News from Project Self-Sufficiency

Over the weekend, thousands of families received free toys and gifts for their children at the Season of Hope Toy Shop operated at Project Self-Sufficiency.   The effort involved hundreds of volunteers who assisted patrons, provided music and helped with traffic.   Local law enforcement officials from the state and county joined forces in a unique collaboration to ensure the safety of volunteers and patrons, noted Newton Police Chief Mike Richards, who oversaw the coordinated effort. “Over the years, the toy shop has grown and there have been issues with traffic, access and security,” explains Richards.   “We started staging vehicles at Sussex County Community College and letting them down 10 – 12 at a time.   We have law enforcement officers on site, from 6am – 9pm on Friday, and 6am – 3pm on Saturday.   This is more than the Newton police department can provide.   Since there are residents from all over Sussex County who are coming here, I ...

Mike Spekhardt, former Sparta Township Mayor and current Sussex County Community College Board of Trustees Member recently visited the preschool to read several books to the children as part of the center’s Celebrity Reader program. “As a brand-new Grandpa, it was great fun to read to the kids at Little Sprouts,” remarked Spekhardt.   “The three and four-year-old’s had lots of good questions about the story.   Moreover, I was proud to witness the work of Project Self Sufficiency and the impact made to our community.   The way that PSS supports and guides our residents through challenges is what makes Sussex County a very special community.”   The Little Sprouts Early Learning Center is operated by Project Self-Sufficiency, a local non-profit agency which offers a wide variety of services to families in northwestern New Jersey.   The daycare and preschool facility features separate classrooms for each age group, from infants through those ente...

Longtime Project Self-Sufficiency supporter Janet Allocca recently visited the preschool to read several books to the children as part of the center’s Celebrity Reader program. “It was immensely fun to read to the children,” remarked Allocca, who coincidentally had been the first guest to read to the preschool class when the center moved to its’ current location in 2008. The Little Sprouts Early Learning Center is operated by Project Self-Sufficiency, a local non-profit agency which offers a wide variety of services to families in northwestern New Jersey.   The daycare and preschool facility features separate classrooms for each age group, from infants through those entering preschool.   Fully-qualified teachers are available in each classroom and the child-teacher ratio adheres to or exceeds state standards.   Each classroom has new equipment, as well as learning centers for dramatic play, computers, science, housekeeping, sand and water play, reading...