Resident Services Department – 91��Ƭ

Providing for 91��Ƭ Families

Michelle Lang — Tue, 21 Dec 2021 21:41:58 +0000

91��Ƭ’s Resident Services Department receives donations of a variety of items including toys and clothes and distributes them to families. Families are able to come to department headquarters at 220 Bruce St., Newark, to look through the items and choose what they can use. For the second year, Resident Services received donations from Amy Madison and Alina Gioielli of Mountain Lakes. Photos courtesy of Anibal Alvelo.

91��Ƭ Assists with Newark Food Distribution Event

Michelle Lang — Wed, 09 Jun 2021 19:03:22 +0000

The City of Newark hosted a citywide food distribution event on May 5 along Bruce Street near 14th Avenue, right in the heart of 91��Ƭ’s footprint. Seven hundred boxes of food, which included items like chicken, potatoes and milk, were given away. Newark residents were able to drive up or walk up to receive the items. Members of 91��Ƭ’s Resident Services Department made sure that their residents were aware of the event and assisted them in receiving food items. Photos courtesy of Anibal Alvelo.

91��Ƭ Families Celebrate Easter

Michelle Lang — Thu, 22 Apr 2021 16:01:23 +0000

The Resident Services Department prepared and distributed Easter baskets to families living in 91��Ƭ housing ahead of the holiday. Photos courtesy of Anibal Alvelo.

Resident Services in Action During COVID-19 Pandemic

Michelle Lang — Thu, 04 Jun 2020 16:00:47 +0000

Douglas Homes residents pick up food in the building’s Community Room, which was set up by Resident Services. Photo courtesy of Resident Services.

NCC’s Resident Services Department has continued providing food to those in need throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. From left to right: Manor Senior Resident Services Coordinators Erika Furcal and Guadalupe Cepeda and Home Friend Program Coordinator/Food Pantry Representative Flavia Pinheiro. Photo courtesy of Resident Services.

NCC families didn’t miss Easter because of the pandemic. Resident Services Coordinator Anibal Alvelo made up fun baskets to distribute for the holiday. Photo courtesy of Resident Services.

Associates Resident Services Coordinator Desiree Crespo hands a hot meal to a resident. Photo courtesy of Resident Services.

Meal distribution at Roseville Senior. Photo courtesy of Resident Services.

Central Ward Councilwoman Lamonica McIver, Pastor Bartley, the New Jersey National Action Network and World Central Kitchen provided free lunch to the residents of Douglas Homes April 9. Photo courtesy of Resident Services.

The Resident Services Department of 91��Ƭ has continued to provide vital services to NCC residents during the COVID-19 pandemic.

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.”

Promoting Heart Health with Wear Red Event

Michelle Lang — Mon, 09 Mar 2020 14:32:37 +0000

91��Ƭ’s Resident Services Department hosted its annual Wear Red Event Feb. 21 at Douglas Homes, 15 Hill St., Newark, for the men and women of NCC. February is American Heart Month and the event highlighted cardiovascular disease and ways to reduce the risk. Attendees enjoyed a heart-healthy meal prepared by Culinary Arts Specialist students at 91��Ƭ Career & Technical Institute and health screenings. They also wrote down changes to their daily lives that they plan to make to increase heart health. Their words were displayed on the wall for all to see.

Resident Services would like to thank the following groups for their support and participation: American Heart Association, American Stroke Association, Bishop Speight, Guardy’s Pharmacy, Paparazzi Jewelry and Assurance Wireless.

Former Intern Now a Supervisor at 91��Ƭ

Michelle Lang — Tue, 04 Feb 2020 19:59:17 +0000

When Flavia Pinheiro was attending Seton Hall University, she didn’t know a summer internship would lead to a full-time job. But that’s what happened.

In the summer of 2016, Pinheiro interned at Douglas Homes, 15 Hill St., Newark, under the supervision of the Resident Services Coordinator at the time, Luz Toro. She participated in the internship for the experience, not knowing it would serve as training for her future position.

Pinheiro graduated from Seton Hall University in May 2017 with a major in Social and Behavioral Science and a minor in Social Work. For three months before graduation, she interned at Spectrum Works in Secaucus, a nonprofit organization that provides job training for young adults with autism. When Pinheiro graduated, Spectrum Works hired her for a part-time position. When not working there, she babysat.

She was looking for full-time work when she saw a job opening at 91��Ƭ. She reached out to Director of Resident Services Donnette Burrowes-Williams and landed the job of Resident Services Coordinator at Associates, 180 South Orange Ave., Newark, in October 2017.

Then in December 2018, Burrowes-Williams asked her to consider taking on the role of Home Friend Program Coordinator and Food Pantry Representative following a resignation.

Pinheiro accepted the role on an interim basis. After about one month, she took over the position permanently.

“She was an employee who was committed and dedicated to the 91��Ƭ mission and she built a long-lasting rapport with the residents,” Burrowes-Williams said. “Flavia showed tremendous growth and was thus promoted to Home Friend Program Coordinator for which she kept the same momentum and tenacity going with her staff and residents making sure that our inner-city residents improve the quality of their lives.”

The Home Friend Program provides services, including light housekeeping and small errands, to seniors 60 years and older residing in Newark’s Central Ward that have Medicare only. Pinheiro manages the program and makes sure the six full-time Home Friends are providing appropriate services to the 44 clients currently in the program. She also conducts an initial assessment of clients and yearly reassessments to ensure they are still eligible to participate.

Pinheiro manages 91��Ƭ’s Emergency Food Pantry by accepting the allocations that come in. She also manages volunteers that come monthly, ensures clients are eligible before servicing them and oversees the distribution process.

Pinheiro’s favorite part of her job is getting positive feedback from the people being served.

“When the clients call and are grateful for the service, I think that’s the most rewarding part of it,” she said.

Pinheiro is appreciative to have moved up within 91��Ƭ.

“I enjoy what I do. It’s very rewarding,” she said. “And I really do thank Donnette, especially for seeing the potential.”

Burrowes-Williams is happy with the decision to promote Pinheiro.

“Flavia is a hard worker, she makes work fun and always has a smile on her face,” Burrowes-Williams said. “She’s an employee you can count on to get the job done.”

Pinheiro was born in Portugal and moved to Newark when she was 2.5, where she has lived ever since. She remains fluent in Portuguese and also knows Spanish at an intermediate level, which allows her to help with translations for the Resident Services Department.

She has relatives in Portugal, including grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins. She enjoys going back to her home country for visits.

In addition to traveling, Pinheiro likes to go hiking in Pennsylvania and Ramapo and enjoys shopping. She currently lives in Newark with her husband.

NCC Resident Goes from Volunteer to Full-Time Employee

Michelle Lang — Mon, 02 Dec 2019 18:08:36 +0000

Tynise Gordon has always enjoyed helping others. That desire to help has led to a full-time job with 91��Ƭ.

Gordon worked as a nursing assistant for 18 years at University Hospital, when it was called UMDNJ, before leaving that role for health reasons. She was diagnosed with Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS), a condition where the immune system attacks the nerves. Gordon said her hands and feet get numb and tight, particularly in the cold weather. Because she was unable to do a lot of heavy lifting, which was required as a nursing assistant, she left that position.

Because she likes to stay busy, Gordon decided to volunteer at the Better Life Engagement Center on Fourteenth Avenue in Newark, helping in the kitchen and at the front desk. She has lived in NCC housing for a few years and the facility is near to her home.

She moved on from Better Life and began volunteering with NCC’s Resident Services Department last year, helping out as an office receptionist and with the Emergency Food Pantry at 220 Bruce St., Newark. She made a good impression and when a part-time position as a Home Friend opened up, Gordon applied and got the job. She excelled in the role and became a full-time Home Friend soon after.

“Tynise has shown potential growth as an individual and as a team player; always wanting to do better,” said Home Friend Program Coordinator Flavia Pinheiro. “Her main goal is to make her clients happy, even if it’s going the extra mile.”

As a Home Friend, Gordon provides light housekeeping services to senior citizens in the Central Ward of Newark who have only Medicare and are in need of extra help with daily living. In addition to cleaning and doing laundry, Gordon will run errands like picking up a few items from the supermarket. She has even taken some clients to the Post Office to mail letters and get money orders.

In addition to doing tasks for her nine clients, Gordon also gets to know them through conversations. The talks are beneficial for the clients and Gordon.

“These clients, when I’m down, they lift my spirits up,” Gordon said. “I always like to hear their stories.”

Gordon has her own stories to tell, which are part of a book she’s working on titled “From My Mess to My Message.” It chronicles the ups and downs in her life, including being the victim of a shooting at age 11 and a mugging at age 16.

When she was 14, Gordon told her mother she was afraid to go outside in her Newark neighborhood. She moved to Piscataway with her aunt and graduated from Piscataway High School. While in Piscataway, she spent weekends and holidays in Newark and returned to the city permanently to help her mother when her father got sick. Now she understands her fear wasn’t of Newark but of the actions of a few. She is still cautious, but says she would take those steps in any neighborhood.

Gordon comes from a large family with seven siblings. She has a 10-year-old daughter who does well in school and participates in ballet and hip hop.

Gordon is active in her church and is part of the hospitality ministry. She also is artistic, able to create party favors for events like weddings, graduations and bar mitzvahs. She used to make creations as a business with a partner but the two went their separate ways. Now Gordon will provide favors for those she knows and for others through word of mouth.

While Gordon is grateful for her job at 91��Ƭ and enjoys being a Home Friend, she hopes to advance. But she wants to grow within NCC instead of leaving for another organization.

“I really like working for 91��Ƭ because it’s a diverse company and because they like helping the community,” Gordon said.

NCC Residents Dress Up and Enjoy Harvest Ball

Michelle Lang — Sat, 23 Nov 2019 19:32:57 +0000

The Resident Services Department of 91��Ƭ held the Harvest Ball for NCC residents Nov. 21 at St. Joseph Plaza. The event included guest speakers, a catered lunch, door prizes, awards for best dressed male and female, recognition of the two oldest NCC residents, a game and a dance competition.

Resident Services would like to thank those who contributed to make the event a success: Diana Rivera of UnitedHealthcare, Sara Werner of Amerigroup, Paul Hsu of Guardy’s Pharmacy, Luz Ramirez of WellCare, Elvin Santiago of Horizon NJ Health, Taraja Hudson of Taste Tee’s Cuisine and Alistair Liddell of DJ Gospel Connection.

The department also thanks the special guests who were in attendance: Hassan Abdus-Sabur; Aide to Councilwoman LaMonica McIver; Gloria Chambers-Benoit, Essex County Division of Senior Services; Flohisha Hill, Community Action; Margaret Cammarieri, American Heart & Stroke Association; Nadira Brown, Division of Family Assistance and Benefits; Jessica Torres; and Ethel Gilbert.