Sidney Blanchard

Executive Director

Evangelist A. Brown

Mount Teman AME Church

Elizabeth

Pastor D. Brown

First Baptist Church,

Elizabeth

Pastor H. Bryant

Emeritus (Presbyterian)

Pastor E. Crawford

Ebenezer AME

Rahway

Pastor D. Ford

St. Matthew Baptist Church

Roselle

Pastor C. Gibson

Mount Teman AME Church

Elizabeth

Pastor C. Joseph

CEA Church of God

Elizabeth

Pastor W. Ingram

Shiloh Baptist Church

Elizabeth

Sis. Michelle Mobley

Director of Youth Service

Residential

Sis. Evelyn Rolon

Mount Teman AME Church

Save the Date

Sponsored by Community Access Unlimited

Union County Interfaith

Coordinating Committee Council

July/August 2014

Union County Interfaith

Coordinating Committee Council

(UCICCC)

Steering Committee Members

Mission Statement:

Working to facilitate regular interfaith meetings in order to facilitate the building of bonds

within the interfaith community. To respect the inclusion and welcoming of others

regardless of faith, race or disability and to be proactive on social issues.

Day of Prayer

Conference Thursday

September 18, 2014

For All Faiths

First Day of Ramadan

June 28, 2014

Union County Interfaith

Coordinating Committee

Council

Advantages to the Interfaith Community:

Develop interfaith solidarity

Become active with increased publicity

Build religious membership

Build support to fundraising events with paid participants

Create full and part time employment opportunities for congregation members

Provide educational opportunities regarding entitlements, housing, and other

services, to congregation members

Assist individuals within the congregation to obtain services for example for

people with disabilities; youth; people with physical disabilities; senior citizens.

Meeting Minutes

This was our last meeting before summer recess. The meeting was very invigorating and informative.

Words of encourage were given by our Elected Officials Union County Freeholder Muhammad Jalloh

and Councilman David Brown from Rahway. They are impressed with the missions of the UCICCC.

In addition to the exceptional attendance of our regular members and their guest we want to express our

appreciation to Antonio Rivera MSW, Director of UC Investment Board who presented on Youth Sum-

mer Employment Services available through Workforce. We had detailed questions and answers about

Youth Summer Employment services.

Antonio also spoke about the overall challenge of adults gaining employment in the market place, that

there are a large number of skill position open but few skill adults to take the positions.

Christine of Josephine Place also shared that if any young person needed additional help with resume or

job search skills she would be glad to assist.

Councilman David Brown ask that if you have youth with resumes looking for employment to send him

there resumes and he would forward them to our politicians.

Carol Berger Criminal Justice Liaison, Community Education Center, Inc. which is one of the many hats

she wear provided updates about the Reentry program opportunities. Emphasis was stressed in the areas

of prevention and intervention for traumatic experiences during their stages of development that can be

possible contributing factors for their negative behavior.

Sidney Blanchard also reminded the group about the scholarship grant for Youth Summer Employment.

Applications are available upon from members of the Steering Committee or by calling Community Ac-

cess.

We approved the logo change, shared the updated brochure and grant application. Updates for the Un-

ion County Day of prayer will be announced at a later date.

Donna Farell from Union County Division on Aging set up a display tableand she gave a short presenta-

tion of programs and services.

Union County Interfaith Coordinating

Committee Council Sponsored by

Community Access Unlimited

June 19, 2014

The Suburban Golf Club, Union NJ

Advertise in the UCICCC Newsletter!

Got an exciting event or program happening?

Reach out to members of the interfaith community in

Union County by advertising in this newsletter!

Please send all ready ads to Aleyah Lacey at alacey@caunj.org

by the 15th of every month to save a space!

Pastor Karl Joseph – Council Evangelical Apostolic Church of God

Pastor Karl Joseph traveled an unusual path to lead the Council Evangelical Apostolic Church of God in Elizabeth, one that started in Haiti, stopped in Canada and passed through science.

Pastor Karl came to the United Stated in 1969 to study biology and later chemistry. A job at L'Oreal in research and develop-ment led him to a bachelor's degree in science. His wife was studying nursing and the plan was for Pastor Karl to become a doctor and for the two of them to return to Haiti and open a hos-pital.

But God had other plans. By the late 1970s Pastor Karl had be-come involved with a small church in Elizabeth. When the pastor left to return to Haiti the church all but disbanded and the 10 or so remaining members turned to Pastor Karl to lead them. And so began the next leg of his journey.

"I was nervous," he said. "I knew God called me but I did not want to go because I wanted to be a simple member. In my mind I wanted to do something else but I heard the call and became a minister."

Pastor Karl earned his master's degree and doctorate in theology at the Light House Christian College and doctorate in Divinity at the Christian Bible College. Meanwhile, the church he led steadily grew from those 10 members and today comprises more than 350.

Pastor Karl was not unfamiliar with life change at the time of his calling. He not only left Haiti but also left the Catholic religion not long after arriving in the United States. After he and a friend heard a moving ser-mon from an Evangelical minister in Brooklyn he became born again.

"The Vietnam War had not ended yet," he said. "I had friends who went to war and some who didn't come back and some who came back with problems. I was thinking how short life could be if you don't have the protection of God."

Nearly 45 years later Pastor Karl is bringing that protection of the youngest generation. There are many young people at the Council Evangelical Apostolic Church of God and Pastor Karl pays special attention to them.

"We want the young people to stay in the plan of God and help the community," he said.

Pastor Karl knows from experience that plan may take a unique course but offers great rewards.

Meet Sidney Blanchard, Executive Director of Community Access Unlimited

Sidney Blanchard is the founder and executive director of Community Access

Unlimited. CAU began in 1979 from the back seat of Sid’s Volkswagen beetle.

Soon outgrowing the car, Sid oversaw the growth of the organization from its

initial three staff and $90,000 budget to its current 1000 staff and $50 million

budget.

Sidney is a pioneer, leader and ardent advocate in providing community

supports to people in need. In addition to founding and leading a multi-million

dollar human services organization, he is a current member and active

participant in many organizations including the American Association on

Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (AAIDD), NJ Chapter and Region IX, Association for the

Betterment of Citizens with Disabilities (ABCD), Families and Communities Together, Inc. (FACT),

NJ Alliance of Children, Youth & Families, Inc., and the Human Service Advisory Council (HSAC).

Sidney’s vision and foresight led CAU to be one of the first nonprofits in the nation to pursue the

federal low-income housing tax credit to acquire property. Today, he is the founder and chief

executive officer of two real estate holding companies, Community Access Institute and Creative

Property Management of New Jersey.

In 2012, Sidney was appointed to the Union County Task Force on Homelessness by the Union

County Board of Chosen Freeholders and the NJ Task Force on Homelessness by Governor of New

Jersey, Chris Christie.

Sidney has authored numerous papers and led presentations on topics of affordable housing, at-risk

youth, and individuals with disabilities.

Meet Reverend Aleyah Lacey

Reverend Aleyah Lacey is in her 30th year of employed with CAU. As the

Coordinator of Community Bridge Building she has organized programs such as

“Understand Religious Differences.” Aleyah has connected CAU members to

churches in their communities. Her passion for people has motivated her to serve as

Information & Referral coordinator where numerous homeless, marginalized and

disenfranchised, abused and neglected individuals have been successfully navigated

through the systems of community supports.

Rev. Lacey is an ordained Local Elder at Mt. Teman AME church in Elizabeth NJ.

Meet Roderick (Rod) Spearman , Consultant

As an innovative consultant, program coordinator or executive director, my goal

is to promote collaborative leadership and action that address community

development priorities and improves socio-economic sustainability. I’m a

strong communicator who is dedicated to promoting personal development and

productivity in the social service arena.

Learn More About the “Record Expungement Grant Program”

Thousands of individuals in Union County are trying to become contributing and productive

citizens in the community. Their progress is impeded by minor past criminal records and

outstanding fines.

These individuals need financial assistance to enable them to clear up these fines and get a new

start. Through the Record Expungement Grant Program, we can assist individuals negotiate the

expunging of their criminal records.

To refer an individual to the grant program, contact:

Rod Spearman or Aleyah Lacey 908-354-3040 x324

Join & Be Active Today!

How can I join this viable group of supporters?

Attend quarterly meetings.

Invite other community leaders to attend our quarterly meetings.

Support or host fundraising programs to support the Record Expungement Grant Program.

Add your contact information to our mailing list.

Share useful information about your organization.

Contact Rod Spearman or Aleyah Lacey at 908-354-3040 x 324 for more information on becoming a member

SAVE THE DATE! Community Access Unlimited

ANNUAL YOUTH CONFERENCE AUGUST 20, 2014 10 AM - 3 PM

~ AN EDUCATIONAL AND ENTERTAINING FORUM FOR YOUTH ~

T H E U N I O N C O U N T Y Y O U T H S E R V I C E S D I R EC TO R Y

i s b e i n g u p d a t e d a n d w i l l b e a c c e s s i b l e v i a t h e c o u n t y ’s w e b s i t e . I f y o u h a v e n o t a l r e a d y s u b m i t t e d a n e n t r y f o r e a c h o f y o u r a g e n c y ’s y o u t h s e r v i c e p r o g ra m s f o r i n c l u s i o n i n t h e

D i r e c to r y , p l e a s e v i s i t : h t t p : / / u c n j . o r g / y o u t h - d i r e c t o r y

80 West Grand Street

Elizabeth, NJ 07202 Phone: 908-354-3040 TTY/TTD: 908-354-4629

Fax: 908-354-2665 www.caunj.org

NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION U.S. POSTAGE

PAID PERMIT 225 Elizabeth, NJ

Community Access Unlimited’s Mission: To provide community access through effective and comprehensive support services for people with disabilities and at-risk youth, giving them the opportunity to live independently and to lead normal and productive lives in the community.

UCICCC & Steering Committee Upcoming Events

Meetings are adjourned for July and August

July 9, 2014 & September 17, 2014

UC Reentry Task Force Meeting 10:00 am

UCC 1033 Springfield Ave Cranford (please stop at the Security Booth upon arrival)

September 18, 2014, UCICCC Day of Prayer Conference

Time and Location to be announced

October 23, 2014, Full UCICCC Meeting 10 am-12 noon

Meets at Suburban Golf Club 1730 Morris Ave. Union

November 20, 2014 Full UCICCC Meeting 10 am-2 noon

Meets at Suburban Golf Club 1730 Morris Ave. Union

Sidney Blanchard, Executive Director

Union County Interfaith Coordinating Committee Council

c/o Community Access Unlimited

80 West Grand Street, Elizabeth, NJ 07202

Phone: (908) 354-3040-Fax:(908) 354-3040