NJ Fourth Highest Rental Cost

A new report finds New Jersey renters continue to find themselves overwhelmed and underpaid.

The report finds Jersey rentals on average are the fourth-most expensive in the nation, requiring an average household wage of just over 51-thousand dollars annually for a modest, two-bedroom unit. According to the report, the Housing Wage for New Jersey is $24.54 making the state the fourth most expensive in the nation, excluding Washington, DC. The Housing Wage is the hourly wage a family must earn - working 40 hours a week, 52 weeks a year - to be able to afford the rent and utilities for a safe and modest home in the private housing market. New Jersey's Housing Wage has increased 56% since 2000.

Read full article HERE.  Millennium Radio NJ

Are You Waiting for Superman?

Get On the College Track: Join students from John F. Kennedy HS and the EHS Academies to learn about preparing for college. Getting ready for college and career means lots of decisions. What does your child need to know to get ready? How can you help? These talented students can even bring the message to your church or club. Check them out!!!

When?    Sat. April 16 from 9 to 10:15 am, registration begins at 8:30 am
Where?   PCCC
Cost?    Your precious time

Other concurrent sessions:

Advocating for Art and Music Art and music are more than frills! Come learn about how to advocate for results as we bring the arts and music back into the Paterson schools. Will all our students have access to art and music? Will they have enough supplies? Do you know how to ask the right question? Do you know how to get others to join you? Learn how to create a win-win situation for our children.

Web wise: Your child, the Teacher and You! Learn about a great technology tool: Edmodo is a secure social learning network for students, teachers and parents. This learning tool allows us to use the best of Web 2.0 technology to improve student performance. Learn how we can improve communication between all of the most important players in our children's education. Come learn about how to use this tool to communicate about assignments, grades and student progress. Help us move towards universal adoption of this tool across the school district. Especially for Talent 21 schools.

Full Service Community Schools as a Turnaround Strategy: Our children can perform at higher levels. Learn how the Full Service Community School strategy can bring the whole community to bear on student learning. Imagine what can happen when all parts of our community become partners for our children. Our presenter is Sarah Jonas of the Children's Aid Society's National Center for Community Schools.

These workshops are followed by a screening of "A Community Concern." Tired of waiting for Superman? Tired of teacher bashing? Tired of expecting our kids to fail? You'll love the film and the conversation. Join Mayor Jones, Superintendent Evans, Rev Douglas Maven of PACT, Commissioner Alex Mendez, Pamela Amidou-Diaye, School 5 parent & PEOC leader and Harley Huarachi, student.  Optional lunch at noon to follow with the film maker.

Dear Mr. President...

Do you have a minute to help make sure the Obama administration hears our message? Last week, our CEO, Jonathan Reckford, wrote to the Obama administration about an important issue—improving the lives of people living in slums throughout the world. I hope you can take a moment to reinforce his critical message. By the year 2030, we expect that as many as 2 billion people worldwide will be living in slums, facing overcrowding, unsafe housing, unsanitary conditions and limited access to safe water. Without real housing solutions for people in the poorest countries, other efforts at development are destined to fail—efforts to improve public health, education and disaster recovery don’t succeed unless people live in safe and healthy homes. President Obama recently highlighted the importance of leadership in changing the lives of people living in slums. Habitat for Humanity wants him to know that we are ready to work with him to improve the lives of slum-dwellers globally. From passing critical legislation to increasing cooperation between agencies and throughout the international community, Habitat will play a key role in enacting strategies that work in an ever-urbanizing world. Please take a moment to add your voice. In just a few minutes, you can reach out to the White House to make sure they know you support Habitat’s work to find real housing solutions for people in need. Thank you for all that you do. Sincerely, Liz Blake Senior Vice President Habitat for Humanity International

Are You Looking For A Job?

Passaic County Community College

CAREER/JOB FAIR  2011

Thursday,  April 7
10:00 am – 2:00 pm
PCCC Paterson Campus -Gymnasium
Entrance on Ellison Street

Click HERE for information

Stop by and say HI... we'll be there giving out information on our homeownership program.  I have also included for you in this post a JOB LISTS created by The Department of Community Development, Neighborhood Assistance Office.  Click HERE for this list!

Wheels & Deals!

Date: Saturday, May 7, 2011
 
Time: 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
 
Where:
Morris Habitat ReStore
102 Iron Mountain Road, Suite H, Mine Hill
 
About:
Morris Habitat for Humanity is celebrating their 4th anniversary with a car show and a GIGANTIC sale of ReStore merchandise. Check back closer to the event date for details on vendors and car-related raffle prizes. This day marks the end of the week-long Cars for Homes™ Jersey Road Trip to highlight Habitat home construction sites in Summit, Irvington, Waldwick, and Paterson. Local donations of vehicles to Cars for Homes™  through June 30 will be doubled by a matching grant.

Thousands of students pitch in this spring break to volunteer with Habitat for Humanity

Habitat for Humanity Int'l – During this year’s spring break season, thousands of students will help improve communities with Habitat for Humanity. More than 10,000 high school and college students will spend their spring break helping to build and repair homes through Habitat’s Collegiate Challenge alternative break program.

“We recognize that these students could have done a number of things during their spring break and are grateful for their support to help families obtain affordable housing,” said Cody Logsdon, Habitat’s manager of youth volunteer engagement at Habitat for Humanity. “The work these students will do during their spring break will have a lasting impact in local communities.”

The more than 600 spring break groups are traveling to 185 locations and are donating $1.4 million to Habitat for Humanity. Over the past 22 years, more than 182,000 students have spent their school breaks volunteering with Habitat. They have contributed nearly $18 million in funding to the Habitat host affiliates where they have volunteered.

Habitat’s Collegiate Challenge is one of the many programs Habitat has to engage youth ages 5 to 25 in Habitat’s work. Since 2007, State Farm has served as the national corporate sponsor of Habitat for Humanity’s youth programs, with a sponsorship commitment of more than $1.1 million in grants each year. Additionally, State Farm offices contribute more than $500,000 annually to Habitat affiliates across the United States.

Paterson Habitat - Thank you to the five young lady's from Mississippi State University who came to volunteer with us last week during their spring break.

Habitat gears up to respond to Japan disaster

Rescue workers walked past a destroyed house in Minamisanriku town, Miyagi prefecture in northern Japan on 16th March, days after the area was devastated by an earthquake and tsunami. Photo: Reuters/Kim Hyung-hoon, courtesy Trust.org – AlertNet.

As Asia-Pacific Update goes to press, Habitat for Humanity Japan is planning to mobilize people living in Japan to help with clean-up operations after last week’s earthquake and tsunami. Would-be volunteers are asked to register their interest at info@habitatjp.org even though it may be several weeks before work can begin. HFH Japan has also announced a fund raising appeal on its web site. In addition donations are being accepted on www.habitat.org.

Habitat for Humanity International staff are in Japan assisting local Habitat staff to liaise with would-be partners and discussing with government authorities how to best support the relief effort in the still unfolding tragedy.

The 9.0-magnitude earthquake struck off the coast of Japan on 11th March. The resulting aftershocks and tsunami destroyed homes, crushed cars and killed thousands of people. Major tsunami warnings were issued for New Zealand, the Philippines and Indonesia, and further afield.

HFH Korea is already stepping up to assist. Korea’s Joongang Daily reports HFH Korea will be offering HFH Japan materials and technical training for constructing temporary shelters. HFH Korea built 50 temporary houses for flood-affected families in 2006. HFH Korea has also joined hands with SK Telecom, Korea’s largest mobile phone operator, to seek donations via short messaging services. Read more.

Hotel group JW Marriott in Thailand is appealing to its associates for donations to support Habitat for Humanity in Japan. Peter Caprez, cluster general manager for many Marriott properties in Thailand, has called on general managers in the Marriott group to approach their associates over the next week.

Meanwhile a Japan volunteer team building with Habitat in southern India is tugging heartstrings. Nineteen Japanese university students arrived in Bangalore city just an hour before the earthquake hit Japan. The volunteers are studying in Osaka, Kyoto and Kobe which are not affected but many are worried for their families living in Sendai and Tokyo. Their volunteerism moved Habitat home partner J.Sreedhar in Kothanur village. “They are here to help me with foundation work when people in their own country are homeless. What more can I ask?” Sreedhar was quoted as saying in a Times of India article. Read more.