by Davy James, Staff Writer
As more people find themselves out of work and caught in the grip of the recession, a collective group of township agencies is working to ensure residents are able to survive the downturn.
The Community Resource Team is a partnership of local organizations, agencies and citizen groups that provides residents with a multifaceted approach to an emergency situation.
”The CRT was started in 1990, and it initially began in order to develop prevention programs for teen suicide,” said Steven Papenberg of the township Health Department. “Over the years, it has grown into a group that is here to address a number of problems in the community and to identify what resources are available within South Brunswick.”
The partnership includes representatives from township government, police, the Health Department, Social Services Department, the school district, local clergy, community service organizations and mental health agencies. Representatives from the different groups meet at least once a month to plan strategies and prevention for local problems.
”If an issue comes up that isn’t being resolved, we brainstorm how to best relieve it,” Mr. Papenberg said. “We’re also proactive in looking at what the needs of the community are and some consequences of those situations that might arise. This is not a good time economically, and that brings with it a number of potential problems.”
Through the partnership, the agencies reach out to people who may be in need of assistance and determine what kind of aid each agency can offer and how to fill the gaps. The partnership goes beyond the traditional role of social services to provide food and help paying bills, but also stresses the importance of mental health.
”We know from a mental health point of view that people who make it through tough times in better shape have supportive relationships with their families and neighbors,” said the Rev. Fred Schott of Christ the King Church, in Kendall Park. “That’s something that is often neglected during periods of unemployment for various reasons so we encourage people to reach out for support.”
CRT is also able to refer people to financial stress support groups and employment networking groups. The Rev. Schott said local faith-based groups have a wide array of services available to help.
Some churches have human resource specialists to offer job search advice, financial consultants to help make budget plans as well as direct financial assistance. There are also services available through the St. Vincent de Paul Society, an organization that provides emergency crisis management for residents out of work or on low income. St. Augustine’s Church in Kendall Park and St. Cecilia’s Church in Monmouth Junction both have aid available through that organization.
The Rev. Schott said local faith-based groups in the Islamic and Jewish communities also have a network of help available.
”The main thing is, if people are trying to keep their employment problems quiet, then it compounds the stress level within the person and the family,” the Rev. Schott said.
With the different organizations all working together to help residents, the difficult process of asking for help becomes a great deal easier.
”It’s a situation where many stresses are involved in many people’s lives,” Mr. Papenberg said. “A lot of times it’s difficult to navigate the bureaucracy or to identify what resources are available to people. We try to use all of the resources we have as a community and bring these different agencies together. It’s a neat tool and a tremendous asset, plus the people who work in the system make sure they follow up on people who needed aid. It’s a tremendous improvement over past referral systems.”
For questions about the resources available through the CRT, contact Social Services at 732-329-4000, ext. 7674, or the Health Department at ext. 7237.

