-due rent and up to three months future rent for accepted applicants.

Such funding can be a lifeline for those in need, including Mohammed who has three children and a grandchild living with her.

���This would be helpful until I get back up on my feet because now I���m working,��� she said. ���I want to qualify for money for the back rent because you still have to pay the one in front.���

91心頭 is one of the community-based organizations that partnered with the City of Newark to help connect residents financially impacted by COVID-19 to emergency rental assistance. The city���s ERAP program, which began in July, was so successful that applications had to be stopped on Dec. 10, prior to the original extension to Jan. 7, 2022.

91心頭 personnel met with applicants and assisted them throughout the application process. They scanned and input necessary documentation, set up email accounts for those without them and made sure applicants had all necessary documents for a complete application. They also followed up with applicants if additional information was requested.

���As a landlord, 91心頭 is vested in our residents, neighborhoods and the community. We are assisting those that need help in applying for eviction relief funds,��� said NCC Chief Operating Officer Fred Hunter. ���No one wants to see families being evicted. Also, this time of the year children should be enjoying the holiday season and not worrying where their family will be living come winter.���

In addition to assisting ERAP applicants, 91心頭 personnel participated in outreach to encourage more people to apply. They handed out information at events, put flyers in food boxes and displayed program details in prominent community areas.

Those who received ERAP application assistance with 91心頭 also got information about other programs and services available to them.

���We never let people come for just one service,��� said 91心頭 Family Resource Success Center Director Joann Williams-Swiney. ���We try to make sure all their needs are met. Many of the residents who come in for ERAP also apply for the energy assistance program.���

Mohammed was prescreened when she called about ERAP and obtained a dual appointment for the ERAP and energy assistance applications. Williams-Swiney helped Mohammed apply to both programs.

In addition to benefit programs, ERAP applicants are also introduced to 91心頭���s many offerings, including educational opportunities at 91心頭 Career & Technical Institute (NCCTI) and the Adult Learning Center and behavioral health care provided by Family Service Bureau of Newark (FSB).��

Applicants can also be assisted in other ways. During Mohammed���s appointment, she said she was having electrical issues and a rodent problem that hadn���t been addressed by her landlord. Williams-Swiney contacted the city���s Code Enforcement office on Mohammed���s behalf and provided her with additional information surrounding those issues.

���This is why it���s important to take a little time with people. Because there are bigger pictures in many cases,��� Williams-Swiney said. ���We want to do what we can to try to help them holistically. Not just do the application and send them on their way.���

According to Newark Mayor Ras J. Baraka, the city has distributed or committed its full $20.3 million allocation to more than 1,800 households, which made it necessary to stop accepting ERAP applications early.

91心頭 can still assist those who started applications but have missing information or need additional follow-up. Those who did not have the opportunity to apply to Newark���s ERAP are able to access the Essex County ERAP portal at or apply at the Essex County Division of Community Action, 50 South Clinton St., East Orange.

To assist residents who missed the opportunity to apply to Newark���s ERAP, 91心頭 is hosting Essex County ERAP personnel on Dec. 14 and 15 who will help residents apply for assistance through the county program.

���NCC has risen to the challenges brought on by COVID-19. Even during a global pandemic, our dedicated staff members have embodied our mission, finding ways to safely provide essential services to our residents and clients in the community at a time of great need,��� said NCC CEO Richard Rohrman. ���I want to especially thank our teams at Extended Care, Security and Housing who have been continuously working to help our seniors and disabled residents through this crisis. As we move forward in a new normal, we will continue to make adjustments to our operations as necessary, always keeping in mind the health and safety of our employees and those we serve.���

Members of NCC���s Board of Directors have remained involved during the pandemic.

���As a Board, and working very closely with the Management Team at 91心頭, we have witnessed the enormous toll COVID-19 is taking on our residents, employees and the community at large,��� said NCC Board Chairman Dr. A. Zachary Yamba. ���With dedication and compassion, the leadership team at NCC rose to the occasion to minimize and contain the spread of this deadly virus and to ensure that lives were saved and livelihood was protected.���

Before action was taken by government officials in New Jersey, NCC leadership created a task force made up of department directors and senior leaders to discuss and create plans for each department���s response to the virus. When it became clear that COVID-19 was going to impact the state and NCC���s footprint, those plans were put into practice.

���Our early action made an impact,��� said NCC Chief Operating Officer Fred Hunter.

Hand sanitizer stations were installed in all NCC buildings and increased cleaning protocols were put in place in early March. NCC���s Environmental Services Department has maintained cleaning and sanitizing protocols throughout the pandemic, at times with fewer staff members.

Across the board, NCC has leveraged remote activity. Meetings moved to remote means to limit in-person contact. Many employees who were able to perform their duties off-site did so at least part of the time.

Each of NCC���s departments has made changes in response to the pandemic. The following provides highlights from these different areas.

91心頭 Extended Care Facility
To help reduce the risk of infection to residents and staff members of the skilled nursing facility, Extended Care has taken several steps. Visitation was suspended and the building was closed to the public in March. Screening of staff members was put in place, including temperature checks before the start of every shift. Staff members were provided with personal protective equipment (PPE) to use when caring for residents. Plexiglass was installed at the reception desk to serve as a barrier. A specialized environmental professional group that used EPA approved disinfectants sterilized the entire building, from the basement to the fourth floor. Each floor was cleared for several hours during the disinfecting. In addition to the deep cleaning, staff members continually clean the facility with government-approved cleaning products.

All residents and staff members were tested for COVID-19. Residents who tested positive were isolated and staff members found to have the virus were removed from duty and not permitted to return until they received a doctor���s clearance. Retesting was completed in late May and isolation protocols remain in place for those with positive test results.

As an additional precaution, the facility designated a washing machine to launder linens and personal clothing for residents who were identified as COVID-19 positive.

Hunter said Extended Care staff members deserve recognition for their commitment to the residents.

���We have a dedicated group of folks working at Extended Care in all areas, from laundry to nurses to security,��� he said. ���They���re doing a fine job. I���m proud of them.���

Extended Care received a donation of face shields and ear savers from SOMA NJ 3D Printers Alliance in May, which staff members put to good use when attending to residents��� needs.

Security
Members of the NCC Security Department have continued to provide services throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, ensuring the safety of staff and residents. They wear personal protective equipment (PPE) and take other preventative measures to keep them as safe as possible. In addition to their traditional duties, Security personnel make sure everyone at their post wears the proper PPE and adheres to social distancing guidelines. For increased safety, Security staff members have minimal direct interaction with the general resident population.

Plexiglass has been installed at Security stations throughout the network to protect staff members from other individuals��� coughs and sneezes.

Members of Security have also assisted with the execution of COVID-19 testing at NCC senior buildings.

Environmental Services
NCC���s Environmental Services Department has managed emergency work orders for NCC residences and cleaned common areas and the grounds throughout the pandemic. Personnel installed hand sanitizer stations in all NCC buildings and plexiglass coverings at security posts. The department was also tasked with handling procurement of PPE for all departments except Extended Care.

Resident Services
Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, Resident Services has continued to provide support for NCC residents. Resident Services Coordinators conduct phone wellness checks on residents twice per day. The calls range from five to 40 minutes and provide residents with a listening ear. Coordinators have managed more than 1,500 cases per month during the pandemic. In addition to the wellness checks, they provide rental payment and rental assistance reminders; assist tenants filing for unemployment; provide families with baby food, diapers and clothing as needed; help residents complete their census forms by phone or internet; assist residents who don���t normally file tax returns apply for stimulus checks; make routine hospital calls after admission to keep track of residents��� health and wellbeing; call in necessary prescriptions; teleconference with residents to assist with doctor calls after residents experience symptoms possibly related to COVID-19; and share resources related to COVID-19 with residents, including referrals to mental health services when needed.

The Emergency Food Pantry has remained in operation throughout the pandemic, providing food to the community on its regular schedule, opening the first business day after the 15th of each month. Food is also provided to the community on the first Tuesday of each month. During the pandemic, the Emergency Food Pantry has served more than 500 clients per month including seniors, adults and children. From March to April, the food pantry fed 1,069 clients. The number of individuals in need of assistance is expected to increase with a high unemployment rate.

Resident Services Coordinators have facilitated the distribution of meals to residents in NCC���s senior buildings, which have been provided by the City of Newark. They also ensure residents receive food commodities donated by food banks and others.

���The meals are sorted and delivered daily by the Resident Services Coordinators. They do a fantastic and tireless job in assuring that all who want a meal will receive a meal,��� said Hector Torres, Director of Property Management. ���Our Resident Services Coordinators have been true heroes from day one of this pandemic. I applaud them and their relentless efforts to make sure our residents are at least provided a meal or food during this crisis.���

For more photos of Resident Services in action, click here.

Property Management
NCC residents were informed about COVID-19 through flyers, building intercoms, website updates and follow-up telephone calls. Residents were given ways to reach out to their Property Managers and Management offices to provide for minimal physical contact and when Newark instituted the shelter-in-place order, all physical contact was eliminated. To ensure residents have the most up to date information, the Property Management Department provides flyers and posters and makes follow-up phone calls with updates about changing protocols and food distributions.

Property Managers continue to be at buildings daily and address the recertification process for residents as best as possible with physical limitations. The residents have been cooperative and understanding during the pandemic.

COVID-19 testing for residents and staff members at NCC senior buildings began in May. services were coordinated with Sunrise Diagnostics and the City of Newark. All residents and staff members in the buildings receiving testing were given the opportunity to be tested in the Community Room. A doctor was on site for testing. Social distancing guidelines were adhered to for the testing and residents waited outside for their turn to be swabbed. Anyone who tested positive for COVID-19 had their primary care physician notified.

���There are many people to thank and give appreciation to as we move forward to assure that NCC is doing all it can to make sure our residents are looked out for,��� Torres said. ���The true meaning of community is reflected during times such as we are experiencing and our employees are true warriors and heroes each and every day.���

Family Resource Success Center
The Family Resource Success Center has remained available throughout the pandemic to ensure that vulnerable, low-income families and individuals can remain in their homes and have access to resources and benefits during and beyond the crisis. The center offers guidance and support to ensure residents are connected to critical local and national resources, and social outlets to maintain their economic and mental health to lessen the impact of the pandemic.

���As the hub for NCC services, we are connecting residents to a range of strategies and activities. We will continue to support communities in an effort to address needs during this public health crisis, and respond to future needs,��� said Family Resource Center Director Joann Williams-Swiney. ���We hope to leave our communities better prepared and secured for future emergencies and crises.���

The Family Resource Success Center connects individuals to the myriad of services provided by NCC, as well as outside entities. During the pandemic, the center has referred clients and provided the following services: online training programs available through 91心頭 Career & Technical Institute (NCCTI); senior services; health care services for seniors, the disabled and uninsured; housing resources through NCC and specialized housing for those with HIV, the homeless and veterans; counseling services; benefits screenings; energy assistance; prescription assistance; free tax prep, which continues since the tax deadline was pushed back to July 15; detox placements; food referrals; rental assistance programs; financial literacy programs; furniture referrals; and legal services.

Harmony House
Harmony House, NCC���s transitional housing facility for homeless families, has been open for regular services throughout the pandemic and is accepting new referrals. The staff has provided 854 case management hours in eight weeks. Food is also distributed to families through collaboration with the City of Newark and other supporters. Family counseling is available through Family Service Bureau for all families.

Family Service Bureau (FSB)
Family Service Bureau (FSB), a licensed outpatient mental health and substance abuse treatment center, has continued to operate during the pandemic with remote services. FSB provided 1,200 sessions in eight weeks with a combination of telehealth and telemedicine.��

In addition to servicing community clients, the facility has worked with NCC employees as part of the Employee Assistance Program to provide free support during these difficult times. Mental health and substance abuse services are also available to senior residents and Harmony House families.

In addition, FSB is providing free COVID-19 crisis counseling services to families, individuals and youth living in Bergen, Essex, Hudson and Passaic counties. Services are available through the Disaster and Terrorism Branch of the State of New Jersey and are offered Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Call 973-272-7488 or email FSBNJHH@newcommunity.org to utilize the services.

91心頭 Career & Technical Institute (NCCTI)
NCCTI was forced to suspend all on-campus classes because of the pandemic. To adjust to the new normal, the school made preparations and began offering three online programs. Clinical Medical Assistant and Patient Care Technician programs began online May 11 and the online Automotive Technician program starts June 8.

���We were able to adjust and offer online learning to ensure we are continuing the pipeline of skilled and trained workers in health care and automotive,��� said NCCTI Director Rodney Brutton. ���We were able to change our delivery in a matter of weeks and meet our enrollment goals. And the quality has not been jeopardized or diluted.���

Brutton is thankful for NCC���s IT and Finance departments for their assistance making sure online students had the tools and resources necessary to participate in the programs. He also said the Communications Department was instrumental in promoting the online programs, which helped recruit the desired number of students.

The Financial Opportunity Center (FOC) continued its operations during the pandemic, offering financial coaching, job readiness and retention support remotely. The FOC also continues to conduct financial literacy workshops remotely and shares information about topics and online events.

Work for the Newark 2020 initiative also continues during the pandemic. As a community hub, NCCTI personnel participate in weekly conference calls with representatives from other organizations involved in Newark 2020, including Ironbound Community Corporation, Urban League of Essex County, La Casa de Don Pedro and the Newark Alliance, which heads the initiative.

���We are still engaging Newark 2020 clients to assess their education level and work experience and connect them to current job openings within the Newark 2020 employer network,��� Brutton said.

Personnel also took an active role in recruiting job seekers for a new virtual career coaching series called Level Up Now!, which is an initiative through the City of Newark and Ironbound Community Corporation for Newark 2020. Sessions began April 29 and continue weekly through June 17. The series includes virtual and essential job opportunities, employer partner facilitators, training on the virtual workplace, remote task delivery, the building power of digital profiles, resume enhancement, virtual interviewing techniques and connections to career coaches.

Adult Learning Center
In-person classes had to be suspended in March because of the pandemic, but the Adult Learning Center moved its classes online April 20 for its last session of the fiscal year. All services are being offered through Google Classroom and Google Meets at their regularly scheduled times. Students were able to pick up their books from the center, which now has office hours of Monday through Thursday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

While Adult Learning Center Director Cristhian Barcelos said the transition was a challenge since it had to be done quickly and using technology staff members weren���t necessarily familiar with, he said it has been successful and has enabled students to continue their education.

���Our instructors and students have demonstrated an immense capacity to adapt and overcome the challenges that we are facing, especially in the middle of a pandemic and financial crisis,��� Barcelos said. ���We do not know what awaits for us in the future, but we are working very hard to be prepared for anything that comes our way.���

Early Learning Centers
Both Community Hills Early Learning Center (CHELC) and Harmony House Early Learning Center (HHELC) closed their doors in March because of the pandemic. But just because students and teachers couldn���t come together in the classroom doesn���t mean the learning stopped. Staff members at both centers have continued communicating with families and teaching children through virtual means like Zoom and ClassDojo. Parents share photos and video clips of their children engaged in learning activities. NCC personnel have also reached out to families to provide support through email, WhatsApp and text messages.

HHELC students participated in the Week of the Young Child remotely this year. Throughout the week, they made their own music objects; explored food and cooking; built structures using blocks, wood or legos; and created artwork.

CHELC staff members participate in weekly conference calls to stay updated and discuss how they are dealing with their new normal. Spanish speaking teachers provide remote learning in Spanish for families who primarily speak that language.

Newark Public Schools provided ShopRite gift cards for families at both CHELC and HHELC to help them during this difficult time. Center directors arranged for a family representative to pick up the gift cards.

For photos of CHELC and HHELC families, click here.

Youth Services
Youth Services has provided remote learning to children in the Family Friendly program and the after-school program at the NCC Neighborhood Center. In addition, mentoring services through the Teen Empowerment Network (T.E.N.) program is continuing remotely and assisting high school seniors in preparing for college.

Supportive Assistance to Individuals and Families (SAIF)
Supportive Assistance to Individuals and Families (SAIF) has been operating remotely off-site. Staff members have provided 639 outreach efforts with a total of 240 case management hours.

91心頭 Federal Credit Union
The 91心頭 Federal Credit Union has remained open during the COVID-19 pandemic. Hours changed slightly and are currently Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Both Denise Felix and Tracey Coleman volunteered at the Family Resource Success Center before becoming NCC employees. Family Resource Success Center Director Joann Williams-Swiney said she saw that they would benefit NCC and help fulfill its mission: to help residents of inner cities improve the quality of their lives to reflect individual God-given dignity and personal achievement.

���These are two young ladies that understand that hard work and determination can take you a long way,��� Williams-Swiney said. ���They both just simply embody the mission as we hope all of our employees do.���

Felix began volunteering at 91心頭 Career & Technical Institute (NCCTI). While there, she saw the flyer for free tax preparation offered at the Family Resource Success Center. She had been a tax preparer for many years and often volunteered to help others with their taxes. Felix went to Williams-Swiney to see if she could be involved in the tax preparation program. She passed the necessary test and began volunteering at the Family Resource Success Center for tax season. The days she wasn���t preparing taxes, she continued volunteering at NCCTI.

When tax season was over, Williams-Swiney successfully got Felix an extension so she could continue to volunteer through CWEP as she searched for permanent employment. So Felix volunteered at the Family Resource Success Center full-time. She loved the work.

���I love everything about the Resource Center and what they do to help people,��� Felix said. ���For me, helping people, that was just so gratifying that I was doing something that was really making a difference in people���s lives.���

During her job search, Felix saw an opening for a Resident Services Coordinator with NCC. She applied and after meeting with Resident Services Director Donnette Burrowes-Williams, she was offered the full-time job at Gardens Senior, which she started in July 2019.

���Denise is a vibrant, energetic and funny individual who���s easy to work with. Her bubbly personality quickly transcends to her residents and they love her for that because she puts a smile on their faces every time they enter her office,��� Burrowes-Williams said. ���Denise is very passionate about her work and goes above and beyond to ensure the Gardens Senior residents��� health is intact, they receive services that are beneficial to their needs and most importantly utilizing resources that will improve their lives. Denise is a great addition to the Resident Services team.���

Felix, who lives in Newark with her youngest daughter who is 13, has experience with seniors. She���s been a home health aide and a certified nursing assistant (CNA).

���I love seeing the seniors happy. I love making a difference in their life,��� Felix said. ���I really love coming aboard and helping them and advocating for them. A lot of them need that.���

While Felix was volunteering at the Family Resource Success Center, she helped train Coleman, who also came to 91心頭 through CWEP.

���Denise helped Tracey grow,��� Williams-Swiney said. ���Denise grew out into her present position and Tracey kept growing until she reached the point where everyone noticed the hard work she was doing and she landed a job at 91心頭.���

Coleman started volunteering at the Family Resource Success Center in June 2019. She, like Felix, assisted community members with a variety of services, including utility assistance, shelter placement and back rent payments.

When her six months with CWEP was coming to an end, Coleman began searching for jobs within NCC online. She saw an opening for a Retention Specialist at NCCTI and applied for the position. She met with NCCTI Director Rodney Brutton and was offered the job, which she accepted. She officially became an employee in February.

As a Retention Specialist, Coleman follows up with NCCTI students who have missed class to see what might be going on and encourage them to return. She also reaches out to graduates to see if they have found employment or need assistance in that area. The transition was smooth because she was already helping NCCTI students while volunteering at the Family Resource Success Center.

Because her current position is part-time, Coleman will still spend time volunteering at the Family Resource Success Center. Her goal is to eventually find a full-time position, but she loves her job, especially the connections she���s able to make with the students.

���It makes them want to come to school,��� Coleman said. ���And that���s what we���re trying to do, get them in and out so they can be in a working environment.���

Coleman has seen a lot of positive changes in her life recently. She was at St. Rocco���s Emergency Family Shelter before getting an apartment for herself, her two toddler sons and their father.

���First I got my apartment. Then I got the job. And everything just started falling into place and I was so happy,��� she said.

Brutton said NCCTI staff members look forward to working with Coleman.

���We���re pleased to have Tracey on board,��� he said. ���She���s someone who understands NCCTI.���

While Coleman hopes her position within NCC will expand to full-time, she is enjoying her new role. She gets excited coming to work each day.

���People are like, ���Why are you so happy?��� Because I love my job,��� Coleman said. ���When you love doing something, you���re just going to be happy every day.���

Reese has been interested in the medical field since she was a young girl. Her grandmother was diabetic and she would help her. When her grandmother went to a nursing home, she would visit often, helping her and interacting with the other residents. She said she also became interested in the medical field because her father���s side of the family has heart issues, including her father who had a bad heart condition at the time of his death.

���I always wanted to work at a hospital because I wanted to help people,��� Reese said. ���When I was a little girl, I used to play with my dolls. I would sit them all around and pretend that I was their doctor.���

So when she graduated high school, after attending both West Side High School in Newark and Irvington High School, Reese researched area nursing programs and came across NCCTI. She was still 17 when she graduated, so she waited until her 18th birthday last October and filled out an application. Because NCCTI offers open enrollment, she was able to start class in February and graduated in August.

Reese has overcome some challenges. She has a 3-year-old son to support and has experienced homelessness. But that didn���t stop her from following her dream of working in a hospital.

���Denayah Reese is one of our shining stars. We are pleased to consider her as one of our successful graduates and alumni,��� said NCCTI Director Rodney Brutton. ���We welcome recent high school graduates who are looking for a valuable education option other than college and Denayah is a young lady that epitomizes who we���re looking to enroll in our school.���

Reese credits NCCTI with preparing her for the working world and helping her find employment. Her main course instructor was Maha Koltowski, who she said was extremely helpful and accommodating.

���I never had a teacher as good as Dr. Maha. I had some good teachers, but she was a great teacher,��� Reese said. ���Dr. Maha was willing to stay late so we could make up our hours, catch up on things we may not understand, if we wanted to go to the laboratory. She was willing to do it.���

Koltowski said Reese was a model student, taking copious notes and sharing them with her classmates, paying attention to demonstrations and volunteering to try procedures first. She sees a bright future for Reese.

���She was one of the best students,��� Koltowski said of Reese. ���I expect her to be an RN one day. And I���m encouraging her to complete her studies.���

In addition to the knowledge Reese gained from the program, NCCTI helped her in other ways as well. She received a voucher for Career Closet to obtain professional attire to wear on her interview from Joann Williams-Swiney, NCCTI Income Support Specialist and Director of the Family Resource Success Center. Brutton connected Reese and her classmates to human resources personnel at a number of area hospitals and then followed up on the status of their applications once they applied. Reese also met with Financial Coach Tamara Brown in the Financial Opportunity Center and plans to return for additional guidance in a few months.

���The whole experience was great. Everybody was nice and welcoming. I felt comfortable with everybody. I could come to anybody in any situation regardless of if it was about school or anything else. They were there to help,��� Reese said. ���I���ve never been to a school where they care about you this much.���

Reese recommends NCCTI to others. She knows three current PCT students that she referred.

���I made sure that I advertised it in a positive way because the school has benefited me in a great way,��� she said.

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 and 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 newcommunitytech.edu or visit 274 South Orange Ave., Newark.

Current Clinical Medical Assistant (CMA) student Ciara Cooper-Jones is taking full advantage of the FOC. She met with Financial Coach Tamara Brown and discussed her goals of financial stability and fixing her credit, which has been lowered by student loans she has from attending a college previously.

���You can���t do anything without credit,��� Cooper-Jones said. ���My biggest goal is to be financially set and stable enough to get a house of my own. Because I don���t want to always rent.���

At age 21, Cooper-Jones wants to start the process of increasing her credit score and saving for the future. She has enrolled in Twin Accounts, which is a dual benefit program. It helps clients build credit and save. The program lasts for 12 months and requires the participant to put $25 per month into a certificate of deposit (CD). Every time the payment is made on time, the participant receives a match of $25. This is reported as an installment payment and therefore helps build the participant���s credit.

So far, Cooper-Jones has made all her payments on time.

���At the end of the program my credit score can increase and along the way I���m learning more about financial savings and stability,��� she said.

NCCTI Director Rodney Brutton said Cooper-Jones is taking advantage of the services available both from the FOC and the career and technical school.

���Ciara is a very forward thinking young lady who is not only committed to getting her professional career started, but she also knows the importance of establishing a long-term financial plan.���

Cooper-Jones and many others are able to take advantage of services offered by NCCTI and the FOC thanks, in part, to grant money. In March, 91心頭 received a three-year grant totaling $190,000 from Citi Foundation and Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) to provide services that help job seekers increase their incomes, improve their credit and raise their standards of living.

���91心頭 Financial Opportunity Center owes its appreciation and gratitude to the national and local LISC offices,��� Brutton said. ���Their technical assistance, program guidance and in-depth knowledge of operating an FOC has led to our success.���

In 2018, 72 FOC clients, most of whom were NCCTI students, saw an increase in their credit scores. Financial Coach Brown, Job Developer Joseph Jean and Income Support Specialist and 91心頭 Family Resource Success Center Director Joann Williams-Swiney work as a team to run the daily operations of the FOC. Greater Newark LISC Program Officer Jerrah Crowder has guided and assisted with the FOC to help ensure its success.

Cooper-Jones, who lives in Newark with her boyfriend and their son, has found the FOC to be very beneficial.

���This program has really given me a better understanding of the effects of credit,��� she said. ���I would recommend it to everybody, but mostly I would say an age group of 18 to 30 only because I know once you���re legal enough to sign your own papers and you don���t need a parent, most people do go open up credit cards because they want to shop. They���re not thinking of a long-term goal for themselves and then they���re going to be stuck when they get older because they messed up their credit at a young age.���

Cooper-Jones had been in college studying nursing but left the school because of the high expense. After completing the CMA program at NCCTI, she plans to work in a facility and climb the ranks and then return to school for an additional degree or certificate.

She is working on her financial future as well as her career by participating in the FOC. Brown said Cooper-Jones��� participation in the Twin Accounts program helps her to practice saving by having mandatory monthly payments, provides the opportunity to earn with the matching funds and will help raise her credit score.

���A low credit score can be a barrier to getting an apartment or a house,��� Brown said. ���Ciara doesn���t want to have to worry about a barrier.���

Cooper-Jones is glad she enrolled at NCCTI for the affordably priced CMA program and the assistance with her finances that she has received.

���I feel like everyone here at NCC has been a great help. They always come with welcome arms and they���re always willing to help,��� Cooper-Jones said. ���This program overall has been a great experience so far and I just can���t wait to see where it takes me.���

91心頭 Financial Opportunity Center is funded by Greater Newark LISC, with generous support from Citi Foundation and Capital One Bank. For more information about the FOC, contact Financial Coach Tamara Brown at 973-585-9648 or tamarabrown@newcommunity.org. The FOC is located at 274 South Orange Ave., Newark.

91心頭 Career and Technical Institute is an accredited post-secondary school that offers the following programs: Automotive Technician, Diesel Technician, Building Trades Specialist, Clinical Medical Assistant, Patient Care Technician, Culinary Arts Specialist and Business and Computer Technologies. Those interested in enrolling should call 973-824-6484 or visit www.newcommunity.org. The school is located at 274 South Orange Ave., Newark, with the Training Center that houses Automotive, Diesel and Building Trades programs located at 210 West Bigelow St., Newark.

Richard Rohrman
NCC Chief Executive Officer

Monsignor Linder many times saw more abilities in me than I did myself. I saw him do this with many others over the years too. He would drop me into a situation and leave me to figure it out on my own. He would ask, ���How���s it going?��� and was never shy in telling me it was taking too long, but this was his way of pushing me to expand my horizons.

I will never forget the day in 1984 when Monsignor called and asked me to meet him at St. Joseph Plaza right away. St. Joseph Plaza was in the midst of renovations at the time. He pointed out the empty space at the back of the Plaza and said this is going to be the only fine dining restaurant in the Central Ward. He then pointed to the north side of the space and said this is going to be a sandwich shop with New York deli sandwiches. He then pointed to the South side of the space and said this is going to be a Health Spa with a whirlpool and sauna downstairs. I told him that it sounded wonderful and asked him if the same people who were doing the renovations were going to manage the work. ���No, you are going to do it,��� he said. ���After the design and construction is done, I want you to be in charge of opening and running the operations.��� In the space of five minutes, I became a restaurant and health spa renovator, equipment buyer and a business manager. Of course there were lots of others involved but it they became my projects that afternoon.

He always had a bigger picture in his head. He had great confidence in people and many of us will miss that.

Madge Wilson
NCC Board Member and Outreach Coordinator

Monsignor Linder, a great legend that we have loved all of these years, slipped away from us recently and it still saddens my heart. However, spending the last few days with him while on vacation really made me happy just to see how much he enjoyed and appreciated life. It meant everything to me. He was a great friend for the past 55 years. Our love and memories of him will bear witness to all of the blessings that he brought into our lives and we have to preserve and honor that.

Having just celebrated and congratulated him on his 82nd birthday at a luncheon made him so happy and he remarked that it was the best birthday that he had ever had.

There have been so many great things said about Monsignor Linder and the wonderful things that he did to enrich and inspire the lives of others, especially the youth that are coming up in our society today. His scholarship program, for example. He was passionate about that because it gave the underprivileged youth the ability to learn and compete with others who were far more advanced. He knew education empowered the youth to lead successful lives and accomplish their goals in life.

Monsignor Linder was truly a visionary. It was after the 1967 civil disorders that occurred in Newark, when he was a young priest assigned to Queen of Angels living in the midst of the riot. He knew at that time after meeting with some of the people from the community that it became his responsibility to hear their concerns and attempt to try to improve the quality of their lives. This sparked a flame in his mind to research to build a new community for them and this is when the famous name ���91心頭��� was born, because out of the ashes came hope and today he has built everything imaginable from day care to a one-stop shop to educate our families. Monsignor didn���t just look around and see things that needed attention. He took action and made it happen, a man of action and not just words.

Monsignor Linder���s mission of 91心頭 is to help inner city residents improve the quality of their lives to reflect individual God-given dignity and personal achievement.

Monsignor Linder, rest in peace. We love you and will continue to carry out your dream.

Newton Richards
NCC Board Member

We mourn the passing of Monsignor Linder, our beloved founder, colleague and friend who successfully led NCC for 50 years. But he would remind us to keep our eyes on the future, expand and uplift the vision of prosperous and inclusive urban communities and make our mission serve as inspirations and demonstrations of what we can accomplish for the future.

Dr. Zachary Yamba
NCC Board Member

Monsignor Linder’s passing is not only a loss for his family and his church but also for the city of Newark and its people. His love and care for the residents of the city are prominently captured in the mission statement of 91心頭: ���To help residents of inner cities improve the quality of their lives to reflect individual God-given dignity and personal achievement.��� Monsignor Linder lived this mission statement.

I was privileged to have met Monsignor Linder in 1963 when he was newly assigned to the Queen of Angels Parish in Newark where I would come to worship on Sundays. Even from this early beginning, one could see in Monsignor Linder the social activist and a champion for justice and equity. His 55 years of untiring and unselfish work has, without a doubt, made a difference in the lives of people in Newark and neighboring cities. He will be sorely missed but his vision and legacy will continue to live in our city and in our hearts.

We are blessed and grateful to have known Monsignor William Linder, a man who lived his faith!

Edgar Nemorin
NCC Board Member

I will share two of my fond memories of Monsignor Linder.

1) Fourteen years ago, my father passed away at his residence suddenly. My parents lived in an apartment on the fifth floor where the elevator was broken. When I arrived at their residence after the paramedics confirmed that there was nothing they could do, my first call was to Monsignor Linder. Monsignor Linder, at the age of 68, arrived and went up five flights of stairs to give my father the last blessing. He and Madge Wilson also suggested funeral homes to contact. My family was very grateful.

2) I had the pleasure and joy of Monsignor Linder to be the officiant at my wedding in Long Island. For my daughter���s baptism, Monsignor agreed to do a reenactment of the baptism for my church family at St. Rose because the official baptism was held in my Long Island parish. Therefore, I brought all my Long Island family to St. Rose, and my daughter had her baptismal clothing to receive a special blessing.

We are all disciples of Monsignor Linder. To honor his legacy, I ask that we unconditionally volunteer, donate your time, God-given talent and treasure to help others.

Barry Baker
NCC Board Member

I first met Monsignor when he was pastor at St. Rose of Lima. I had just gotten out of the military and I was looking for a parish to go to. And I ended up going to St. Rose of Lima. He was really nice, he was very welcoming and all of that. I was there for about six months when I read an article in New Jersey Magazine about him. I���m sitting there and I was almost stunned. I had been going to mass for six months and I hadn���t known anything about his activism. I knew about 91心頭 but I didn���t know about his own personal activism. After mass we used to have this gathering downstairs in the church. I ended up talking to him about his activism. And one of the things that he consistently talked about during that day and subsequent years afterwards was that sometimes you���ve got to give truth to power, particularly with advocacy for the poor, because there���s nobody else who does that.

I remember he was talking about how he actually had protest against the archbishop of the Archdiocese. He told me, ���He did not care about the poor. And if we don���t do that, then I���m sorry, I have to speak about it, I have to say something about it.���

If you���re not advocating for the people who can���t advocate for themselves, then why are you here? Why am I here? That was an overarching theme for his whole time at 91心頭. There were some times where he would get into conflicts and issues with city officials. If they���re not standing up for the most vulnerable in our community, then we have to call them out for it. And that included mayors, council persons, congresspeople. It did not matter. His thing was, ���I have to advocate for the people who can���t advocate for themselves.���

And one of the other things he always said: ���Your enemies define you in some ways much more than your friends.��� There are people you���re supposed to have conflict with. If they���re not standing up for the people, then why don���t you have conflict?

It���s not easy to stand up to people who have more authority or perceived power in the political structure. He was the kind of person that would do this in a way that was very courageous. He made you stronger. If there was a righteous fight to have, he was always saying, ���It���s OK. You���ll get some backlash. You���re always going to get some backlash. At the end of the day the righteous will always win out.��� And it did.

With his passing, of course we���re all going to miss him and we want him to be here, but for 50 years he gave us the blueprint. We don’t have an excuse to not do what is right. Our leader taught us that.

Migdalia Martinez
NCC Board Member

Father Linder and I first met when he was chosen to be the priest at St. Rose of Lima in 1977.

Father Linder was an extraordinary person. He lived his life helping people in need, a true servant of God.

There are so many accomplishments I can mention, but I think Father Linder would want to be remembered as a kind, compassionate, humanitarian activist who was always there for his congregation and community.

Father Linder has entrusted his nephew, Rich, who no doubt will continue to do Father Linder���s amazing work.

Kathy Spivey
NCC Chief of Staff

As I reflect on my more than 28 years of sharing with Monsignor, the one consistent theme that comes to mind is the importance of serving the less fortunate. His whole life���s history was centered around meeting the needs of others from infancy through the golden years. His commitment to service began in his early years while preparing to become a priest.

I met Monsignor at a State Employment Training Commission (SETC) meeting at Rutgers University in Piscataway. Little did we know that meeting would turn into a 28-year relationship. Riding together to SETC meetings we talked about the NCC mission, the first housing project after the riots (Homes Court) and the many projects to follow. Monsignor was convinced that housing alone did not address all the basic needs of inner city residents. They also lacked education, job training, employment opportunities, day care and other basics that one needs to have a sound existence in the community. Recognizing those needs, Monsignor sought to create an organization that would address them all.

He believed that youth and education was paramount. Starting with his first CYO group, he began to ensure that youth received a quality education through St. Rose of Lima Elementary School and the Monsignor Linder Scholarship Fund which provided scholarships to quality Catholic high schools. He believed that if given a sound foundation in elementary and high school, college and the funds needed would be easily attainable. As a result of his commitment to youth and education, there are hundreds of testimonials of the successes of the recipients!

I truly believe Monsignor���s inspiration came in the middle of the night because over morning coffee he would share ideas for new projects that would address another need in the community. Harmony House was one of those ideas. He felt homeless families needed stable transitional housing rather than shelters that stripped individuals of their dignity.

Monsignor felt it was critical that we never lose sight of ���our mission, our purpose��� and had mission statements posted throughout the network as a constant reminder of why we are here. In addition, he created the Director of Mission position to keep us properly focused on the goals and not the obstacles. If there was a need, Monsignor never let the lack of money stop him. He knew if our purpose was right we could accomplish any goal.

In his later years, Monsignor couldn���t continue his rigorous schedule but he did not believe in retirement. When asked when he would retire, Monsignor would respond ���when all the needs are met��� knowing all the needs would never be met. Using the power of the pen, he crafted Clarion editorials that addressed local and world issues of injustice. In one of our last conversations, he discussed our country���s appalling policy of separating immigrant children from their parents and was planning to write his next editorial on that dire situation. While we will never read his thoughts on that topic, we know he would be on the side of the weeping parents and children looking for a safe place to call home.

Monsignor lived a life of service that was grounded in the prayer of Saint Francis which was collectively recited at all NCC meetings and gatherings. As we honor his legacy we must continue to serve and pray. ���Lord make me an instrument������

Diane Johnson
Retired HUD Field Office Director

I���ve known Monsignor for a good portion of 30 years. As a director of the Department of Housing and Urban Development, I worked extensively with him in developing his housing, his senior citizen buildings, his family developments and his Extended Care Facility. He was a legend in his own way. Monsignor was a people���s priest. He heard their cry, he heard their needs and he was determined to be of assistance to carry out those scriptures that talked about feeding the hungry and clothing the naked and housing those that needed housing. Monsignor transitioned the Central Ward and improved the quality of life for many residents. He dealt with the whole person, providing health care, workforce training and housing. It was just not bricks and mortar to him but it was to deal with the full complement of the person. His legend will live on forever. Newark not only lost a visionary, but they also lost a great friend. I too lost a friend.

Rosemary Eibell
Monsignor Linder���s Aunt

He always considered that 91心頭 was his number one family and that we were number two. He always said that. But he was always there for us when we needed him. When I had my heart attack, he was there. I was in the hospital and all of a sudden this man was standing at the door. And it���s him. That���s the type of person that he was.

We spent a lot of time together when he was the pastor of St. Rose. We used to come up and spend Thanksgiving at the Priory. And then his sister and his brother-in-law and I would stay overnight. We would have time to talk to him. He would tell us some of the things he was doing, where he was traveling and so forth. But he was also interested in what we were doing. And then the next morning he would say mass downstairs and then we would come up and have coffee and bagels and juice. And then we would go to his favorite restaurant and we would have dinner there. Madge would join us. And then we would go home. And it went on for many, many years until he retired as pastor.

My sister, his mother, was the oldest of the nine of us. I spent a lot of time with them. I traveled a lot with them. Because my mother died when I was 16 and that was sort of like a second home to me. So it was just a loving relationship with them. And they were always there.

Just recently, within the last couple of years, he landed in the hospital. The phone rang and it was him. I asked him, ���How are you doing?��� He said, ���I���m in the hospital.��� I never knew when he was going to call. We kept in touch with one another. His passing leaves a void.

Regina Adesanya
Member of Queen of Angels Youth Group

I still remember his first day in Newark when I was an impressionable 14-year-old, wondering who is this man joining the others digging the ditch. I knew then he would play a significant part in my life. From encouraging me and other youth to go to college, to that fateful phone call that started my career with Babyland Nursery and ultimately 91心頭 as its first Education Director, Monsignor has influenced who I am as a person and how my career has gone. He always taught us the importance of ���faith��� and that ���faith without works is useless.��� I believe without his example, I would not believe so strongly that we are servants and as a servant, we must act with the humility by giving selflessly of ourselves to better the lives of others. My road has been to work within the field of early childhood education but I doubt this would have been my path without Monsignor playing a role in my life.

Rev. Frances Teabout
NCC Director of Mission

���The collar doesn���t make the priest, the priest makes the collar.���

Working in the St. Rose rectory I was privy to many conversations between Monsignor and Kathy, his Chief of Staff. A frequent discussion was what Monsignor would wear to an impending meeting. On many occasions Kathy, in her very diplomatic way would say, ���You���re wearing your blacks, right?��� She was referring to the black pants, black shirt and white clerical collar that once donned would declare to everyone that William Linder was a priest, a servant of the Lord. But what the collar could not reveal was the heart of the man who introduced himself as Bill despite his many honorifics. Monsignor had an earned doctorate from Fordham University, was the recipient of 10 honorary doctorates, the MacArthur Genius Award and many other honors, but these were not the things he was most proud of. The NCC LPN program that graduated hundreds of students; the countless youth who benefited from his scholarship program and went on to college; the NCC Early Learning Centers that provide affordable, quality care and education for young children while their parents work; and the first extended care facility in Newark to serve Medicaid patients ��� these were some of the things that were most gratifying to Monsignor.

On most occasions Monsignor gave in to Kathy���s wisdom and wore his ���blacks��� to important meetings but some of his most significant work was done in everyday clothes. Day after day in his khaki pants and plaid button up shirts, Monsignor listened to people���s problems, solved crises and fought many political battles on behalf of the disempowered. Whether wearing a collared shirt or a flowered shirt, Monsignor had the same priority ��� changing people���s lives for the better. When I was young in ministry, Monsignor taught me how to put on my clerical collar but most importantly, he showed me how to live when I take it off.

Gayle Chaneyfield Jenkins
Former Central Ward Councilwoman

One of my fondest memories of Monsignor Linder was watching him work hand in hand with my father, Joe Chaneyfield, and community leaders to bring the first new supermarket in 25-plus years to the Central Ward with the opening of Pathmark, creating thousands of jobs and helping to stabilize our community.

The most important thing I learned from Monsignor was his ability to empower people. Empower people through jobs, empower people through faith and giving them the courage to transcend their present conditions. This has become the cornerstone of what I believe and what I truly believe 91心頭 is about.

He will truly be missed.

Billie Jean Easley-Suggs

Monsignor Linder was a true leader within this community and a great example of compassion, faith and selfless humanity. He gave of himself to God and whomever had a need. And one of his greatest gifts to me was his belief in something that I hadn’t even fully realized in myself. He provided me with an opportunity to truly execute and realize my creative talents. He reassured my vision for the remodeling of the Priory and 91心頭���s nursing home and gave me support every step of the way. He touched my family and has truly been an unforgettable figure within our lives.

There are moments that I will always hold dear in memory. Monsignor Linder has gone home now, led by the faith that guided his steps every day. He leaves behind a light and legacy of hope and love for all those that are still with us today and we will continue on in that same love and dedication to others.

May God bless Monsignor and stand with him as he enjoys eternal peace with our Lord and Savior.

Cecilia M. Faulks
NCC���s First Full-Time Employee

I met Monsignor Linder in 1968 when I was in need of some spiritual advice and my sister Mary, who was a member of the CYO at Queen of Angels Parish, suggested I speak to him. With his guidance, I resolved my issues. Shortly thereafter, I changed parishes and joined Queen of Angels, where all of my family attended.

By January 1969, Monsignor hired me to become secretary to Lewis Roland whom he hired the previous September to become principal of Queen of Angels School, making history as the first male, lay black principal of a parochial school in New Jersey.

During this same period, he was also spearheading the beginning of 91心頭. My duties not only included secretarial work for Mr. Roland, but work for 91心頭 also. In 1973, when Monsignor Linder secured a grant from Victoria Foundation to open an office for 91心頭, he offered me the job of secretary. Being secretary and the only employee meant you did everything that needed to be done in a construction office. Hence, him encouraging me to attend Seton Hall University where I studied accounting and later attending Upsala College and receiving certification in Human Resources Administration.

There are many other instances I can recall of how he impacted my life, particularly about service to others. He always stressed that 91心頭 is a service organization.

I thank him for the lessons of service and being a friend to my entire Moses Family from the beginning of his priesthood life.

Anna Sing-King
NCC Human Resources Manager

After the 45th Anniversary Gala, the next day when we had breakfast, my husband and I went downstairs and Monsignor was sitting there. And I was scared to go over. But my husband went over and he started talking. Monsignor really made us feel comfortable. He talked to us. He talked about my daughter, how great my daughter was. Monsignor being who he is but still made us feel comfortable.

One year during the Spring Festival, somebody fell or got hurt. My first reaction was to get up and go see what was going on and try to help. Monsignor said, ���No, you���re not at work. Sit down, enjoy yourself.���

Another memory that comes to mind was at an Employee Recognition Ceremony. Some of the employees have long names that can be hard to pronounce. So I was at the podium giving out the plaques and of course you have to say their names. I could not pronounce their names. I was so embarrassed. I don���t remember the exact words that Monsignor said, but he looked at me and was basically like, ���It’s OK because we can���t say them either.���

I think Monsignor set a good legacy. He helped a whole lot of people, probably people he didn���t even realize that he helped. I���m grateful for him having that vision.

Pat Foley
Original Editor of The Clarion

I went to Father Linder and I said, ���I think we better have a newspaper.��� He said, ���Oh, what a good idea.��� He said, ���Give me some names. I don���t know what we would call this.��� I gave him three names, one of which was the 91心頭 Clarion. There were two others and God only knows what they were because I never can remember them. The Clarion was the big trumpet that goes through the medieval times that brings the good news of the world. And that���s why I chose it. So then I put the three of them in front of Father and I said, ���What do you think?��� He said, ���Oh I like that Clarion one.��� I said, ���I do too.��� So that���s when the 91心頭 Clarion began. The good news of the world from medieval times became the good news in 91心頭.

Father Linder always had his eye out for the goodness of what was happening down in Newark. He always looked for the good news down there and he certainly got it right until the very end. It became much more than a little thing in Newark. It really encompassed the whole world. Father Linder was just such a wonderful person. I miss him already. We did good things together.

Ras Baraka
Mayor of Newark

Monsignor Linder was a man who stood by and advocated for Newark during some of the most painful hours of our city���s existence, during and after the 1967 rebellion. When others dismissed or abandoned Newark, he rolled up his sleeves and went to work in Newark, creating the 91心頭. Over the past 50 years, NCC has become one of the nation���s largest, most comprehensive community development corporations in the United States, offering an incredible array of vital services, ranging from affordable housing to workforce training to self-sufficiency programs to English as a Second Language classes, all of which have been nationally recognized.

Monsignor Linder���s legacy stands firm in the works of the 91心頭 and the many people he helped. All of Newark is grateful to him for his love of our city and commitment to it for the past five decades.

Ramona Galley
91心頭 Workforce Development Center Registrar

I met Monsignor at St. Rose of Lima Church where he was the pastor. I just moved here with my infant daughter. I was going through some tough times when I started attending St. Rose of Lima. I didn���t talk to Monsignor about anything that was going on with me, but for some reason he saw a need and asked how he could help. Monsignor didn���t only preach the Gospel but he lived the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. He was always looking to lift people up; to help them become their very best. He was the definition of the ���Good Samaritan��� ��� kind and very humble. When you are willing to walk one mile, Monsignor will walk two extra miles with you. He never gave up on people.

I went to say hello to him a few days before he passed. He looked a little tired that day, but still he asked if everything was OK and if there was anything he could do. I said, ���No, I just wanted to say hello.��� He sees beyond what you see in yourself. He believed in people. We will miss him a lot.

Father Beatus Kitururu
Excerpts from Homily delivered June 14, 2018 at St. Rose of Lima

His call was now to bring light where there is darkness; peace where there is violence; love where there is hate; respect where there is contempt; compassion where there is selfishness and greed; inclusion where there is segregation and discrimination.

Monsignor Linder understood very well that there is a lot of pain in the human heart. But he also understood that as long as one believes in the resurrection of Christ, there is no pain that cannot be healed.

Those who knew well Monsignor Linder realized that he never gave up on anybody. He stood to the end by those who needed the love of God even when some cheated him or betrayed him or spoke ill of him.

Veronica Onwunaka
Extended Care Administrator and NCC Director of Health and Social Services

Monsignor William Linder ��� A GREAT MAN

In my mind, Monsignor Linder was not just a God sent but earthly redeemer. His teachings through the way he lived, acted, spoke and encouraged others to emulate, is what made him a saint. He believed in helping the poor, the oppressed, the voiceless and even the rich. Anyone who came in contact with Monsignor would leave with the spirit of wholeness no matter what your troubles might have been. I will forever remain grateful for him making me a better human being and hope and pray that God will continue to give me the grace to carry out all that he taught me. He will be greatly missed.

Father Philip Waters
Excerpts from Homily delivered June 16, 2018 at Cathedral Basilica of the Sacred Heart

It was clear from the very beginning that Bill Linder was a priest who was not afraid to roll up his sleeves and get his hands dirty.

In his work as a priest, he preached the word, but more important, he lived the word. No matter how dirty his hands got, he confronted those forces both in the city and even in the church which worked against the dignity not only of his beloved parishioners, but of all the residents in the city.

Today we bid farewell to a community organizer, a role model, a pastor, but most of all, a friend. We ask not what he leaves behind, but what we will take with ��us.

Many other efforts in the city were built on sand, but his were built on the rock of faith which stood against all the storms that blew against them. Many other programs have been blown away. NCC endures. But this man who was willing to walk with poor and the disenfranchised built a legacy which will last as long as the people of Faith are willing to grasp his vision.

He was truly a visionary and a prophet ��� a good faithful priest ��� and someone who was willing to roll up his sleeves and get his hands dirty.

Sammy, Helen, Sibonai and Mesgana Gebreyesus

Father Linder, thank you for sharing your faith, grace, strength, kindness, passion, vision, example, charity, humility, compassion, humor and unconditional love.

We admired you for being graceful, generous, gifted and courageous. You were a gift from God, always there to lend a helpful hand to others in need, special, kind, caring and loving for all of us. Father Linder had a huge heart of gold that was full of love. Father Linder, we are grateful for all of your support and for creating an environment of mutual trust, respect and friendship.

We had the pleasure of entertaining you in our house on holidays or beautiful summer days for the last 20 years it was a blessing. Thank you for the kindness you have shown our family and being a part of our family. You were a very special person. No one can replace you. You inspired us in many ways. Your legacy will never be forgotten. Rest in Eternal Peace.

Monsignor Ed Bradley
Minister to Retired Priests

Monsignor Linder struck me as a dedicated, loving priest with a positive mind, determined will and open heart. As I looked at the information in his file, I was astounded by the number of awards and other recognitions that were bestowed upon him for his work with 91心頭. These came from religious and civil organizations and from national and international groups. Yet, with all this attention and adulation, he always remained focused on ���helping residents of inner cities improve the quality of their lives to reflect individual God-given dignity and personal achievement.��� There is a saying from St. Teresa of Avila: Bloom where you are planted. Monsignor Linder was planted in Newark from the time of his assignment at Queen of Angels Parish when he was first ordained. How wonderfully he used his God-given gifts ��� not only did he bloom but so did the people and the city of Newark.

Joann Williams-Swiney
NCC Family Resource Success Center Director

Monsignor Linder was an angel given to the city of Newark, N.J. We were blessed to have him in our lives and community.

Monsignor was a man of compassion, strength, fortitude; he was a great visionary with a love for the community and those who were less fortunate whom he served for most of his life. He was stern but humble and very approachable; and always made himself available to hear the concern of others.

He was a constant thinker of how he could do more to serve. Magis is a Jesuit principle I keep taped to my computer on a small piece of paper to remember in my daily work and life. Magis, which means an individual restless desire to do more, think bigger and work harder for the greater glory of God. Monsignor was the example of what Magis stands for.

I will serve the community always keeping Monsignor and his vision in mind. The Resource Center was one of Monsignor���s many visions. He wanted a place where people could come to receive the help that they needed and be treated with dignity and respect. I was fortunate enough to work for Monsignor���s mission and see many of his visions become a reality.

He believed in people having an opportunity to excel in their lives. He had faith in people and their potential for growth and his vision for them very rarely failed to come to fruition. I was fortunate enough to be in his midst.

He gave me the inspiration to be at my highest and best self. Over the years and every time I met with him I was struck by both the force of his personality and the quality of his intellect.

His passion shone through in everything he did. I, like so many others, will miss seeing him around NCC, but his presence remains all throughout the community.

Ali Jenkins
NCC Transportation

When I first started working with him, he was a priest and I was a regular driver. I didn’t know how to interact with him so I would just be quiet. As the years went on, we got to talking and getting to know one another. I used to ask him about how he first started putting 91心頭 together. And I asked about all the different things that went on in Newark. He told me because he was in the middle of it.

I miss him. I spent the past 14 years with him. I used to do a lot with him. He was basically like family to me because we did a lot of family stuff together, like taking him to Thanksgiving and Christmas get-togethers. I���m going to miss that. Because I really loved traveling with him. I���m still feeling the loss.

Ronda Lawrence
NCC Environmental Services Project Manager

When I met Monsignor, I was 12 years old. At the time, he was our priest and would counsel me. While counseling me, I was in the choir for him and I was a lector. My brother was an alter server and my mom was also very active in the church. He performed my graduation from St. Rose. I was a recipient of the Monsignor William J. Linder Scholarship, getting a full scholarship to attend Immaculate Conception High School in Montclair.

And from there, he married me. He baptized three out of my four children. He gave two out of my four kids their first communion. And he gave my oldest her confirmation.

Through all of this, I knew nothing of 91心頭. He was just my priest.

And then I got a call from him asking me to work with him. I felt as though he knew that I was responsible enough for him to bring me into something that I didn���t even know existed and something that was so dear to him. That was the best out of anything. Because when I started working here, I realized how much he had accomplished. So knowing that he trusted me to come and be a part of something he established, that was the best feeling. And it still is.

Because of all he has done, it really made me feel like I owe it to him to give this place everything that I have because he made it all possible for me.

Shanell Sing
Teacher���s Assistant for NCC Early Learning Centers

���This Little Light of Mine��� was one of the first songs that I learned attending St. Rose of Lima. As a young child I did not really understand what that song meant until I became older and able to work with Monsignor Linder. He allowed God to use him in so many ways to help others, my family and myself. Monsignor���s teachings and life experiences became a little light of mine. He not only talked about hope, love and faith but he walked the walk. To me Monsignor was a great and wonderful understanding man. It was my honor to be a part of his life and my honor to continue his legacy.

Andrew Solomon
NCC Environmental Services, St. Joseph Plaza

Monsignor was a very good friend to me, my wife Gillian and my son Ishmael. He put my son through Babyland, St. Rose of Lima and St. Benedict���s Preparatory School, where he paid my son���s school fees through the Monsignor William J. Linder Scholarship. My son went on to Saint Vincent College in Latrobe, Pa. He finished his college degree and master���s degree. He is now the assistant director of residence life and multicultural student life at Saint Vincent College.

I���ve been with Monsignor Linder for 22 years. Over the years he and I have become very close friends. He had a great sense of humor. He was a very nice person. He cared about people. He was great to the people.

Martha Eleta-Iluonokhalumhe

An anonymous moralist once affirmed ���the human mind is like a jug, no mortal can look into its recesses and you can only judge of its purity by what comes out of it.��� As mortals, none of us, including the closest associates of Monsignor William Linder, could access his mind to decipher its purity or otherwise, but God in his infinite goodness had endeared Monsignor Linder with profound positive outward signs which in no doubt pointed to his inward grace.

Meeting him as a young mother became a life changing experience for my family and me. He became not only my spiritual leader but also my therapist, guidance counselor and a father figure. He listened to my numerous personal problems and counseled me, making me feel like I had no issues at the end. After every session with him I felt a huge sigh of relief.

He was a generous giver, he gave without any expectations. My children received scholarships from his scholarship fund which enabled them to receive quality education. My son graduated college with a bachelor���s degree in computer science. My daughter will be graduating in December and heading to medical school, Another child is currently attending Saint Vincent Academy with the assistance of Monsignor���s scholarship fund.

You gave me one last surprise when you showed up for a mass in memory of my late father in September of 2017; it reaffirmed the selfless person you were.

He was a humble and generous man of God and he had a great sense of humor. There will never be another Monsignor Linder. He was one of a kind.

Thank you for all that you did for my family. We will forever miss you. I will live life like you taught me so I will see you again someday. You are now an angel watching over us from above.

Rest in peace Monsignor, till we meet to part no more.

Tracey Battles
NCC Philanthropy Officer

I remember my mother would always talk about Monsignor Linder. He was responsible for converting my mother to Catholicism in 1975. My parents were a young couple and they came to talk to Monsignor about raising two young sons in the faith and Monsignor gladly baptized my brother and me in 1976.

Throughout the years, I kept in contact with Monsignor at different events and he would always tease me about working for the Archdiocese of Newark. ���You need a real challenge!��� He would always say. So in 2006, I answered the 91心頭 challenge and I had the honor of working with Monsignor for 12 years. I will always remember his sharp memories and how he could recall events and the ���story behind the actual story!��� I remember when he taught at Columbia University, we would make an annual trek to talk about our department. When we would discuss our role at 91心頭 with the students, I always remember Monsignor would discourage notes; he wanted us to know our job and speak of it from the heart and mind. I always felt challenged by him and no matter how well an event went, he would always ask me, ���What can be done to improve the event for the following year?��� He would always ask about my children and my own health. I will never forget that.

I will always be grateful to Monsignor and I will work to do my part to continue his legacy.

Gilda Rogers
Co-Author of ���Out of the Ashes Came Hope���

I think we too often toss around the word ���privilege��� and ���honor,��� without really giving much thought to the gravity of these words. For me, it was a privilege to meet with Monsignor William J. Linder, and for over two years, to work with him on his memoir: ���Out of the Ashes Came Hope,��� which turned out to be a valuable learning experience. I had a reserved seat into the life of a self-actualized human being, who put the needs of others first. What better honor, as a writer, than to go on this journey with Monsignor as he discussed his covenant with God and his commitment to serve and illuminate the best of what humanity offers, and that is LOVE. There were hills and valleys, roadblocks and bumpy roads, but the mission was clear: To help residents of inner cities improve the quality of their lives to reflect individual God-given dignity and personal achievement.

From a young boy, it was innate for him to help others. And born from that was a courageous spirit that defied the odds to make a difference.

There���s a humorous passage in the book, when the Linder Family is visiting with Great Aunt Agnes in Saratoga, N.Y., where little Billy is told by his Aunt what it means to be brave:

���Billy boy,��� she would say, while squeezing my cheeks to make her point, ���you get nothing out of life being scared.��� With vivid imagery she fostered in me early on a sense of resolve and fearlessness. ���Or you���ll wind up sleeping on a bed of nails and unhappy for the rest of your days,��� she quipped. Well I didn���t want to sleep on a bed of nails for the rest of my life, so I chose to be brave no matter what.

We all should be so brave.

Zoraya E. Lee-Hamlin
President/CEO of RayZo Marketing

My favorite memory of Monsignor was when we had a discussion about him documenting his life’s story and all the things that he had done. Monsignor was very modest and didn’t like the idea of touting his accomplishments, not in the least bit. In fact several people had asked him to write a book and he refused. He was such a fierce warrior and advocate for those less fortunate and he didn’t think any of that deserved any kind of praise. People should just do the right thing, from a place of love, as he reminded us all when he spoke at the ribbon cutting for A Better Life, the homeless housing services building. We talked about how approaching things from a selfless point of view is important for all of us to learn and how important it was to have something documenting his life���s work, like his memoirs, because it would eventually become part of the historical archives of Newark, the city he loved so much. With that he agreed.

Alexandra Solano
NCC Accounts Payable Analyst

The world lost a great man in Monsignor Linder. He���s one of the kindest people I���ve ever met. If anyone ever had a problem and needed someone to talk to, his door was always open. He always strived for people to do better. He was always willing to help in any way he could to make the community better. A perfect example of his willingness to help someone improve their lives, he provided me the opportunity to send my daughter to a highly respected Catholic school and I will always be thankful for that; and in his memory, we will continue in his work.

Angela Potts
NCC New Start Program Manager

It began with a buzz in the air that a baby was found in the neighborhood by a dumpster, and as expected the community was heartbroken to hear the news. I received a call a few days later that Monsignor Linder was requesting a meeting with me. My mind began to race, playing the meeting over in my head several times before the actual meeting. I began to ask others close to him questions as to why he wanted to meet with me. No one had any answers for me. Being the woman of faith that I am, I prayed and waited for the appointed time.

While waiting for the meeting to begin, it felt like a lifetime. In rolls Monsignor Linder in a wheelchair to the meeting appearing a little tired but very much alert. The meeting began with me asking how he was doing and he wanted to know how I was doing. He wanted me to know that New Start, which is a baby program for at-risk moms, which is an affiliate of Family Service Bureau, had his full support. He wanted to know first-hand if we had what was needed to assist those who crossed our paths, and to be sure that they knew we are there for them. He said, ���No mother should have to make the decision that mother made��� to leave the child at a dumpster. With a heavy heart we concluded that we are capable of being the change agent for those who cross our paths or simply a ray of hope. I assured him that we seek to do that with every young woman that we encounter on a daily basis.

While I was gathering my things preparing to leave the meeting, he called my name, and as I looked up at him, he said to me, ���Thank you Ms. Potts for all that you do!��� As I reflect on the memory of that meeting with Monsignor, I pause a minute to look up and say, ���Thank you Monsignor for all that you have done.���