Mid-Dem Community Outreach Committee Donates $4,000 To Non-Profits

LOCAL NON-PROFITS BENEFIT FROM GENEROSITY AND FUNDRAISING EFFORTS OF MID-DEM COMMUNITY OUTREACH COMMITTEE

Destiny’s Bridge For The Homeless & Society for the Prevention Of Teen Suicide Are Beneficiaries of ‘No Limits To Love – An Evening Of Hope’

Dozens of people from around Monmouth County gathered recently at The No Limits Café, Middletown, to support two local non-profit organizations who are raising awareness of critical issues. Hosted by the Mid-Dem Community Outreach Committee, a coalition of concerned citizens who advocate and fundraise for charitable causes, ‘An Evening of Hope – No Limits To Love’ coalesced committed individuals looking to make a difference. With tickets priced at $100 each and over 30 sponsors, Destiny’s Bridge For The Homeless and

Society For The Prevention Of Teen Suicide (SPTS), the beneficiaries of the fundraiser, will receive $2,000 each, funds critical to advance their missions.

Guests of Honor were Minister Steve Brigham of Destiny’s Bridge and Stacey Donovan, director of strategic partnerships at Society for the Prevention of Teen Suicide. Guests dined on an array of appetizers, sipped wine and enjoyed the sweet sounds of Bill Anania on guitar, but the most important elements of the evening were the appeals by the non-profit leaders, who are on a mission to have the difficult conversations necessary to raise awareness of issues that people often ignore.

“Homelessness and teen suicide are issues that are difficult to discuss, and some people want to turn a blind eye to them. Tonight is all about opening up the lines of communication to listen and to learn, then act,” noted Beverly Bova Scarano, chairperson of the Mid-Dem Community Outreach Committee. The committee supports charitable organizations that address homelessness, food insecurity and other issues including No Limits Café, Middletown Helps Its Own, The Calico Cat Food Pantry, the Lieutenant Dennis W. Zilinski II Foundation, World Central Kitchen, the Bayshore Lunch Program, the Backpack Crew, and of course, Destiny’s Bridge For The Homeless and Society for the Prevention Of Teen Suicide.

Minister Steve Brigham, the subject of multiple media news stories related to his advocacy and support of Tent City in Lakewood, a homeless encampment, spoke about the need for public & private collaboration and assistance from local and county governments. “There is an abysmal lack of beds for the homeless in Monmouth County,” Minister Brigham stated. “There are only 3 beds in the county for women at this point, and for the first time in several decades, homeless women are outnumbering homeless men. It seems there are more beds for homeless dogs, cats and other animals – of course animals are important - while homeless people are neglected and forgotten.”

Destiny’s Bridge was founded on the belief that once the poor and disadvantaged are given the chance to regain their human dignity in an environment of acceptance and nurturance, they will become empowered to re-join society as functioning individuals. Minister Brigham creates a community for the temporary housing and care of homeless adults and provides shelter, sustenance and medical care, along with opportunities for rehabilitation and training in employable skills to facilitate reintegration with mainstream society.

Information on Destiny’s Bridge is available by viewing the website, https://www.destinysbridge.org/missionstatement/. The address is P.O. Box 692, Lakewood, NJ, 08701, and the telephone number is (732) 364-0340.

Guests were also moved by commentary from Stacey Donovan of The Society for the Prevention Of Teen Suicide, who noted that suicide is currently the second leading cause of death for youth aged 10-24. SPTS is dedicated to increasing awareness, saving lives and reducing the stigma of suicide through specialized mental health training programs and resources that empower students, parents, schools, and communities with the skills needed to help youth build lives of resiliency.

Founded in 2005 by two male friends who lost teenaged children to suicide, the duo was shocked to learn that suicide was the third leading cause of death for America’s youth at that time and were determined to do whatever they could to protect other families from the devastation surrounding suicide. After learning there was no requirement for teachers in their home state of New Jersey to receive formal training in suicide prevention, SPTS prioritized the passage of legislation in New Jersey requiring all educators to complete at least 2 hours of instruction in suicide prevention as part of professional development. The successful passage of this legislation in 2006 made New Jersey the first state in the country to require such training.

Information on the Society for Prevention of Teen Suicide is available by viewing the website, https://sptsusa.org/about-us/. The address is 110 Main Street, Freehold, NJ, 07728, and the telephone number is (732) 410-7900.

The list of event sponsors includes Gold Sponsor Tre Colore Pizza & Mexican BBQ, Middletown; Silver Sponsors FoodTown Supermarkets, Middletown; Auto Body Contours, Belford; The Gorski Family, Middletown; The Wood-Buckley Family, Middletown; The Chancy Foundation; Vincent & Beth Mazza; Theresa & Chris Tuttle; and Don & Kathy Watson; Bronze Sponsors Carl Alfano; Dora Crisafulli; Jean Marie Delbury; Paige Gregorio; Paul Jansen; Catherine Merker; Janet Moscouzza; Clare McIntosh; Michael Morris; Namaste Wellness & Educational Services; Alice O’Grady; Stephanie P. Penna; Patricia Reilly; Margaret Rizzolo; Beverly Bova Scarano; Donna Slamon; Diane & Reon Swaim; and Maritza Soler.

Members of the Mid-Dem Community Outreach Committee are Chairperson Beverly Bova Scarano; Dora Crisafulli; June Haran; Linda Machado; Alice O’Grady; Kevin Daly; Paul Jansen; Clare McIntosh; Patricia Reilly; Theresa Tuttle; Linda Zinneman; Lisa Gorski; Lorraine Kephart; Janet Moscouzza; Peggy Rizzolo; and Jenny Wood. More information is available by contacting Beverly Bova Scarano at (908) 896-1682.

Photo Caption: Minister Steve Brigham, founder of Destiny’s Bridge, center, and Stacey Donovan, director of strategic partnerships for Society for the Prevention of Teen Suicide, front row second from right, join members of the Mid-Dem Community Outreach Committee as they celebrate a successful event.

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