News from Project Self-Sufficiency

Janice Pasculli, Esquire, will offer a free Elder Law seminar to address common concerns faced by senior citizens on Thursday, October 12 th , from 2:00 – 4:00 p.m. at Project Self-Sufficiency, 127 Mill Street in Newton.   Participants will discuss general estate planning, development of a will, advance directions for healthcare, dealing with Medicare and Medicaid, tips on caring for aging parents, and other issues related to the elderly.   The presentation is free and open to the public, but registration is required.   To register, call Project Self-Sufficiency at 973-940-3500 or 844-807-3500.

Over the past few weeks, Victory Frame Shop owner Jacky Murphey has spent hours visiting with some of the students at the Little Sprouts Early Learning Center, engaging each one in conversation and inviting them to illustrate a muslin panel for a quilt based upon their unique interests.   She then embellished the children’s artwork, added extra panels to highlight numbers and letters of the alphabet, and sewed all of the pieces together to construct a one-of-a-kind quilt.   The elaborate creation was presented recently to the daycare center staff and children who were delighted to see how their artwork had been incorporated into the final piece.   Murphey came up with the idea to create a special quilt after appearing as a Celebrity Reader at the Early Learning Center.   “We decided to work with the 4 and 5-year-old children because they have the appropriate attention span and fine motor skills,” explains Murphey, who is an accomplished artist in addition to her work at

Michelle Olenick, Esquire, will offer a free Family Law seminar at Project Self-Sufficiency, Wednesday, October 4th, 7:00 - 9:00 p.m. Discuss grounds for divorce, court procedures, parenting time, alimony, equitable distribution of assets and other topics related to divorce. Free and open to the public; registration required.  Call 973-940-3500 to register.

Income-eligible Blairstown-area residents are invited to learn advanced Microsoft Word at a free class offered at Project Self-Sufficiency’s Main Street location on Thursdays, October 5 th – 19 th , from 6:00 – 8:00 p.m.   Students will learn word-processing techniques, including the creation of professional-looking letters, faxes, newsletters and other documents, as well as the use of mail merge features used to print mailing labels and address letters to multiple recipients.   The agency’s computer lab is located in the First Presbyterian Outreach Center at 35 Main Street in Blairstown.   A complete roster of free computer classes and employability skills courses are offered at Project Self-Sufficiency’s Newton location all year long, including classes in Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook; QuickBooks accounting software; and courses designed just for seniors and for men.   Certain income guidelines apply.   To register, or for more information, ca