January Golf Event Raises Funds for Project Self-Sufficiency

Plans are underway for the annual Chili Open Golf Classic fundraiser to be held at the Sussex County Fairgrounds on Saturday, January 31st. Proceeds will benefit Project Give Shelter, a Project Self-Sufficiency initiative to help Sussex County residents who need emergency temporary shelter or stable housing. Funds raised from Project Self-Sufficiency's Chili Open events were used to help 265 local families, including 401 adults and 342 children, by providing over 1,900 shelter nights and restoring heat and electricity to 60 households.

“Success in becoming self-sufficient is built on a stable foundation of secure and safe housing,” said Project Self-Sufficiency Executive Director Deborah Berry-Toon. “It’s difficult to find a job, hold a job, get an education, or receive training when you don’t know where you’re going to sleep at night, or you must constantly relocate.”

Funds from the Chili Open will provide emergency shelter, security deposits, rent, and utility payments as necessary and appropriate, Berry-Toon said. The agency’s Project Give Shelter initiative is part of a longer-range effort to fight homelessness and is designed to aid both renters and landlords. “Project Self-Sufficiency has comprehensive wraparound programs and the staff to coordinate our efforts with other community providers to assure families and children are not left out in the cold,” explained Berry-Toon.

The annual Chili Open Golf Classic, which has become a beloved wintertime tradition, has been played on a makeshift course at Sussex County Fairgrounds for more than 20 years. Golfers play a scramble format of two of the four nine-hole, par-three courses before heading indoors for lunch featuring a variety of fare donated by area restaurants, including a selection of chili, with music provided by R.E.N.O. the Band, as well as a putting contest, beverages, raffles and a 50/50 drawing.

Rotary Clubs in Branchville, Newton, and Wallkill partner with Project Self-Sufficiency to organize and serve breakfast and lunch, staff a cash bar and provide souvenir photos of the golfers, among other event assistance.

“Many golfers have been attending the Chili Open for years,” said Bruce Tomlinson, Project Self-Sufficiency Development Director, and a longtime Chili Open participant. “In some ways, the Chili Open is like an annual community family reunion.”

Over the years, the Chili Open has been played in a wide variety of conditions, from below zero windchill to relatively moderate temperatures. In some years, snow needed to be plowed from the makeshift fairways and the golf cups were filled with ice. “Golfers of all skill levels have a great time, regardless of the weather,” Tomlinson observed. “But they do seem to like the challenge of less-than-ideal conditions.”

Because the Chili Open is a fundraiser to help those facing housing crises in Sussex County, sponsors and golfers are needed and welcomed. Chili Open Golf Classic registration details and sponsorship opportunities can be found on the Project Self-Sufficiency website, www.projectselfsufficiency.org/chili-open.

High School Diploma Program Launches in March

Enrollment for the next session of the New Jersey Youth Corps program at Project Self-Sufficiency is underway. The sixteen-week program launches in March and is currently being offered as a hybrid of virtual and in-person curricula and activities. The New Jersey Youth Corps gives those who have not completed high school the opportunity to boost their literacy skills, prepare for the high school equivalency exam, obtain on-the-job work experience, and transition into a career, college or the military. Interested participants are invited to attend virtual Open House hosted by Project Self-Sufficiency to learn more about the New Jersey Youth Corps and to complete an application. Virtual Open Houses will be held on Tuesdays at 5:00 p.m., January 19 th , 26 th , February 2 nd , 9 th , and 16th, as well as Thursdays at noon, January 21 st , 28 th , February 4 th , 11 th, and 18 th . In addition, Project Self-Sufficiency is offering a $100 gift card to t...

Little Sprouts Recognized for Excellence

The Little Sprouts Early Learning Center was recently awarded a four-star rating from Grow NJ Kids , the state-sponsored initiative to raise the quality of child care and early learning throughout New Jersey. The rating is based on a rigorous process which considers documentation, classroom environment, in-person observations, and other factors. The Little Sprouts Early Learning Center is an expansive childcare and preschool facility which offers space for 83 youngsters, ages 6 weeks to 6 years, and is operated by Project Self-Sufficiency at 127 Mill Street in Newton. Jennifer Blohm is a Technical Assistance Specialist from the Central Jersey Family Health Consortium , one of three agencies assigned to provide technical assistance and support to programs participating in Grow NJ Kids. Blohm was so impressed by the quality of the Little Sprouts Early Learning Center environment, that she decided to enroll her own child in the preschool. “...

New Jersey's First Female State Trooper Defies Breast Cancer Diagnosis

Gail Just approaches her health with the same no-nonsense attitude which made her a success in her law enforcement career. When an annual mammogram revealed that she had three tumors in one of her breasts, she immediately investigated her alternatives, selected a medical provider, and proceeded with a treatment plan. “I’m a retired state trooper and I tend to take things differently than most people,” remarked Just. “I decided we’re not going to use the word ‘scared.’” Breast cancer is often a silent disease, with virtually no symptoms, but it is often completely curable if diagnosed in its early stages. In 1980, the national five-year survival rate for women diagnosed with early-stage breast cancer was about 74%; today that number is 99%. There are currently more than 4 million breast cancer survivors in the United States. One out of eight women will develop breast cancer, yet about 85% of these women have no family history of the disease. A...

News from Project Self-Sufficiency

Search This Blog