2026 Blog Posts

As stated in Psychology Today, “Hope is a choice, not just a passive feeling. It is an active decision to imagine a better future and take steps to build it, even when current circumstances are difficult or uncertain.”

Psychology Today goes on to further break down hope into the following traits:

· Resilience / Mental Health: Hope helps build the foundation for mental strength, allowing one to confront adversity with determination rather than giving in to despair

· Motivation: It can provide the personal agency needed to take action and execute one’s vision for improvement

Recently some of our staff were tasked with writing a new theme / message for Family Promise of Sussex County. After much discussion, we agreed upon, “Rooted in Hope, Empowering Community”. The idea being that everything we do is built on the foundation of hope. That we can, together with the individuals we work with, develop a path forward to empower those experiencing a housing crisis to achieve stability and sustainability, because everyone deserves a home.

Our 3rd annual Service Strong Veterans Fair will be held on July 18th from 11:00 -1:00pm with Christ Episcopal Church, 62 Main Street, Newton, as our host. The event is free and open to all veterans, active and reserve members and their families. We will have employers, so job seekers bring your resume as well as various agencies and companies who offer services and discounts tailored to our military community.

As we are celebrating this July 4th our nation’s 250th anniversary, we, at Family Promise of Sussex County, want to extend our deepest appreciation and gratitude to all who have served our country – past and present. This employment and resource fair is our way of saying thank you.

If you would like to be a part of our Service Strong Veterans Fair, please visit our website for sponsorship opportunities, as well as how to register as a community resource or employer. https://familypromisesussex.org/index.php/upcoming-events/

I did not grow up with formal religion and any references that I do have are Catholic as my mom was raised very strict Italian Catholic back in the 1930’s and 1940’s. Recently a friend of mine retired from working at a local Presbyterian Church. They asked her what she wanted for food and without hesitation responded, a traditional potluck dinner.

I must admit I’m a little bit leery of potlucks especially when the food is prepared outside of what I’m familiar with. My family had Auntie Gloria’s lasagna as a traditional standby…you anticipated eating it and it never disappointed. So, while I wanted to support my friend, admittedly I was hesitant to go to this retirement party as I did not know what to expect.

Well, I’m so glad that I attended. The food was varied but absolutely delicious. When I commented that to some of the parishioners, they were not surprised at all and said Presbyterians always have great potlucks.

Who knew? I did not. So, my tip is if you are ever invited to a Presbyterian potluck immediately say yes and save your appetite for a lot of delicious food and camaraderie.

The Sterling Hill Mining Museum, located in Ogdensburg, NJ, formerly known as the Sterling Hill Mine, once had one of the world’s richest zinc ore deposits and is now recognized as a National Historic Site. If that were not enough, they have recently made some discoveries and connections to a collection of native artifacts, dating back 12,500 years ago!

In the Fall of 2024 archeologists along with educators and students examined a private collection of arrowheads and stone tools. Everett Conklin, one of the researchers noted, “When I first saw the collection at the mine, it was beautiful, but there was no archaeological or cultural context. There was no timeline to help the public understand what they were looking at.”

With help from Sussex County Community College’s archeology lab and modern x-ray fluorescence analysis they were able to trace these artifacts to known quarries and other sites in Sussex County. The college is now using this collection as an educational tool helping with preserving and cataloging this very important part of our local history and its first inhabitants.

Based on these findings, the museum is developing a new paired down archeological exhibit. Conklin states, “Instead of displaying 335 artifacts, we want to curate about 70 pieces that represent specific time periods and cultural developments. Our goal is to create a meaningful, well-organized research collection that is thoroughly documented and accessible for both students and the community.”

The year marks the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. Communities large and small throughout the country will be celebrating what is also known as the nation’s semiquincentennial! I am old enough to remember the bicentennial in 1976. I had a lot of fun collecting the bicentennial quarters. That year our school play was about the bicentennial and I vaguely recall that I spoke about Francis Scott Key who wrote The Star Spangled Banner. What does spangled mean anyway? From Vocabulary.com, “Spangled means to be decorated, covered, or sprinkled with small, shiny objects like sequins, beads, or jewels that catch and reflect the light”

On a national level, The United States Semiquincentennial Commission was established by Congress in 2016. It’s a nonpartisan group which has several initiatives as part of the 250th celebration also known as America 250 including:

· Give 4th Initiative – encourages everyone to make this Independence Day and every year thereafter a day of charitable giving

· America Gives Initiative – asks that we make this year the largest ever in volunteering Learn more about these initiatives and other activities at https://america250.org/.

Park Golf…have you heard of it? Me either. Well, the Japanese have been doing park golf since the early 1980’s! They even have their own Japan Park Golf Association overseeing this sport. Last May, the Great Gorge Golf Club in Vernon, NJ opened its own park golf course called 1Club. It’s the first and may still be the only official park golf course in the state.

What is park golf? Some call it the “pickleball of golf”. It is a simplified version of golf with only one club, one ball and a larger cup. The club is shorter than a traditional golf club, some say similar to a croquet mallet. It’s suitable for all ages and no skills or experience is required, they even have music playing in the background! 1Club provides you with the equipment, so just book a tee time and have fun.

This year Great Gorge has graciously donated a 1Club foursome for our Casino Night. It will be one of many prizes that attendees will have the chance to win, last year over $9,000 of prizes were handed out. It’s not too late to join us, please visit https://familypromisesussex.org/index.php/casino-night/ for more information and to buy tickets.

Well May typically is supposed to be a month of nice days and warmer temperatures (we’ll see) when people spend more time outdoors. To coincide with this the American Health Association in 2007 introduced May as National Walking Month.

Those who are avid readers of this blog (you know who you are), are aware that I have written several blogs on the topic of walking. I am an avid walker, if the weather is tolerable, I will use my lunch break to take a 30 minute walk. Not a walker? As part of national walking month there is a #Try20 Challenge, the goal being to promote a 20 minute daily walk to see health benefits. Some of the benefits are: helps lower blood pressure, aids in weight management, strengthens muscles and increases mental well being.

I also enjoy a good list of fun facts. National Today had a list of walking facts here a few that caught my attention.

· Walking is the most popular exercise in the United States

· The average person walks 65,000 miles in their lifetime. This is equivalent to three times around the world!

· Walking engages 200 muscles

So, get out there and take a walk or two this month.

Previously, veteran services in our state were part of the NJ Department of Military and Veteran Affairs (DMAVA). Starting in January 2026, the Department of Veteran Affairs officially separated from DMAVA, forming the NJ Department of Veterans Affairs (DVA).  Its mission is to deliver exceptional services, support and advocacy for Garden State veterans, families, care givers and survivors.  DVA honors those who have served and the people who love them by delivering access to earned benefits, programs and resources. 

Sen. Joe Vitale, D-19^th District who was a prime bill sponsor which established this new standalone department stated, “New Jersey’s veterans deserve nothing less than a government fully committed to their well-being because of all that they sacrificed serving our nation. Veterans need to know their voices are being heard and their needs prioritized, (this separation) reflects that commitment by giving them a dedicated seat at the table and a department that works only for them.” 

We at Family Promise of Sussex County could not agree more.  Last year our agency served 46 local veteran households.  On July 18^th we will be holding our third annual Service Strong, veteran resources and job fair.  Please call our office if you are interested in participating.
Contact Vicki at vsadiwnyk@familypromisesussex.org or call 973-579-1180 ext. 1034