Bishop Sweeney Blesses the Center's New Location

Thanks to Cecile Pagliarulo and everyone at the Beacon for this article on the May 23 blessing of the Center's new location by Bishop Sweeney (and don't forget to click on the slideshow link in the article). 

May 23, 2022 - Bishop Kevin Sweeney blesses the new location of the Center.

                    

What an Afternoon! Thank you!

 Our "Afternoon with Adriana Trigiani" -- postponed twice before due to the pandemic -- was held on Tuesday, May 10, 2022 at the Rockaway River Country Club.  What an afternoon it was!  Earlier that day, we had learned that Adriana's newest book, The Good Left Undone, had reached number four on the New York Times Bestseller List for hardcover fiction.  Everyone at the luncheon received a signed copy of this book.  Adriana's energetic and inspiring presentation exceeded our expectations.  Thank you to everyone who had a part in the luncheon.  Thank you for empowering our women and strengthening their families.  Please enjoy this collection of photos from our luncheon (photographer: Jean Orlandi).  If the video fails to load, please click here to view it. 

Adriana Trigiani in the NY Times Review of Books

On Thursday, the New York Times Book Review published an interview with Adriana Trigiani, who we will have the pleasure of meeting at the Rockaway River Country Club on Tuesday, May 10, 2022, to benefit Passaic Neighborhood Center for Women.  The interview is available here. We know you haven't read her newest release, The Good Left Undone, because you're looking forward to receiving your copy and having Adriana sign it at the luncheon on May 10!

Share the NYT interview with your friends! Perhaps they would like to come to the luncheon, too.  A few tickets are still available at ncwpassaic.org.  See you there!

Tickets are going fast! Have you gotten yours?

 

In only two weeks we will be welcoming bestselling author, Adriana Trigiani, to Rockaway River Country Club for the benefit of Passaic Neighborhood Center for Women.  Have you gotten your tickets yet?  We would appreciate all responses by Friday, April 29.  Click here for more information!

Has your invitation arrived?

The invitations for our "Afternoon with Adriana Trigiani" were sent last week.  Have you received yours?  If so, remember that the due date for reservations is April 26.  If not, please contact us and we will be sure to remedy that!  

Remember, the luncheon is being held at Rockaway River Country Club on Tuesday, May 10, from noon - 3 PM. Each luncheon attendee will receive a copy of Adriana's latest book, The Good Left Undone, and she will be available to sign books at the end of the luncheon.

Best of all, you will be supporting a great cause -- Passaic Neighborhood Center for Women!

Looking forward to seeing you there!

We Remember

 As we prepare for our May 10 author luncheon with Adriana Trigiani, our hearts turn toward memories of our dear friend, Rebeca Ruiz-Ulloa, who passed away a year ago, February 26, 2021.  Rebeca was a part of Passaic Neighborhood Center for Women since before the Center opened its doors in 2013.  

Rebeca was a tireless advocate for the Center, and assisted us in so many tangible and intangible ways. She was an integral part of our Advisory Board and an energetic force on our luncheon committee. Nothing seemed impossible to Rebeca.  If she didn't know how to do something, she probably knew someone who knew how to do it! She even recruited her father, Dr. Rene Ruiz, who passed away in August 2021, to help us translate our strategic planning surveys into Spanish.  

It is an understatement to say that we miss Rebeca.  We extend our continued prayers to Rebeca's husband, Luis, her mother Osaida, her family, and the staff of the Diocese of Paterson, where Rebeca served as Diocesan Architect.  

May God continue to bless everyone who endeavors to serve the families at Passaic Neighborhood Center for Women, a ministry that was so dear to Rebeca's heart!

Rebeca Ruiz-Ulloa

(1961-2021)

Rebeca at our 2019 author luncheon, with Divina Ramos and 

Christina Baker Kline (center)

Save the Date!

 

After several Covid-related postponements, we have finally set the date for our second author luncheon,  "An Afternoon with Adriana Trigiani." We are excited to ask you to mark your calendars for May 10, 2022 for what promises to be a lively afternoon.  Stay tuned for further information. All prayers are welcome!

Grateful and Hopeful

 

So much has been written and said about 2020!  What more is there to say?  So, rather than speaking of "unprecedented times" with "an abundance of caution," we will allow our two favorite words to greet you during this holiday season, through the end of 2020 and throughout 2021 -- GRATEFUL and HOPEFUL!

We are GRATEFUL to those who have helped us in every way over the past seven years, but especially this year.  We are GRATEFUL to those who continue to respond to our needs and who trust us to carry out this mission efficiently and effectively. We are GRATEFUL to the families who have continued to come to the Center throughout the pandemic. They are the reason for our existence.

We are HOPEFUL that 2021 will bring healing and peace to our neighborhood and our world.  We are HOPEFUL that we can continue to serve our families for many years to come.  We are HOPEFUL that we will always be able to recognize the abundance of God's grace flowing always in all ways!

Thank you and God bless you!

From all of us at Passaic Neighborhood Center for Women

2015: Our Artists

 Any history of the Center would be incomplete without a look at the art class. Click here to view a post from 2015, when art teacher Sr. Mary Culhane, SC, had been teaching the women for only three months.

Remember our first anniversary?

As we continue the celebration of our seventh anniversary, we are looking back in gratitude.  With that in mind, enjoy these photos from our first anniversary in 2014.  

Still Walking Down Memory Lane . . .

As we continue our celebration of the seventh anniversary of Passaic Neighborhood Center for Women, we would like to share these photos from our very first quilting class on October 22, 2013. The women’s skills and confidence have grown so much  from the time Sr. Patricia Reynolds, SC taught them to use a sewing machine until today.  Their quilting projects have been admired (and purchased) by people all over the country!  We are grateful to Sister Pat and to those who have made donations to our quilting program.  

Happy Anniversary!

Today we celebrate the seventh anniversary of the day the Passaic Neighborhood Center for Women opened its doors.  In contemplating what might be shared with you regarding our anniversary, we have decided to stroll down memory lane, started at the beginning.  So, please join us by viewing these photos from September 24, 2013.  

The very last photo of the montage shows our dear friends Sister Ursula Carr, SC (on the left).  We want to share with you that Sister Ursula passed away on Sunday, September 20.  We are saddened by this news, but we also know  that the Center has another strong intercession in heaven.  Our condolences to the Sisters of Charity of Saint Elizabeth and to Sister Ursula’s family and friends.  Rest In Peace, dear friend!   Click here for the obituary of Sister Ursula.  

As always, we are grateful to all of you for what you have done for us during the past seven years and what you continue to do for us each day!

Congratulations, Dominican Sisters of Hope!

Although we are a few days late with our greetings, our sentiments are heartfelt:  Congratulations to the Dominican Sisters of Hope, Ossining, NY, on your 25th anniversary!  At 3 pm on July 20, 1995, the Dominican Sisters of Hope were founded.  On July 19, 2019, the Sisters began their Silver Anniversary year by declaring a "Year of Hope."  And, if there was ever a time that the world needed a Year of Hope, this is it!  Reflections on their Year of Hope can be found here.  We are especially honored that the Center has been included on the website ("Hope Is: Giving Women a Space to Thrive") and in a calendar to commemorate the Year of Hope.  

The Passaic Neighborhood Center for Women owes tremendous gratitude to these Sisters for their strong and consistent support of this ministry.  Long before the Center opened its doors, Dominican Sister of Hope Catherine McDonnell (at that time, Vice Chancellor for Urban Ministry and Planning in the Diocese of Paterson; now Prioress of her Congregation), was involved in the dreaming and planning that made the Center a reality.  Now, as the Center prepares to enter its eighth year of service to the families of Passaic, the Dominican Sisters of Hope continue to support us prayerfully, financially, materially and in immeasurable other ways.  

While "thank you" seems to be such a small return for all you have done for us, it is all we have to offer.  So, from the women, volunteers, staff and board of the Passaic Neighborhood Center for Women, THANK YOU to the Dominican Sisters of Hope!

How are we doing?

We are so very grateful to everyone who has kept us going during the past three months.   Some of you donated funds, gift cards, diapers, garden materials, time and service.  Others just kept checking in, asking how we were doing and/or offering prayers.  So, we’re writing this post in answer to the question, “How are you doing?”

The short answer is, “As always, we are moving forward patiently.”

The longer answer:  “It’s going to be a long road back to 100% capacity, but we are still here to serve the families of Passaic.”

In the midst of the pandemic, we received a “Dig In!” Grant from the Passaic County Board of Chosen Freeholders, which has allowed our women to plant their raised garden beds for the seventh consecutive season.  We are grateful to the Freeholders and to everyone at City Green for their efforts to keep the Dig In! program functioning, especially this year.

We are grateful to our special friends who helped to mow the garden area in preparation for the arrival of the women.

We are grateful to Sister Elaine for coordinating the schedule so that we can continue to honor social distancing protocols.

We are grateful to José German of Northeast Earth Coalition for his faithful support.  Although the pandemic caused us to postpone the planting for a month, José responded with immediate assistance as soon as we were ready to go.

Because of these collaborative efforts, we are able to continue our response to the food insecurity of the families of Passaic by providing a way for our women to grow their own food.

Thank you and God bless you!

Enjoy the first photos of the season from our garden:

We're Still Here!

Although you haven't heard from us for a number of months, we are still here!  We continue to provide a peaceful, safe, welcoming place for the women of Passaic to express their needs, to become connected to community resources to fulfill their needs and to strengthen families through educational growth.  We are still guided by the belief that when women are empowered, the family is strengthened. 

The Center had its busiest year during 2019, welcoming close to 3,100 visits from the women of Passaic, bringing total visits since 2013 close to 15,000.  Women continue to come to the Center for English, quilting, crocheting, Rosetta Stone for English, gardening, legal assistance, craft workshops and other educational workshops.  Beginning in February 2019, we welcomed a volunteer, bilingual licensed social worker.  Our garden and our diaper bank continue to thrive, thanks to the grants and donations we continue to receive from our faithful benefactors. 

The Center is in the midst of participating in a collaborative effort to educate our families about the importance of the 2020 Census.  Passaic has been considered a "hard to count" community in previous census campaigns.  Because of the correlation between an accurate census and the benefits that the community receives, organizations that serve the poor are collaborating to educate the residents of Passaic about their role in the 2020 Census. 

Faithful blog readers know that we held our first-ever author luncheon on September 24, 2019.  Over 100 women attended to support the Center, to enjoy each other's company and to meet New York Times bestselling author, Christina Baker Kline.  Stay tuned to this blog and our website for an important announcement next week regarding this year's author at our luncheon, to be held at Rockaway River Country Club on Tuesday, September 22, 2020.  Save the date! 

We are so very grateful to our generous supporters!  Thank you and God bless you!

An Afternoon with Christina Baker Kline: Success!

We are so very grateful to everyone who supported our first fundraising luncheon, "An Afternoon with Christina Baker Kline."  We are grateful to all who attended, donated, sponsored, planned, carried out and prayed for our luncheon at the Rockaway River Country Club in Denville, NJ on September 24, 2019.  New York Times bestselling author, Christina Baker Kline, gave a stimulating presentation to all 100+ women who attended.  Here is a slideshow containing some photos of the event by our photographer, Jean Orlandi.  (Email subscribers:  If you do not see a video embedded in your email, please click here to access it.) 

Luncheon RSVP Deadline Approaching

Amidst this summer's vacations and other commitments, we hope that you remembered our September 1 RSVP deadline for our luncheon featuring New York Times bestselling author, Christina Baker Kline. See this post for more information, or visit our website.  We look forward to seeing you there!

Have you registered for our luncheon?

As we reported in this post, the Passaic Neighborhood Center for Women is hosting a luncheon featuring New York Times bestselling author, Christina Baker Kline.  If you have not yet received your invitation for the September 24 event, please let us know.  Or, visit our website for more information and to register. 

Speaking of our September 24 luncheon:  We are grateful to Rich Sokerka, Cecile Pagliarulo and everyone at The Beacon, the award-winning newspaper of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Paterson, NJ, for including this article in the August 15 edition.

We look forward to seeing you there.  If you cannot come, would you be interested in donating toward the luncheon or soliciting a company to sponsor the luncheon?  Please visit our website, ncwpassaic.org, or call Sister Ann Marie at  (973) 470-0844 for more information.

Thank you, Passaic County Board of Chosen Freeholders!

During a ceremony at the Passaic County Administration Building in Paterson on April 9, the Passaic County Board of Chosen Freeholders awarded the Passaic Neighborhood Center for Women a Dig In! Grant for the sixth consecutive year!  We are grateful to the County Freeholders and to everyone at City Green for their assistance in making our garden grow.  Here are some photos from the grant presentation:

County Freeholder Terry Duffy awards the grant to Sister Ann Marie,
while City Green Executive Director Jennifer Papa (left), and Community
Garden Coordinator Erin Maguire assist.

The grantees display their new Dig In! signs.

Thank you, Volunteers!

In celebration of National Volunteer Week, the Passaic Neighborhood Center for Women honored its volunteers at a luncheon prepared and served by our women.  As we enjoy some of the photos from today, we thank God for the presence of our volunteers and ask God to bless them abundantly.