Every Day is a Chance to Begin Again
Help Us Welcome Our New Board Members
As we continue to serve as a best-in-class human services organization, TPCS is excited to share our new board members!
Growing our Board of Directors will ensure a successful future for TPCS and the people we serve as we continue to expand the programs and services we provide to our women and families. We are grateful for our current board members and welcome the following new individuals to our leadership:
Desirae Dolphin: Desirae is a Senior Product Manager for Verizon and a certified parenting coach. Her expertise will help our organization with innovation and strategy.
Emily Zovko: Emily is the Head of Investors Services and Managing Director of Energy Capital Partners (ECP) and will share her expertise in strategy, fundraising, and marketing for organization buildout.
Karen Leach-Toomer: Karen is the Director of Community Engagement and Social Media & Communications for United Way of Greater Newark and has deep relationships with local businesses and the nonprofit sector.
Laura Budinick, Psy. D: Laura is the Chief Administrative Officer of Newark Beth Israel Medical Center and Children’s Hospital of New Jersey and will offer valuable healthcare knowledge to the board.
Pedro Gomes: Pedro is the CEO of The Gomes Group and will lend his real estate business acumen to our organization.
Q3 BOARD MEETING WITH BOARD MEMBERS & LEADERSHIP TEAM
We are honored to have such an accomplished and diverse group joining our dedicated and talented board. Their leadership and commitment to our mission will be instrumental as we work to expand our impact in the years ahead.
Celebrating Our Latest Grant!
TPCS is excited to announce that we have received a grant from the Department of Community Affairs (DCA). This grant is a significant boost that will allow TPCS to turn its renovation and expansion plans for the Servant’s House emergency shelter into a reality, making important improvements to the shelter’s facilities.
The key highlights of how this grant will be utilized include:
- Reconfiguring the main floor to better accommodate the clinical and supportive services division, as well as create new work and welcome spaces for the shelter team. This will help elevate the services and support available to residents.
- Enhancing the shelter to include a state-of-the-art commercial kitchen for our resident’s use. This will also enable the shelter to provide family style meals, host nutrition and cooking classes, and overall promote healthy eating habits for our residents.
- Expanding the food pantry and making it accessible to the wider community. This will increase the availability of food resources beyond just the shelter residents.
- Creating dedicated social, health, and wellness spaces for the mothers and families staying at the shelter. This holistic approach to supporting the physical, mental, and emotional well-being of the residents is crucial for their overall well-being and long-term success.
These improvements will undeniably have a positive impact on the homeless individuals and families that rely on the Servant’s House shelter. The expanded facilities and enhanced services will provide a more comfortable, supportive, and empowering environment for the shelter’s residents during a challenging time in their lives.
Our Executive Director Is “One To Watch”
On Wednesday, August 14, 2024, at Glen Ridge Country Club, our fearless leader, Karimah A. Hagans, Esq. was presented with the One to Watch Enterprising Women in Commerce Award for her achievements, determination, and dedication in the field of human services.
Karimah inspires and encourages others daily to be their best selves. Her leadership efforts will undoubtedly leave a mark on our community. Thank you CIANJ & COMMERCE MAGAZINE selection committee for choosing our #1!
How to Help
November Is National Hunger And Homelessness Awareness Month
This November, TPCS will aim to educate the public, promote advocacy, and inspire action to address the urgent problems of hunger and homelessness. TPCS asks you to join us in raising awareness by participating in our first annual Charity Care Program Campaign.
What Is Our Charity Care Program (CPP)?
Our new Charity Care Program will allow TPCS to expand our housing services beyond governmental agency support. With CPP, we will be able to reach and support even more mothers and children experiencing homelessness and abuse.
Our Charity Care Program will ensure we are serving the full breadth of families who require emergency shelter, supportive services and pathways out of homelessness. This inclusive approach aligns with TPCS’s mission to deeply support our clients and help them overcome the obstacles they face.
In order for us to get started with CPP, we need your help! We’re asking organizations and individuals to help us fundraise. Want to get involved? Reach out to our Chief Development Officer Dawn Schwartz to start your own individual campaign or competitive leaderboard with your colleagues in your company today!
What’s Happening at TPCS
As we continue to expand our programs, our amazing shelter team has added financial literacy and job readiness workshops, as well as a GED program for our mothers. They also host a variety of new programming for our youth, such as after-school homework help, reading, and summer field trips to places like the Liberty Science Center and Turtle Back Zoo.
Donor Spotlight
We want to express enormous gratitude to the Schumann Fund for New Jersey with a mission of advancing ideas and opportunities to empower low-income children, families, and communities of color to thrive. They invest in non-profit organizations like TPCS rooted in Essex County and statewide that work to advance racial and economic equity.
The Schumann Fund for New Jersey’s generous grant of $25,000 will help underwrite the pilot of our Housing Assistance Program (HAP), including the hiring of our first Housing Specialist.
If you’re looking to be a part of our 2024 contributors, head to tpcsinc.org/donate-today or contact Dawn to learn more.