MAILING ADDRESS: P.O. Box 491, Cranford, NJ 07016 www.raphaelslifehouse.org 231 Court Street, Elizabeth, NJ 07206 908 354-4760 SUMMER 2012 On May 7, 2012, RLH was presented with the 2012 Unity Award for Achievement by a Non- Profit Organization. Established by the Union County Human Relations Commission, the annual award program “honors individuals and organizations who foster human rights and relations among the people of Union County, and who promote and advance understanding, acceptance and appreciation of cultural diversity.” The award ceremony was held at the Atrium of the Elizabethtown Gas Company in Union and was attended by several trustees including President Edith Coogan. Says Coogan, “We are honored to receive this award and thank our supporters for enabling us to fulfill our mission.” Board of Trustees Ann P. Beams Barbara Bilger Edith K. Coogan, Michele Gilsenan, D.O. Juanita Greene Mary Ann Hart Michael T. Kahrer Carol Kennedy Grant Knaggs Christian J. Kroyer Mildred Leonard Donna Fox Manginelli Denise McDermott Frank Muggeo Anne Newcomb Terrence O’Connor Betty Pittinger Frank Reilly Ruth Sharkey Ayanna Taylor-Venson Beth Tiger Elizabeth Weiler, Esq. Carol Williams, MA. LPC UPCOMING EVENTS September 29, 2012 Covenant House Charity Clay Shoot to be held at Hudson Farms in Andover, NJ. All proceeds will benefit Raphael’s Life House. For more information, registration forms and sponsorship opportunities, click here for the event website. Please support our very important mission and enjoy a fun-filled day! 9 TH Annual Golf Outing Raises $23,000 Sixty-nine golfers braved threatening skies and a sudden downpour to make our ninth annual event held at Shackamaxon Country Club in Scotch Plains, NJ a success! One of the highlights of the event was golfer Gerry Cooney’s hole in one on hole five! Congratulations to all our winners (see complete list below)! During the dinner segment of the event, Andrea, a young woman currently residing at RLH with her infant daughter spoke to those in attendance. Her heart-wrenching story of overcoming difficult circumstances with the help of RLH reminds us all of the power of faith and why our mission is so important today and everyday. Many, many thanks to all participants, sponsors, advertisers and volunteers. More photos are available on Snapfish: for access, please email your request to [email protected]RLH Honored with Unity Award Providing transitional housing for homeless pregnant women and their babies when born; a Joint Working Agreement with Covenant House NJ 9 th Annual Golf Outing Winners Putting Contest: Linda Farrell Beat the Collegiate Pro: Elaine Moffett & Gerry Cooney Closest to Pin: Gary Meisch (28' 8) & Drude Roessler (11' 4") Long Drive: Father Kris Maslowski & Elaine Moffet Hole in One: Hole #5 Gerry Cooney Low Team Women: Ruth Sharkey, Ellen DelMauro, Amelia McTamaney & Pam Dwyer (76) Low Team Men: Gerry Cooney, Gary Meisch, Ken Meisch & Tim McAlinden (63) Low Team Mixed: Father Kris Maslowski, Halina Pieklo, Zbigniew Sternik & Father Marek Chachlowski (68) October 23, 2012 Party on Park at The International Fine Art & Antique Dealers Show, Park Avenue Armory. Fifty percent of the proceeds will benefit Raphael’s Life House. For more information, registration forms and sponsorship opportunities, click here for the event website.
On May 7, 2012, RLH was presented with the 2012 Unity Award for Achievement by a Non-Profit Organization. Established by the Union County Human Relations Commission, the annual award program “honors individuals and organizations who foster human rights and relations among the people of Union County, and who promote and advance
understanding, acceptance and appreciation of cultural diversity.” The award ceremony was held at the Atrium of the Elizabethtown Gas Company in Union and was attended by several trustees including President Edith Coogan. Says Coogan, “We are honored to receive this award and thank our supporters for enabling us to fulfill our mission.”
Board of Trustees Ann P. Beams Barbara Bilger Edith K. Coogan, Michele Gilsenan, D.O. Juanita Greene Mary Ann Hart Michael T. Kahrer
Carol Kennedy Grant Knaggs Christian J. Kroyer Mildred Leonard Donna Fox Manginelli Denise McDermott Frank Muggeo Anne Newcomb
Terrence O’Connor Betty Pittinger Frank Reilly Ruth Sharkey Ayanna Taylor-Venson Beth Tiger Elizabeth Weiler, Esq. Carol Williams, MA. LPC
UPCOMING EVENTS
September 29, 2012 Covenant House
Charity Clay Shoot to be held at
Hudson Farms in Andover, NJ.
All proceeds will benefit
Raphael’s Life House. For more information,
registration forms and sponsorship opportunities,
click here for the event website.
Please support our very important mission and enjoy a fun-filled day!
9TH Annual Golf Outing Raises $23,000 Sixty-nine golfers braved threatening skies and a sudden downpour to make our ninth annual event held at Shackamaxon Country Club in Scotch Plains, NJ a success! One of the highlights of the event was golfer Gerry Cooney’s hole in one on hole five! Congratulations to all our winners (see complete list below)! During the dinner segment of the event, Andrea, a young woman currently residing at RLH with her infant daughter spoke to those in attendance. Her heart-wrenching story of overcoming difficult circumstances with the help of RLH reminds us all of the power of faith
and why our mission is so important today and everyday. Many, many thanks to all participants, sponsors, advertisers and volunteers. More photos are available on Snapfish: for
Providing transitional housing for homeless pregnant women and their babies when born; a Joint Working Agreement with Covenant House NJ
9th Annual Golf Outing Winners Putting Contest: Linda Farrell Beat the Collegiate Pro: Elaine Moffett & Gerry Cooney
Closest to Pin: Gary Meisch (28' 8) & Drude Roessler (11' 4")
Long Drive: Father Kris Maslowski & Elaine Moffet
Hole in One: Hole #5 Gerry Cooney
Low Team Women: Ruth Sharkey, Ellen DelMauro, Amelia McTamaney & Pam Dwyer (76)
Low Team Men: Gerry Cooney, Gary Meisch, Ken Meisch & Tim McAlinden (63)
Low Team Mixed: Father Kris Maslowski, Halina Pieklo, Zbigniew Sternik & Father Marek Chachlowski (68)
October 23, 2012
Party on Park at
The International Fine Art & Antique Dealers
Show, Park Avenue Armory.
Fifty percent of the proceeds will benefit Raphael’s Life House. For more information, registration forms and
sponsorship opportunities, click here for the event
website.
~~~~~ An Interview with Volunteer Erica Montgoris Mulder ~~~~~
RLH would not exist without the generosity of supporters. The “barn-raising” spirit that brought a community together to turn an abandoned, dilapidated convent into a warm, caring, safe home for mothers and babies in need remains a hallmark to our continued mission. Many volunteers have shared their talents from landscaping the grounds, to painting murals in the common rooms, to organizing drives to collect supplies, clothing and equipment, to holding classes on life skills such as budgeting and resume writing. Most recently, RLH has been able to hold Mommy & Me classes for the young mothers. RLH Editor spoke with volunteer Erica Montgoris Mulder who leads the classes.
RLH Editor: Erica, how did you learn of Raphael’s Life House? Erica: My mother and father have been involved with Covenant House for years and my father, Bill Montgoris, was Board Chair for years. I grew up coming to various Covenant House events and always left wanting to do more.
RLH Editor: How did you arrive at the idea of Mommy & Me classes?
Erica: At Night of Broadway Stars in 2011, I was introduced to Marcia Mann, (RLH Liaison) by Jim White (Former Executive Director of Covenant House New Jersey and now Executive Director of Covenant House New York). I have a 3 1/2 year old and a 21 month old so when Marcia said they wanted to start a Mommy & Me class at RLH I jumped at the opportunity to help. Over the last 3 years I have taken countless music and play classes with my kids.
RLH Editor: What was your vision for such classes at RLH? Erica: The class is aimed at leading our moms and babies through a series of songs, games, and activities to promote interactive play and parent/child bonding. We also try to help the babies reach age appropriate milestones like holding their head up, rolling over, sitting up, and ultimately walking! I managed to gather supplies via donations and from sorting through my kids’ own toys and together with my kids’ music class instructor came up with a format for a class.
RLH Editor: What have you learned from running the classes?
YES! I BELIEVE IN THE WORK WITH HOMELESS PREGNANT WOMEN.
Here is my gift of $______. I am contributing $_______each month. Here is my first month’s gift. Name___________________________________________________ Address_________________________________________________ City____________________________________________________ State_____________________Zip____________________________
Our Needs As always, gift cards to Stop & Shop stores, our
closest market, are always welcome. We also need
toiletries, laundry detergent, diapers (small
sizes) and paper products.
Erica: The classes also foster an opportunity for our moms to relax in a comfortable environment where they can ask questions and share concerns on parenting. As a young mom myself I found sharing concerns and picking up little parenting tips in the mommy and me classes I attended to be a great help and stress reliever. One thing that I did not expect when I started leading the class was that sometimes the girls just want to vent or have someone to talk to about their worries and problems.
Thank you, Erica! RLH hopes to follow the success of the Mommy & Me classes with two new programs that will depend on volunteer efforts. In-kind donations have been sorted and organized in a new space within the facility that will operate as a “store” for residents. Residents will earn tokens that can be spent in the store, with the dual benefit of offering the opportunity to practice saving, planning and budgeting skills. Also in the works is establishing an in-house childcare babysitting program. If you are interested in volunteering, please contact Marcia Mann at [email protected].
Donate your Loose Change and Make a Change, One Coin at a Time
Raphael’s Life House (RLH) has teamed up with Investors Bank to collect loose (unrolled) change that will be deposited directly to RLH. Loose change can be brought to any local Investors Bank branch: 77 Central Ave or 56 Westfield Ave in Clark or 300 South Ave in Garwood. RLH Board of Trustees thanks Investors Bank for providing this service and all our supporters for their continued generosity.
Above: Christian Kroyer, Branch Manager (Clark/Westfield) and RLH Trustee with Carmen Rivera, Branch Manager (Elizabeth) distribute piggy banks to golf outing participant Ellen DelMauro to promote our loose change fundraising program.
Thank You! St. Elizabeth of Hungary Parish of Linden, NJ has been a longtime loyal supporter of RLH. Each year around Mother’s Day, the parish holds a baby drive collecting diapers, new or gently used infant size clothing and general baby care items. Parishioners also donate skin care products specifically for the mothers as a special mother’s day treat. A very special thank you to Fred and Betty McMahon for chairing and organizing this annual event!
~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ If you would like an electronic copy of a photo from the event please specify your
