Brick Chamber To Honor Caregiver Volunteers At Gala

The nonprofit Caregiver Volunteers of Central Jersey is among the community leaders and organizations being honored Thursday, Dec. 11, by the Brick Township Chamber of Commerce at a gala event at Eagle Ridge Country Club in Lakewood.

Ocean County Prosecutor Joseph Coronato and Joel Markel of Preferred Home Health Care and Nursing Services are being honored by the Brick Chamber as Distinguished Community Leaders. CVCJ and Michael Blandina, of Brick, are being recognized as Distinguished Community Partners, and Douglas Blyth is being honored as the 2014 Chamber Champion.

Caregilver Volunteers was launched in 1993 by a coalition of six faith communities to help frail and elderly residents in Ocean County remain in their homes. Today, more than 1,000 volunteers assist more than 2,000 individuals over the age of 60 each month providing medical transportation, grocery shopping, and respite to caregivers living with a loved one with a chronic illness or Alzheimer’s disease. There is also a Caregiver Canine therapy dog program, CaregiverKids Intergenerational Programs, Multicultural Outreach with bilingual staff and volunteers and a Music & Memory Program.

“CVCJ was expanded to the Brick area in June 2005 as a result of numerous requests for help by those who live in the area,” said Lynette Whiteman, executive director. She noted that CVCJ is presently helping people in 23 municipalities in Ocean County and all services are provided at no charge to the people being helped. Donations are gratefully accepted so that services may continue to those in need.

Earlier this year, Caregiver Volunteers was awarded the Making a Difference for Women Award by Soroptimist International of Toms River and is now included in the Women’s Hall of Fame at Ocean County College, Toms River.

The organization has also been recognized for outstanding service to the community by the National Council on Aging, the National Association of Area Agencies on Aging (n4A) and the New Jersey Hurricane Sandy Relief Fund.

Whiteman and CVCJ staff member Mary Malagiere, who is manager of the Brick area, in addition to board member Robert Novy, Esq., have been appointed to the NJ Alzheimer’s disease Study Commission to create a strategic plan for NJ to assist those individuals and caregivers affected by dementia. Whiteman has also been appointed as the NJ State Ambassador for the National Volunteer Caregiving Network.