The Outreach Committee of PCM is responsible for directing church funds toward groups that respond to the teachings of Jesus, which are, in short, to love and care for one another. One of the Committee’s focal points is to support organizations that help children in need. It was Jesus himself who said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” (Matthew 19:14).
Some of the programs PCM supports benefit children and adults, like those that address Food Insecurity (addressed in an article released May 20). But there are other programs directed just to children, and they serve different populations in different ways.
The Morris/ Sussex CASA Program
The Morris/ Sussex CASA Program (which stands for Court Appointed Special Advocates) relies on community volunteers who stand up in court and speak out for abused and neglected children. The Morris/ Sussex CASA is the only court-authorized advocacy program for children and youth in foster care in these counties. Our local CASA is part of a national program serving 950 communities. Volunteers are selected and trained in a rigorous process, and they are a key part of the one-on-one mentoring and counseling these children need.
The organization also requires funding to support the children and teens. With the help of PCM donations – and those from many other people and local organizations – CASA can provide essential items not covered by DCPP to the youth and families we serve. These items, often needed on an emergent basis, include prepaid cell phones, school devices (laptops/iPads), clothes for job interviews, proms, and special events, college prep materials and fees (SAT review manuals/courses/application fees), school items (books, calculators, backpacks), sports equipment, and art, dance, music, and sports lessons for youth to explore and enhance their talents. Most importantly, CASA pays for educational tutoring, summer camp and other experiences to help children/youth in foster care to overcome their trauma and enjoy childhood.
Children on the Green
Children on the Green is the nursery school located in the Morristown Methodist Church, right around the corner from PCM’s Sanctuary. Children on the Green is a licensed, non-profit childcare center committed to quality, developmentally appropriate care and early education for children of families living or working in the Morristown area. The leaders of the school seek to reflect the diversity of the community and are committed to partnerships that support all children and families.
Children on the Green (COG) opened in 1994, with the philosophy that every child deserves access to a quality early education program regardless of their means. Contributions from PCM and others offer scholarships for children with demonstrated need, providing them with access to quality education and developmental opportunities unavailable to them in other centers. COG is the only childcare center in New Jersey that provides full scholarships to children referred to them by local homeless and battered women’s shelters.
Cornerstone Family Programs
Over two centuries ago, women from the Presbyterian Church in Morristown joined with others in town to establish Cornerstone Family Programs, a charity to help local women and children with necessities such as food, clothing, and fuel. Though it has had several different names since 1813, the organization has always strived to transform their programs to anticipate and address the evolving needs of
Individuals and families in Morristown and vicinity. In 2013, Cornerstone merged with the Morristown Neighborhood House to offer a broad array of programs including childcare, healthcare, cultural and recreational activities, and an advocacy for social justice on behalf of the community.
Today, Cornerstone operates day-care, after-school care, and enrichment classes for preschoolers through elementary school age children. The Outreach Committee is most impressed with the array of services offered to teens, including help with tutoring and college admissions, and supervised recreational and cultural activities that help young people find the best in themselves.
The name Cornerstone Family Program is more appropriate than ever, as the center also provides guidance to parents as they, and their children, grow and change. Cornerstones also works with senior citizens, adult caregivers, and veterans who may need assistance.
PCM’s Outreach Committee, and all PCM members, should be proud of our long-standing connection to these organization. Our support is making a difference to the community, and to our commitment as a church to live out the words to “love one another.”
