Jubilee Center Celebrates Community Support With Benefit Party

The Jubilee Center, the after-school program and safe haven for children in public housing, has ambitious plans for the money it raised during its 9^th annual Beloved Community Celebration at Amanda's restaurant Tuesday night. The benefit party, which takes its theme from the teachings of Dr. Martin Luther King, will enable the Jubilee Center to continue providing food, shelter, homework help, positive activities and a summer camp to over 110 under-served children.

Several business and community leaders attended the benefit, including Mayor Dawn Zimmer, Mayor David Roberts and his wife Anna Roberts, Assemblyman Ruben Ramos, Freeholder Anthony Romano, former City Council President Tony Soares, and current Councilmembers Peter Cunningham, Beth Mason and Tim Occhipinti.

Revered Geoff Curtiss of All Saints Episcopal Church, who helped found the Jubilee Center, presented an award to longtime supporter John Wessling, who is President and CEO of the Haven Savings Bank. Curtiss said Wessling helped the Jubilee Center get the $1.4 million dollar loan it needed to open its Jackson Street building in 2003.

“John was right there with us from the beginning, he said let's get this done,” Curtiss said.

In accepting the award, Wessling called the Jubilee Center a “wonderful, wonderful project.” He talked about visiting the building just a few weeks earlier.

“I walked in and the all kids smiled and said 'Hello, Mr. W',” Wessling said. “That meant so much to me.”

Each year the Jubilee Center looks to raise over $800,000 to operate its programs. The money it raised during the Beloved Community Celebration is a significant portion of that budget. The Jubilee Center hopes to expand its slate of programs for children in grades K-12, including launching what it calls its and recently holding a to inspire its students.

Executive Director Armstead Johnson said that the Jubilee Center students are building a community garden near the former Church of the Holy Innocents on the corner of Sixth Street and Willow Avenue. By growing greens the children will learn about healthy eating.

“We're trying to show the kids about working in the soil to make something that's nutritious,” Johnson said.

Johnson also said the Center is preparing for its annual summer camp that will include field trips to places such as the Franklin Mint and the Museum of Natural History, and also a four-day, three-night outdoor camp either in Sussex County or upstate New York.

“The whole point is to get them outside,” Johnson said. “Most of these kids never get to go beyond a few blocks away from their homes.”

The summer camp is also a part of the Jubilee Center's Learn to Lead program. According to teen coordinator Vanessa Falco, the Jubilee Center has begun “hiring” its older students to serve as camp counselors. The student counselors learn about employment and receive a stipend. Falco said that several of the teens who participated last year have since found jobs.

“That gave them the foundation to go out and seek other work,” Falco said. “Sixty percent of them are now working for small businesses in Hoboken.”

The Jubilee Center also hopes to expand its tutoring program. It has a roster of accredited teachers who offer specialized tutoring, and Johnson said the Jubilee Center is seeking other adults who can volunteer basic homework help every Monday through Friday from 6-7pm.