Newark Nonprofit Announces 2021 ‘Summer Of Services’ | Newark, NJ Patch – Patch.com

NEWARK, NJ — The following news release comes courtesy of the United Community Corporation. Learn more about posting announcements or events to your local Patch site.

The warm weather has officially arrived and United Community Corporation is ready to make sure residents in the City of Newark have everything they need to have a safe, resourceful and fun summer.

From youth summer camps to programs dedicated to teens and young adults to food distributions to energy and housing assistance, United Community Corporation is here to serve the City of Newark and Essex County as the temperatures climb towards triple-digits.

UCC’s YouthBuild job training and preparedness program will get the summer activities started on Tuesday, June 29 with a pop-up ice cream social recruitment event at The Clubhouse Community Center (205 Spruce St, Newark, NJ 07108). The pop-up event will run from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. in the center’s parking lot and will offer on-site registration for its July enrollment for the following programs: high school equivalency credential, job skills development, life skills training, case management, construction training, Cisco Certified Network Associate, Certified Nursing Assistant, Dental Assistant and Dental Technician. UCC’s YouthBuild program is nearly a year old and has already helped place young adults in the workforce.

“We had to grow this program from scratch during a pandemic,” UCC YouthBuild Director Jacqueline Henry said. “There have been highs and lows, but I can truly say that we are thriving through it all. It has been a year of extreme pride to see the commitment and dedication from some of our youth.”

For younger adults and teens, United Community Corporation offers its Summer Enrichment Program from July 6 – August 6 at the Newark Waterfront Center (2 Grafton Ave.), TREC (Training Recreation Education Center) (55 Ludlow St.), and West Side Park Community Center (600 S. 17th Street). All three programs will operate simultaneously, cater to children aged 5-13 and offer a variety of activities including academics, fitness, writing, mentorship, sports, STEAM, and field trips. The four-week program will feature trips to the Camden Aquarium, Medieval Times, Branch Brook Park Roller Skating Center, and the Turtle Back Zoo.

“Field trips are so important because sometimes parents can’t afford to take their children to these places or don’t have the means of transportation – especially if they have multiple children,” UCC Director of Youth, Family & Senior Services Yucleidis Melendez said. “We want to be able to provide that for the family and children to make sure that they have a fun summer.”

UCC will also be running two programs for teens ages 14-18. The first will be a basketball clinic out of the West Side Park Community Center and the second will be a mentorship program in partnership with the K.I.N.G. Movement’s North Jersey chapter. Students will meet with mentors from the K.I.N.G. Movement every Tuesday and will also be tasked with mentoring younger students within UCC’s Summer Enrichment program.

“The students love working with the men from the K.I.N.G. Movement,” Melendez said. “Our numbers have gone up since we started working with them. Now those same teens want to do mentoring with the younger kids.”

Melendez and her department also plan on working with UCC’s food and clothing pantry to hold at least one distribution at West Side Park each month of summer. On Saturday, July 24, UCC is planning to hold a music festival with local DJs in addition to giving out food, services, and clothing. On Saturday, Aug. 14, UCC is planning a community BBQ with free hot dogs and hamburgers as well as a backpack distribution for the upcoming school year.

West Side Park is also the hub for UCC’s Community and Family Empowerment Program, which aims to effectively engage and aid families in maneuvering the Juvenile Justice System’s reform efforts. The program holds meet-and-greet support events, mentorship programs and connects services that support and empower families and parents in advocating for their children.

“We’ve really been able to engage with the community,” program director Craig Lee said. “Our Meet-and-Greets have been really good. We’ve had giveaways, raffles, and played games. The families and peers have really gotten to know each other and me well.”

Lee’s program is very active at UCC and community events as is UCC’s LIHEAP/Energy Assistance Department. Knowing the importance of air conditioning during the summer, UCC’s energy assistance department encourages anyone worried about paying their electric bill to reach out to UCC by calling 973-642-0181, EXT. 3173 or 5711 to find out how they can receive energy assistance.

UCC’s food and clothing pantries currently operate in the East Ward (106 Ann Street) and the South Ward (933 18th Street). The East Ward pantry distributes food and has a free clothing boutique. It operates Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. as well as by appointment. The Champion House food pantry in the South Ward is open Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

In addition to its summer-specific programming, UCC also offers virtual senior services, housing assistance, victims of crime assistance, lead-safe remediation and abatement year-round, as well as shelter at both the Newark Hope Village shipping container shelter and Fulton Street Emergency Shelter.

Don’t forget to visit the Patch Newark Facebook page.Send local news tips and correction requests to eric.kiefer@patch.com. Sign up for Patch email newsletters.