National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI-NJ) will hold a family support group for siblings of a loved one with mental illness at 7 p.m. Jan. 28.
Gain support and share with others who can relate to your personal experiences.
The group will follow the NAMI Signature Family Support Group Model and will be run by two trained facilitators.
Participants must pre-register and be 18 years or older.
Attendance will be limited.
Register at https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfOdVJrY-UpfYANqarYDZSB4WezNouk5ErrpuBDujbVhuWa7Q/viewform
NAMI also offers family support groups at noon on Tuesdays and at 7 p.m. on Wednesdays; and a connection recovery support group at noon and 7 p.m. on Wednesdays.
For more information, visit http://www.naminj.org
St. Francis Cathedral School will hold an informational meeting via Zoom on Jan. 31 for prospective families.
Check the website for details.
There is also a virtual tour featured on the website.
Registration will be available on the website beginning Feb. 1.
For more information, visit stfranciscathedralschool.org or call 732-548-3107.
The school is located at 528 Main St., Metuchen.
Sunheri Yaadein, a virtual Bollywood concert featuring Tina, Rakesh, Tanmayee, Pinakin, Neeti and Tushar, hosted by Madhavi, will be held from 3-5 p.m. Jan. 31.
Zoom ID is 882 1333 1879; no passcode needed.
It will also be broadcast on Facebook Live by the Indo-American Cultural Foundation of Central New Jersey, OHMKara, Indus TV and GOPIO Central Jersey.
Historian Tali Nates, founder and executive director of the Johannesburg Holocaust & Genocide Centre in South Africa, will participate in a virtual presentation at 2 p.m. Jan. 31 as part of the Daniel Pearl Education Center Speaker Series.
A historian who lectures internationally on Holocaust education, genocide prevention, reconciliation and human rights, Nates has presented at the United Nations and numerous global conferences.
The daughter of a Holocaust survivor, Nates will speak on “A Place on Schindler’s List: My Father’s Story,” a highly personal account of her father and uncle, who were both on Schindler’s List, among the 1,200 Jews saved by Oskar Schindler at the Plaszow concentration camp.
Nates will present virtually via https://youtu.be/q3SbrNcsiH8
Email [email protected] with any questions.
Join the Metuchen-Edison Women’s Club to hear about Operation Chillout, its mission and how to help, presented by its founder, Ray Chimileski, at 7 p.m. Feb. 3 via Zoom.
Operation Chillout is a special state project of the New Jersey State Federation of Women’s Clubs, and is New Jersey’s oldest and only all-volunteer mobile outreach for homeless veterans, men and women, operational since December 2000. Its mission is to
respond to the crisis of homelessness with direct compassionate actions.
For more information, call Adrienne at 732-968-1255 or emial [email protected]
Middlesex College is developing apprenticeship opportunities in Advanced Manufacturing through Career Advance USA, a U.S. Department of Labor-funded grant.
Apprenticeships, developed and implemented in collaboration with employers, are earn-and-learn programs that combine formal classroom learning with on-the-job training.
Those interested in the program should register for a virtual information session at middlesexcc.edu/manufacturing-apprenticeships. They will be held over Zoom at 10 a.m. Tuesdays, Feb. 9, March 9, April 13 and May 11.
The college is also looking for employers interested in developing workers.
For more information about the grant and how to participate, visit middlesexcc.edu/manufacturing-apprenticeships or contact Yarelis Figueroa at [email protected] or John Miller at [email protected].
Metuchen Music and the Metuchen High School Music Program will present an online prize auction for Designer Bag Bingo Blues on Feb. 12.
Details to be announced.
Accepting donations of purses, home goods, accessories, gift certificates, dining, etc.
For more information, email [email protected]
Nominations are being accepted for the South River High School Wall of Fame.
Nominees should serve as a role model for current and future South River High School students. This award is not limited to athletic achievement.
A Wall of Fame is erected in the main corridor of the high school with the names of the recipients on plaques of recognition.
Nominees will be considered based on the following criteria:
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Attended and graduated from South River High School.
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Exhibits a high level of achievement in his/her field.
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Possesses the qualities of a positive role model for South River youth.
The committee will consider all nominees based on the strengths of the candidates in the above areas. A maximum of two individuals may be inducted this year.
The deadline for nominations is April 1.
To make a nomination, visit www.srivernj.org for the nomination form.
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Volunteer vaccinators may be needed in Middlesex County and at other vaccination sites.
Licensed nurses, doctors and medical professionals who are willing to volunteer should email their name, address, phone number and license information to Lt. Jangols of the Monroe Township Police Department at [email protected]
East Brunswick residents can turn the page on a winter spent mostly indoors by renting a plot at the township’s Community Garden, located adjacent to the municipal complex off Rues Lane.
A limited number of 10-foot by 10-foot plots are now available for new gardeners on a first-come, first-served basis for $45 for the first season. The garden is open to township residents and people who work in East Brunswick.
All gardeners are required to put in four hours of community garden service each year by working with a committee and participating in work days, or paying $40 in lieu of service. Gardeners can select from a list of committees found on the registration form.
For more information and to register for a plot, visit registration form.
The garden’s website offers timely articles, tips and tricks for gardeners, a calendar of events and information on donating surplus produce. Gardeners have donated more than a ton of surplus produce in the last few years. Meetings and events during the year also give gardeners a chance to share ideas outside the garden.
To keep gardeners safe, several rules, including mandatory mask wearing and social distancing while in the garden were instituted last year.
For more information, email to [email protected].
The East Brunswick Community Garden is a project of the Friends of the East Brunswick Environmental Commission, a 501c3 not-for-profit organization.
Playhouse 22 will be streaming “Auld Lang Song: From Our (Play)House to Yours” through Jan. 31.
A virtual concert featuring performers throughout New Jersey, “Auld Lang Song” will be presented on the theater’s website at Playhouse22.org for free.
Featuring Ray Dobrovolsky, Angela Dohl, Eric Freeman, Julie Freeman, Ali Gleason, James Moffett, Lisa Rogol, Zachary Rogol, Kristen Umansky and Francois Suhr, “Auld Lang Song” is a concert of songs from classic Broadway and Hollywood musicals to Christmas songs, as well as recent works from some of today’s hit musicians.
Grant funding has been provided by the Middlesex County Board of Commissioners through a grant award from the Middlesex County Cultural and Arts Trust Fund.
Raritan Valley Road Runners, one of the largest running clubs in New Jersey, is accepting applications for a new scholarship program designed to help student runners in cross country or track and field who attend high school or community college in Middlesex and Somerset counties.
A one-time award of $1,000 will be made to each of two outstanding athletes enrolling in post-secondary education.
The scholarships are not based entirely on speed or competitions won, but rather on strong academics, sportsmanship, citizenship and financial need.
The scholarships are funded by individual donations, funds from club-sponsored races and business contributions.
Eligible applicants will be graduating from high school in Middlesex or Somerset counties in 2021 or currently attending community college in these counties. They will need to prove acceptance to a full-time (12 credits or more) associate or bachelor’s degree program. They will have a weighted GPA of 2.75 or higher as demonstrated by an unofficial transcript. And they will need to demonstrate passionate participation as a runner in a cross country or track and field in their junior and senior years of high school or while at community college. Participation in extracurricular activities and community involvement will also be considered.
For more information, application materials, or to donate to the scholarship fund, email [email protected].
The deadline to apply is Jan. 31. Scholarships will be awarded in April.
The Spotswood Public Library will offer meditation workshops.
Jim Rose, retired executive with Johnson & Johnson, will discuss how to use meditation as a tool to balance your life at 7 p.m. Feb. 2.
Nirav Sheth will focus on transforming your life and finding joy and serenity at 7 p.m. March 4.
To register, visit spotslibrary.org/calendar
The East Brunswick Public Library, Hackensack Meridian Health and the Middlesex County Office of Health Services will team up to present a seven-part “Take Control of Your Health: Chronic Disease Self-Management” workshop series.
These weekly webinars are every Tuesday at 10 a.m., starting Feb. 2 and running through March 16. Each session is approximately two hours.
“Take Control of Your Health: Chronic Disease Self-Management” is for anyone with a chronic medical condition, such as arthritis, heart disease, osteoporosis or diabetes. Medical experts will be discussing techniques to manage symptoms like stress and depression, get started with healthy eating and exercise, communicate effectively with your doctor, make daily tasks easier, and learn how to manage fear, anger and frustration.
Participants will receive a free book on the topic (which will be mailed to their home address), a completion certificate and other incentives.
This program is free and open to the public. To register, go to www.ebpl.org/calendar or call the library’s Information Desk desk at 732-390-6767. Participants can register for this program series through the Feb. 16 session.
This program series is offered through East Brunswick Public Library’s Just For The Health Of It consumer health and wellness information initiative. To learn more about these resources and programs, visit www.justforthehealthofit.org.
High school students are invited to enter their substance use prevention messages through their original music as part of the music and song writing competition, “Your Song! Your Voice! Shout Down Drugs New Jersey,” sponsored by New Jersey Broadcasters and 959.9-FM WRAT.
The competition is designed to challenge New Jersey high school students to create original music and lyrics with powerful peer-to-peer substance use, misuse and prevention messages. Entries are accepted through Feb. 1.
All music genres are welcomed from students interested in sharing their talent and inspiring messages about shouting down drugs and raising up their voices to inspire their peers.
The winner of the New Jersey Shout Down Drugs competition, as decided by judges and announced at the end of the Prevention Concert, will receive a $5,000 music contract. The second- and third-place performers will receive $3,000 and $2,000 music contracts, respectively, with the Partnership for a Drug-Free New Jersey.
For rules and information on how to enter, contact Diane Higgins at 973-275-7985.
The Metlar-Bodine Museum will offer “Stories of Slavery in New Jersey” at 7 p.m. Feb. 4.
Historian and author Rick Geffken reveals stories from New Jersey’s dark history of slavery. A Q&A session follows the lecture.
Dutch and English settlers brought the first enslaved people to New Jersey in the 17th Century. By the time of the Revolutionary War, slavery was an established practice on labor-intensive farms throughout what became known as the Garden State. The progenitor of the influential Morris family, Lewis Morris, brought Barbadian slaves to toil on his estate of Tinton Manor in Monmouth County. “Colonel Tye,” an escaped slave from Shrewsbury, joined the British “Ethiopian Regiment” during the Revolutionary War and led raids throughout the towns and villages near his former home. Charles Reeves and Hannah Van Clief married soon after their emancipation in 1850 and became prominent citizens in Lincroft, as did their next four generations.
Rick Geffken is a trustee of the Shrewsbury Historical Society, past president of the Monmouth Connection, member of the Navesink Maritime Historical Association and Monmouth County Historical Association. He is currently heading up a project called The New Jersey Slave Record.
To join the Zoom lecture, visit https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84404927732
Meeting ID: 844 0492 7732
The program is free, but a $10 donation is suggested. Make checks payable to The Fellowship for Metlar House, or use Venmo via Sherry-Hope1
A limited number of signed books are available from the museum, 1281 River Road, Piscataway. Call the museum at 732-463-8363 to place an order. Pickup available on days the museum is open. Cost is $23 each plus $3 shipping.
For more information, email [email protected] or visit www.MetlarBodineHouseMuseum.org
The East Brunswick Public Library and the Community Food Bank of New Jersey (CFBNJ) welcomes the East Brunswick community to a SNAP virtual information session at noon Feb. 10.
This program explains the SNAP food assistance benefit, its guidelines and services that CFBNJ offers around food assistance. Brittany Thomas, Resources Access coordinator at CFBNJ, leads this presentation.
The program is presented online using Zoom.
Registration is requested for this free program. Register at www.ebpl.org/calendar or by calling 732-390-6767.
Nominations for the 25th annual Russ Berrie Making a Difference Award are being accepted through Feb. 12.
Members of the community can nominate a fellow New Jerseyan and give him or her the chance to be recognized for their service. They are people who help others in need, give their time and energy to solve community problems, and put others above themselves.
Each year, the Making a Difference Award presents $50,000 to one winner, $25,000 to two runners-up, and up to $7,500 to several others at a ceremony hosted by Ramapo College of New Jersey, which manages the awards program on behalf of the Russell Berrie Foundation.
Awards will be presented at a virtual ceremony in May.
The nomination form is available online at berrieawards.ramapo.edu.
The Latino Mental Health Association of New Jersey will hold its 2021 annual conference virtually on Feb. 19 and 20.
Find meaning across Latinx identities and adapt to changing times affecting racism, colorist and invisibility.
To register, visit www.latinomentalhealthnj.org
Co-sponsored by Horizon NJ Health and Rutgers School of Social Work.
Assemblyman Joe Danielsen’s “Head to Toe” clothing drive is seeking donations of hats, scarves, mittens/gloves and socks for children ages 3-16.
Any donations must be clean and washed, and placed in a Ziploc bag and left in the designated box outside his office at 334 Elizabeth Ave., Somerset, on the second floor.
The drive will last until Feb. 15.
For more information, call 732-247-3999 or email [email protected].
Films focusing on climate change and its impact will be featured in the East Brunswick Public Library’s first-ever virtual film festival.
The Option Green Virtual Film Festival is part of the ongoing partnership between the library and the Friends of the East Brunswick Environmental Commission. Each year, the two organizations host free events on environmental topics led by experts in the field. The film series is funded by the American Library Association’s “Resilient Communities: Libraries Respond to Climate Change” pilot program.
The films will be available for online viewing. Participants can sign up for these free screenings online at www.ebpl.org/optiongreen. Links to view the films will be sent to ticket holders at the start time of this event, and will expire 48 hours later.
Following each screening, there will be an ongoing, discussion on the EBPL Discord server. Attendees will receive the link in their ticket.
The upcoming series includes:
“How to Let Go of the World and Love All the Things Climate Can’t Change,” Feb. 16-17 is directed by Academy Award-nominee Josh Fox. The film shows the consequences of climate change across 12 countries on every continent. It runs 127 minutes and is rated TV-14.
“The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind,” March 16-17, is Is based on the = true story of 13-year-old William Kamkwamba, who finds inspiration from a science book. He builds a wind turbine to save his famine-ravaged village in Malawi. This film is rated TV-PG and runs 113 minutes.
“Fire and Flood: Queer Resilience in the Era of Climate Change,” April 20-21, examines how the LGBTQ communities of Puerto Rico and Santa Rosa survived Hurricane Maria and wildfires, in late 2017. The film explores the vulnerability of LGBTQ communities to climate disasters. This film is not yet rated but runs 102 minutes. Trailer not available.
The Option Green Virtual Film Festival is sponsored by the East Brunswick Public Library and the Friends of the East Brunswick Environmental Commission.
Karma Cat + Zen Dog Rescue Society and People for Animals will hold their quarterly Snip & Chip for Community Cats event on Feb. 19, where locals can bring in feral cats to be spayed/neutered and microchipped free of charge.
Do not bring any socialized cats, they will be turned away.
The event will be held at the People for Animals Clinic located at 1 Sharon Road in Robbinsville. All feral cats from Central New Jersey are welcome, with a limit of five cats per participant. All cats must be dropped off between 7 and 7:30 a.m. to receive treatment.
Snip & Chip will provide free spay/neuter surgeries (valued up to $55) which will include rabies & distemper vaccines, ear tip, injectable pain control, tattoo, and medical waste disposal for feral cats. Microchip insertion/registration will be available free of charge as well.
Additional services will be available for an additional charge, including post-op boarding.
All additional services must be pre-paid at the time of drop off.
Karma Cat + Zen Dog Rescue Society will accept cash or credit/debit cards (Visa, MasterCard, Discover). No American Express or checks accepted.
Registrations must be made by Feb. 8. To register, participants must fill out the form at https://karmacatzendog.org/snipchiprequest. If participants cannot fill out the form, email [email protected] with “Snip & Chip Reservations” in the subject line. Within the body of the email, participants must provide: full name, email address, mailing address, phone number, number of cats, what town the cats reside in, and a description of the colony.
The pickup date is Feb. 19 or 22; $15 boarding fee per cat to be paid to the rescue.
East Brunswick Public Library’s Take A Business Break Series continues in 2021 with two virtual programs presented by Edward Mendlowitz, CPA, Emeritus partner at WithumSmith+Brown, PC.
The first program, “How To Be Your Own Investment Manager: Making Sense of the Stock Market,” is held on Jan. 28 at noon. The program will explain how to research stocks, decide when to sell them, and be concerned about dividends.
The other program, “How to Read, Analyze and Understand Financial Statements,” is on Feb. 25 at noon. It is based on Mendlowitz’s MBA course, and attendees will receive a free PDF of his 160-page book. Mendlowitz explains the seven elements of a financial statement, their purpose and how to use each to better understand your business.
The free programs are held online using the Zoom platform. For more information or to register for either program, visit the library’s virtual program calendar at www.ebpl.org.
Recognizing the bravery and commitment of volunteer firefighters and first responders, New Jersey American Water announces its 2021 grant program for volunteer fire departments, ambulance squads and first aid squads located within the company’s service areas.
Grants may be used to cover the costs of personal protective equipment, communications gear, first aid equipment, firefighting tools, vehicle maintenance and other materials that will be used to support volunteer firefighter and emergency responder operations. Reimbursement for specific training courses, including the cost of training manuals, student workbooks, and instructors is also eligible.
To apply, organizations must complete the application available at www.newjerseyamwater.com under News & Community, Community Involvement.
The maximum grant amount awarded to any organization is $2,000.
The deadline to apply is March 12. Interested applicants can find more information and apply online at www.newjerseyamwater.com/community.
Grant recipients will be notified at the end of March.
Teens across the state can begin submitting entries for the 26th Annual New Jersey Teen Media Contest, which highlights the New Jersey Human Services’ mission to support families, especially during these challenging times.
The contest, run by the Division of Family Development, is open to all New Jersey middle and high school-aged children.
The 2021 contest challenges teens to illustrate – through art or the written word – how they and their loved ones have supported each other through all of the changes that have happened this year, from remote schooling to finding new ways to stay connected to friends and family.
All entries must be postmarked no later than March 31.
Staff from the Division of Family Development and its Office of Child Support Services will judge the contest. Winners will be selected in first, second, and third places in both the middle and high school groups, for each of the two entry categories. Typically, winning students are recognized at an awards ceremony in mid-May, but a final decision on an awards ceremony will be made at a later date based on the status of the public health emergency and related health and safety guidelines.
Winning entries from the contest will be included in the 2022 Office of Child Support Calendar, as well as potentially being included as part of the office’s marketing materials. A number of honorable mention entries will also be selected for possible inclusion in both areas.
The 2021 calendar can be viewed or downloaded from the contest homepage, www.NJTeenMedia.org, to serve as inspiration for the teens. The website also provides the official rules, frequently asked questions, entry forms, a look at the winners and honorable mentions from previous contests and other important contest information.
Teachers and administrators can register their school by visiting www.NJTeenMedia.org or by contacting Matthew Cossel at 937-207-7627 or [email protected]. School registration is not required for direct student entry.
For complete submission guidelines, visit www.NJTeenMedia.org.
For more information about child support services, call 1-877-NJKIDS1 or visit www.NJChildSupport.org.
Ongoing
To document the experiences of the community while living through the COVID-19 pandemic, the East Brunswick Public Library has been collecting submissions to a COVID-19 Community Time Capsule.
The time capsule can be viewed online at www.ebpl.org/history
The library is still taking submissions at this time.
The Community Pet Food Bank by New Beginnings Animal Rescue is open from 1-3 p.m. Tuesdays and Fridays, with varying hours on Saturdays, on the grounds of Nativity Lutheran Church, 552 Ryders Lane, East Brunswick.
For more information, visit nbarnj.org
The Jamesburg Public Library will hold its board meetings on the third Monday of each month at 7 p.m.
These meetings are open to the public, and will take place on Zoom for the remainder of the year.
Visit jamesburglibrary.org or www.facebook.com/JamesburgLibrary/ for further information.
Each meeting will have a different Zoom link and passcode
The East Brunswick Recreation, Parks & Community Services Department is collecting non-perishable food, cash and gift cards for distribution to Aldersgate Community Outreach Center.
Drop off food in the back of the box truck parked in the parking lot, 334 Dunhams Corner Road; the door is kept down so lift it to put donations inside.
Or, drop cash/check/gift cards in an envelope and put in the drop box next to the front door to the Recreation Department.
Raritan Valley YMCA is encouraging residents to #StayWithUs during this time, in particular by visiting the Y’s Facebook page for virtual events, programs and classes.
Adult programs include group fitness classes provided by Y360, Les Mills and from Y instructors. Programs and classes will be updated on a week-to-week basis. The ZOOM app is required; email [email protected] for log-in details.
The Facebook page also features live story time and creative arts with Ms. Preeti and Ms. Brenda.
Details Camp Yomeca day camp are available on the website. Online registration is open.
For more information, visit raritanvalleyymca.org.
Monroe Township Jewish War Veterans Post 609 is collecting United States and foreign stamps, both on and off envelopes.
Stamps are used by veterans as hobbies and as therapy to support medical staff at VA Medical Centers nationwide.
Stamps are not traded or sold; they are forwarded to veteran patients at no charge.
Also requested are DVDs suitable for veterans at those locations.
Send all items to JWV Post 609, c/o Charles Koppelman, 6 Yarmouth Dr., Monroe 08831-4742.
The East Brunswick Domestic Response Team is seeking volunteers.
Citizens are trained to respond to local police departments on an on-call basis to provide support and information to victims of domestic abuse.
For more information, email [email protected].
The Korean War/Defense Veterans Association Central Jersey Chapter No. 148 extends an invitation to any veterans, regardless of branch of service, who served during the war from June 25, 1950, to July 27, 1953, in any location, including Europe, or who have served in Korea from July 27, 1953, through the present.
The group meets at 10 a.m. the second Wednesday of every month —except January through April — at the Monroe Township Municipal Building, 1 Municipal Plaza.
Membership dues are $25 to the Korean War Veterans Association and $10 chapter fee per year.
The chapter is involved in various functions during the year, including parades, flag raisings, visiting the Korean War Memorial in Atlantic City, etc.
For more information, contact Charles Koppelman at 609-655-3111 or [email protected].
Dove Hospice Services of New Jersey seeks compassionate volunteers to provide support to local hospice patients and their families.
Hospice patient care volunteers visit with patients in their homes, which can also be nursing facilities or assisted living facilities, at least once a week. They read to the patient, reminisce about their lives, play cards, help with letter writing and provide respite for caregivers.
Visits can be virtual, and are either during the day or early evening.
Volunteers may also assist with administrative work within the hospice office.
Patient care volunteers complete an application and attend a virtual volunteer training program that covers the role of a hospice volunteer. Day and evening virtual training programs are offered.
To sign up for the next virtual training class, contact Volunteer Coordinator Deborah Adams at 732-405-3035 or email [email protected].