Address:
Kathryn Blackshear
Social Service Coordinator
721 Chelton Avenue, Camden, New Jersey 08105
General Fax Number: (856) 968-6175
Telephone: (856) 968-6172
Email: kblackshear@camdenhousing.org
Department Staff:
Arlene Bradley
Grant Program Coordinator
Email: abradley@camdenhousing.org
Telephone: (856) 968-2667
Dorixe De Jesus
Administrative Assistant
Email: ddejesus@camdenhousing.org
Telephone: (856) 968-6197/6198
Evelyn Nieves
ABS Supervisor/Social Worker
Email: enieves@camdenhousing.org
Telephone: (856) 968-2666
Antoinette Williams
Job Developer
Email: awilliams@camdenhousing.org
Telephone: (856) 968-2657
Diane Davis
Program Coordinator - Youthbuild Program
Email: ddavis@camdenhousing.org
Telephone: (856) 756-0241
Betzaida Santana
Family Self-Sufficiency Coordinator (Public Housing)
Email: bsantana@camdenhousing.org
(Telephone: 856) 964-4076
VACANT
Neighborhood Network Coordinator
Email: @camdenhousing.org
Telephone: (856) 968-6197 & (856) 541-7815 (Ablett Village)
The Goals of Resident Initiatives
The primary goal of the staff of the Resident Initiatives Department is to provide the best possible services to the residents of the Housing Authority of the City of Camden; as well as to provide a comprehensive array of services to meet the overall needs of the residents of public housing and section 8 clients.
The Housing Authority of the City of Camden is committed to work in partnership with its residents to meet their needs and facilitate progress for the many families and individuals that live in public housing. The Resident Initiatives Department offers educational, cultural and recreational activities for our adults and youth through a creative resident curriculum program that challenges the intellect offer choices and reinforces ethnic and cultural pride.
The residents of the HACC are characterized by a set of complex problems that mirror those of society at large. Our job is to understand their needs and provide services; education and training that help them become more self-sufficient. The Housing Authority of the City of Camden has introduced a number of programs to empower our residents and improve the quality of life for our residents. At HACC, all of our programs emphasize the empowerment through personal growth.
Resident Initiatives Programs
Highlighted below are some of the exciting programs we currently offer:
The development and implementation of each of the programs that are provided was created and enhanced to respond to the lack of adequate services available for all the residents of the Authority. The services are delivered in a holistic one-step approach to meet the physical, educational, psychological and emotional needs of the residents. The success of this department is based on the motivation and active participation of the residents. By providing motivation, counseling and support systems, we create better opportunities and choices to move individuals further towards independence.
Social Services
The Residents of HACC are provided with quality and caring social services in a variety of areas. We assist with resident-to-resident difficulties, domestic matters, fires, counseling, utilities, emergency food needs, legal matters and many more.
A large number of our cases are referred out to other social service agencies that deal directly in the areas of the services needed. However, HACC staff resolves many of our cases. It is the goal of the Resident Initiatives staff to provide our residents with safe, secure, and sanitary living environments.
For more information contact;
Evelyn Nieves, ABS Supervisor/Social Worker
enieves@camdenhousing.org
(856) 968-2666
Senior Citizens/Homemaker Services Program
Our senior's and disabled citizens have hands on social service daily, five days a week. They also have emergency social service contact 24 hours a day, all year round. The Homemaker Services Program in conjunction with the Camden County Office on Aging allows HACC staff to make home visits to the sick and shut-in residents at each site. The staff is well trained and on an average week, they service over 300 residents of HACC.
This program prevents the institutionalization of our elderly population. Staff determines the services that are needed due to the fact that there is no family member or other responsible caregiver available or capable of providing such services. Staff provides light or heavy housecleaning services such as laundry, dusting, meal preparation, washing floor, etc., Performance of routine errands, such as grocery shopping or purchasing prescribed medications can also be accommodated. Ongoing monitoring by staff is done to detect changes in client's condition, and provide referral, if necessary, to establish a linkage with the appropriate agency.
Through the generosity of the Philabundance Organization of Philadelphia, PA, each week the Resident Initiatives Department receives two large truck shipments of quality foods to distribute to the Residents of HACC.
Youth Initiatives Program
The purpose of the Youth Initiatives Program is to provide a safe, engaging environment that motivates and inspires learning outside the regular school day.
Youth Initiatives endeavors to improve the academic achievements of youth participating in the after-school and summer program. Programming connects learning to more relaxed and enriching activities, fostering and providing access to opportunities that improve self-confidence while developing leadership and social skills that allow youth the realization of their full potential. Youth Initiatives provides high-risk youth with positive healthy alternatives to drugs, alcohol and tobacco use, criminal activity and high-risk behaviors during the peak crime hours after school. Community partnerships have integrated a myriad of services that enhance, expose, and supplement the program.
For more information contact:
Rebecca Ware, Site Coordinator
Chelton Terrace Comm. Center
856) 968-2690 |
Ira Hills, Site Coordinator
Branch Village Comm. Center
(856) 338-9578 |
Kimberly Washington, Site Coordinator
Ablett Village Community Center
(856) 966-9195 |
Hours of operations for all community centers: Monday thru Friday, 3:00pm to 7:00pm
HACC YouthBuild Training Program
1700 Federal Street
Camden, New Jersey 08105
Telephone: (856) 756-0241
Fax: (856) 756-0380
Staff:
Diane Davis, Program Coordinator
Email: ddavis@camdenhousing.org
Department Staff
Shirley Washington, MIS Clerk/Outreach Recruiter
Rhonda Wardlow-Hurley, Activities Coordinator
William Manieri, Vocational Instructor
George Hamburger, Academic Instructor
Ruth Rouff, Academic Instructor
Gordon Palmer, Academic Instructor
Academic and vocational skills training in the construction field for young adults from ages 17 to 24 years of age. This program is geared towards educating and strengthening the leadership skills of the participants providing them the opportunity to open new doors and income possibilities. This program also has GED and Computer components as well.
The Youth Build Construction Trades Program continues its work-related initiatives serving low-income, inner-city young adults entering or transitioning to work. Career focus is on union-apprentice building trades employment opportunities that history has shown to be negligible or inaccessible to minorities and women. Program instruction strengthens skills needed for accessing construction industry employment and links graduates to work in career fields for which they were best suited. This initiatives builds community resources through local workforce development and helps households move across poverty thresholds into mainstream economy.
Employment:
Jobs
The employment staff strives hard to locate employers and match applicants with prospective jobs. To date there are over 65 employers in the tri-county area listed with HACC.
The Life Skills Program
To that end we offer a variety of workshops to all residents who attend the Center. Participants undergo an initial family assessment, develop an action plan for self-sufficiency, participate in life skill classes, stress management, self-esteem, budgeting, job readiness, parenting workshops, and a basic home maintenance course. Participants may also be eligible for additional support services including but not limited to: child-care, transportation, employment counseling, family counseling and drug/alcohol abuse counseling.
Resumes
Resume writing and interviewing techniques are also a part of the employment skills that are offered from the Resident Initiatives Department.
Jobs Fairs
There has been three job fairs held at the HACC since August where over 300 people have attended and been introduced to employers.
For more information contact:
Antoinette Williams, Job Developer
awilliams@camdenhousing.org
(856) 968-2657
Success Learning Center
This educational center provides professional instruction to over 200 plus adult students each year. HACC residents throughout Camden County receive training in the area of basic computer literacy, adult basic education, GED preparation, and English as a Second Language (ESL). The ESL program has been expanded to meet the growing diversified needs of Camden City residents. Our students also receive workshops in life-skills such as budgeting, nutrition, and maintaining employment.
Program Includes:
• Adult Basic Skills Program. The program empowers residents with the skills to be effective and self-sufficient as a parent, workers, consumers and citizens.
• GED/ABE. Our curriculum covers the five subject test areas of writing, social studies, science, language arts and math for students seeking their high school graduate equivalency degree. In addition to our GED test prep course we also offer Adult Basic Education instruction. Over four hundred participants have been served through this program.
• ESL (English as a Second Language). This class is intended for students who do not speak English as their native language. The goal is to develop sufficient language skills and fluency so that residents can more readily find employment and communicate effectively within the larger community.
• Job Readiness. This workshop prepares students for success and independence through gainful employment. Topics include job search strategies and interview techniques, as well as on-the-jobs tips for those seeking careers in the public or private sector.
• Computer Literacy Training. Participants gain practical experience with computers, including familiarization with the basic computer components and an overview of computer software applications and keyboard skills
Locations
C.T. Branch Village W.S. Ablett Village Community Center
155 Branch Village State Street & River Road
Monday thru Friday, 8:30am to 12:00pm Monday thru Friday, 1:00pm to 4:15pm
For more information contact:
Mr. George Hamburger, GED/ABS Instructor
ghamburger@camdenhousing.org
(856) 966-9195
Neighborhood Network Program
The HACC’s Neighborhood Network Program (N.N.) is a resident and community oriented program which strives to continuously lessen the digital divide in low-income persons and families. N.N. focuses on youth, unemployed and underemployed adults, senior residents. It transitions youth from the world of video games, iPods, and DVDs to practical uses of computer technology for homework assistance, word processing, computer graphics and supervised Internet access for learning and enjoyment. Adults and seniors receive training in Basic Skills of Computing; a 10-week class that covers Microsoft Office applications including Word, Excel and PowerPoint. Internet applications (i.e. online research tools, emails, website design, etc) are also taught. N.N. also provides assistance with resume creation and upkeep every Friday by appointment only. Contact the program coordinator to schedule an appointment.
Locations:
W.S. Ablett Village Community Center Chelton Terrace Community Center
State Street & River Road 721 Chelton Avenue
Monday & Tuesday 1:00pm to 3:00pm Wednesday & Thursday, 1:00pm to 3:00pm
For more information contact:
VACANT, Neighborhood Network Program Coordinator
@camdenhousing.org
(856) 541-7815 (Ablett) or (856) 968-6197 (Chelton)
Family Self-Sufficiency Program (FSS)
The HACC’s Family Self-Sufficiency (FSS) Program represents a community-based approach to the organization and delivery of local available services in order to help eligible families become self-reliant and independent of all forms of public assistance. The purpose of the FSS Program is to promote the development of local strategies that coordinate the use of housing assistance with public and private resources that enables eligible families to achieve economic independence and self-sufficiency. The goal of the program is to help low- income families improve their quality of life, awaken or renew self-esteem, while empowering all participants to recognize and utilize available resources from the community. This program is for those residents living in HACC Public Housing and Section 8 Voucher holders.
For more information contact:
Betzaida Santana, PHFSS Coordinator
bsantana@camdenhousing.org
(856) 968-6197 or (856) 964-4076
Homeownership Program
This is a first time home purchasing program for residents residing in HACC public housing and Section 8 voucher programs. This initiatives trains the residents in the home purchasing process, and allows the client to use their Section 8 voucher towards their mortgage payment, instead of renting. This program provides a complete education to teach individuals how to gain control of their finances, deal with credit issues, and save money for the purchase of their first home. It provides homebuyers with the information to make them better informed buyers, while assisting each home buyer in becoming an essential part in the growth of a more financially responsible community.
For more information contact:
Arlene Bradley, Grant Program Coordinator
abradley@camdenhousing.org
(856) 968-6197
Employment Retention Training Program
For adults of all ages, that teaches the steps to obtain employment and keep it.