Church and Society Committee

"Blessed are those who have not seen and yet believe." (John 20.29)

Dear Presbytery Friends:
From: Your Presbytery of West Jersey Church and Society Committee: (Pastors please pass on to your Mission committees, thank you!)

During this season of Pentecost, we encourage your church to take the Pentecost offering (you can take it any time during the season of Pentecost). While 60% of the offering goes to the General Assembly Youth and Children Advocacy programs, the churches are encouraged to keep 40 % of the offering for a local "Children at Risk Program" that they choose.

The Church and society Committee of the Presbytery has some suggestions for the use of that 40 % in South Jersey:

Mother and Child Residence Center Woodbury, NJ
This is a residential center for single pregnant women who have no families. They can live at the Center through the birth and infancy of their children, learning new skills as a parent, and job opportunity training.

Robins' Nest
Robins' Nest was founded in 1968 to address the needs of abused and neglected adolescent girls. Within a year the agency opened New Jersey's first community-based group home for girls to provide a more compassionate alternative to institutional care or incarceration. In 1983, the techniques that had brought Robins' Nest success in the residential program were utilized in the design of a strength-based family treatment program. This innovative, in-home program expanded the agency's services to boys and girls of all ages. During the past two decades, Robins' Nest has continued to respond to the unmet needs of children with the development of a wide variety of innovative and effective in-home treatment programs.

SODAT - SODAT stands for "Service to Overcome Drug Abuse Among Teenagers." It started as a service to teens, but now serves people from the cradle to the grave. It is a treatment and prevention service that is active in Gloucester, Camden, Cumberland, Salem, and Burlington counties. It has a youth center at the Deptford Mall, and in Bridgeton, NJ.

Urban Promise - Camden, NJ. Educating and supporting children in Camden.

Fresh Air Home - Wildwood NJ. A home where disadvantaged children can go for a 12-day vacation, free of charge.

Ranch Hope - Camp and Residential center for boys and young men.

Caring Hearts - A program originated through Haddonfield Church and Presbyterian Women to support children and families suffering with HIV/AIDS.

Ronald McDonald House - Residential center for families whose children are suffering from cancer and going through treatment.

New Visions - Camden, NJ. Feeding and training program for the homeless.

Sister Jeans Kitchen - Feeding program for Atlantic City people; and it serves more children in the summer when they are out of school.

Do you know of other children at risk help programs? This is high priority for the Church and Society Committee. If you would like to join us in working on child advocacy issues please contact Kate Killebrew at: kkillebrew@verizon.net