2026 Blog Posts

Simply put inflation is the continuous increase in the cost of goods and services. We all see it in our day-to-day activities with the cost of gasoline, meat and I noticed even batteries! But did you know that inflation is affecting the impact of government funding that our agency as well as other non-profits depend on.

As stated by the National Association to End Homelessness, “Over the last 10 years, homeless services funding nearly doubled (increasing by 96 percent)…After accounting for inflation, the 96 percent increase in homelessness funding really only amounts to a 43 percent boost.” That’s a significant decrease in the impact these dollars are intended to support…our most vulnerable community members.

Inflation is increasing the cost of living, which increases community need and at the same decreases the impact of the government funding set aside to help those experiencing homelessness or who are at risk.

That is why we and other organizations need the support of you, individual and corporate donations, to help offset this decrease in government assistance due to inflation. Won’t you help…it means so much to us and to our neighbors, friends and families that we serve every day.

Do you remember that song from the 1980’s…a cappella with a reggae vibe. In the hectic times we live today, bombarded by so much information and other people’s angst…it’s hard to “don’t worry, be happy.” There’s even a non-profit group dedicated to being happy called Action for Happiness. They define themselves as a movement of people taking action to create a happier society.

From their website are ten keys to happiness with the first letter of each key spelling Great Dream.

1. Giving: helps us feel more connected with others, it literally “gives our brains a boost”

2. Relating: simply put relationships matter whether personal or professional

3. Exercising: could be anything from running a marathon to dancing even when no one is around

4. Awareness: being mindful, in the present moment, non-judgmental

5. Trying Out: keep learning new things, stay curious

6. Direction: be optimistic for the future, have hope, “finding and working towards meaningful goals is a way of connecting the present to our future and research is showing how it can boost our happiness and wellbeing too”

7. Resilience: being able to “bounce back” when things don’t go your way, coping skills, not giving up

8. Emotions: cultivate positive feelings, gratitude

9. Acceptance: be comfortable with who you are, no one is perfect

10. Meaning: direction, giving, relating are all part of meaning, “be part of something bigger”

So, go out there and don’t worry, be happy! Your mind and body will thank you.

You may have heard that there is going to be a re-boot of the popular 1980’s television show Miami Vice Called Miami Vice ’85. Austin Butler and Michael B. Jordon are starring in the lead roles originally played by Don Johnson and Philip Michael Thomas. Hope they keep the original theme music and opening imagery, some of the best ever…The Sopranos is another one, but I digress.

While it’s been reported that the reboot is being filmed in Miami and New York, it’s also being filmed right here in New Jersey, Wayne to be exact, Preakness Shopping Center on Hamburg Turnpike to be precise. Pretty cool! The production company has brought in palm trees (hope they’re fake or they’ll freeze) and changed some of the façade and signage at the mostly abandoned strip mall.

As stated in an article for The Record Bergen County, “New Jersey has experienced a persistent rise in film production spending in recent years. The state incentivizes filmmakers by offering tax breaks of up to 40% for certain production expenses. Since the state reinstated those tax credits in July 2018, it has become a filmmaking hub. Variety reported in August (2026) that 73 films took advantage of the program last year, spending more than $1 billion.”

Even Sussex County is getting into the film business with BarnLight Studios based out of Branchville. We can only hope that Austin and Michael take a road trip and visit us in Sussex County…Adam Sandler too, we hear he’s been spotted filming in New Jersey.

We all are aware of the increased costs of everyday items. Gasoline is flirting with $4.50 a gallon in New Jersey with California paying over $6.00 and this is just for regular! The cost of a single first class postage stamp is 82 cents for those of us who still even mail letters and bills. The cost of housing is no different not just in New Jersey but across the country.

Nationally, nearly half of renters paid more than the recommended 30% of their monthly income in 2024 for shelter, according to a 2026 report by the Joint Center for Housing Studies of Harvard University.

From an online article from Punchbowl News, It’s a “socioeconomic crisis,” said Rep. Emanuel Cleaver (D-Mo.), ranking member of the Financial Services Housing and Insurance Subcommittee. “The current state of housing is traumatic,” Cleaver said. “We have a shortage right now in the country, in the United States, between 3.7 million to almost 6 million homes and rental properties.”

Side note, fun fact – punchbowl is the Secret Service nickname for the U.S Capitol. Picture the Capitol’s dome upside down…get it. Who knew?!

But getting back to the affordability crisis. It is as Rep. Cleaver stated a socioeconomic crisis. Even more so for those with limited or fixed incomes. Our agency is seeing more older adults requiring assistance, sometimes for the first time in their lives. Social security alone can no longer pay the bills in this increasingly demanding economy.

This is why we must come together as a community to help one another, help fill the social gaps when one of us needs help.

Most likely, everyone who reads this headline knows exactly who and what I am speaking of. Dolly Parton was someone who transcended age, race, religion, political beliefs and more. Everybody loved Dolly and no one had anything bad to say about her. In this day and age that says a lot! So, now with Dolly’s passing what better way to honor her but to be more like Dolly.

Yes, Dolly was an award winning singer, songwriter and actress but she was also a generous philanthropist. Even Jeff Bezos, in 2022, gave Dolly Parton $100 million dollars as the recipient of his annual Courage and Civility Award. The recipients of this prestigious award have 10 years to spend the money through charitable donations as they see fit. Bezos trusted and believed in Dolly that much. When Dolly passed Bezos commented in his Instagram, “Dolly spent her whole life showing us what it means to lead with love.”

So, what does that mean? It means guiding, communicating, and making decisions from a place of empathy, respect and genuine care for others rather than from fear, ego, or control. Believe in the best of people, help others who have less than you, love more than hate.

Let us know what you are doing to be more like Dolly.

World Smile Day is observed on the first Friday each October. It’s a day to remind us all to smile and make others smile through acts of kindness.

I remember more than once my mom would inadvertently do something to aggravate someone while trying to maneuver in a parking lot. While the other person was looking over with an angry expression my mom would simply smile…thus diffusing the situation. Even Mother Theresa said, “We shall never know all the good that a simple smile can do.”

Below are some fun facts about smiles and Smile Day.

· In 1963, Harvey Ball, an artist from Massachusetts, created the smiley face that we are all familiar with. Harvey didn’t want his initial intention of creating happiness to be eclipsed by the commercialization of his happy face design, so he established World Smile Day in 1999.

· It takes about 17 muscles to smile

· Smiling is known to have numerous health benefits such as helping with depression and reducing blood pressure

So, turn that frown upside down and smile!

New Jersey is now the 5th most expensive place to rent in the country, it previously was ranked 7th…thus heading in the wrong direction. This is according to the 2026 Out of Reach data report (published by the Housing and Community Development Network of New Jersey (the Network). The report also states that, “Full-time workers need to earn $43.89 per hour to afford a modest, two-bedroom home at Fair Market Rent in New Jersey. The average renter in the Garden State earns $24.92 per hour.”

This of course does not include utilities, food, clothing and other basic necessities and we all know those costs have gone up in recent years. That is why we need to stand together as a community to empower those experiencing a housing crisis. It could be any one of us that unexpectedly has an illness, death of a partner, loss of job, or loss of home from fire, flooding or other natural disasters. These unpredictable and unplanned life events often are the reasons people in our community reach out asking for help.

We’ve seen an uptick in people looking for assistance. As quickly as we fill our food shelf with non-perishables and cabinet with basic toiletries like toothpaste and deodorant…it needs to be replenished. I recently placed two stuffed teddy bears in the cabinet within the hour a little girl came in and asked if she could have one…of course she could. It’s a tiny gesture but meant so much to her and was unexpected to her in a good way.

We always gladly accept donations of non-perishable foods and full size toiletries. Won’t you help?

Recently, I was reading the Manager’s Blog on the Newton, NJ website. I noticed a pattern of Town Manager, Tom Russo, talking about Morris Lake and how many inches it is below the top of the spillway?! Why is Morris Lake so important, he doesn’t mention any other lake. Is it at risk of flooding? So, I searched Morris Lake and discovered that it is the Newton Reservoir…who knew.

The lake is located about 10 miles away off of Glen Road in Sparta, NJ. It has served as the primary drinking water source for the Town of Newton since 1895! I’m always amazed to think how the water travels all the way from the reservoir to the municipality(ies) it serves. I was remembering how the reservoir on the border of Parsippany and Boonton supplies Jersey City and even parts of Hoboken. You can see the dam on Route 46 in Parsippany.

While on my “reservoir online search” it prompted me for, “what is the largest reservoir in New Jersey”. Well, of course I was interested and the largest reservoir is Round Valley in Hunterdon County. At capacity it can hold 55 billion gallons of water! With that much water Round Valley is the water source for millions of residents in Central New Jersey.

I also learned that some say Round Valley is cursed…which I’ll save for another day and another blog. Stay tuned and who knew…

I was recently on a webinar about donor cultivation and when the subject of how to communicate with different segments of the population came up one of the moderators said, “Gen X is the forgotten generation.” Say what?! As a Gen X myself and admittingly I quickly searched the ages for Gen X…because I too, momentarily forgot that I was Gen X!

Gen X is defined as being born between 1965-1980, sandwiched between the Baby Boomers and Millennials…whose populations are greater…thus forgotten. Often advertisers and the media when discussing trends will focus on Baby Boomers and Millennials – skipping over the “middle child” generation.

Others have a different take on the forgotten generation. Speaking directly to Gen Xers from an online site called Upworthy.

1. “You are the most independent and self-sufficient generation…there is literally nothing I can teach you.” Well, we are also known as the “latch-key” kids, who had to figure “stuff out”, entertain ourselves without social media, etc. Cell phones didn’t even exist!

2. “Even if I did have something to tell you, you wouldn’t care.” Also, known as the “whatever” generation. Well, I care now but as a child my mom bought me a collection of books with one being about a little boy Pierre who said I don’t care about everything…until he got eaten by a lion!

3. “The rest of us are all terrified of you if the apocalypse ever happens…some how you’ll know what to do.” True that!