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ABOUT US
NCJW is proud of our commitment to meet the changing needs of our community with services that are non-sectarian and are available to all women. The Linda and Rudy Slucker NCJW Center for Women has been in operation since 1981 and serves as the umbrella structure that coordinates eight community service projects for women. The Center is funded by NCJW, Essex County Section and is a grantee of the State of New Jersey, Department of Community Affairs, Division on Women.
Our History
1977 WOMEN IN SELF HELP (WISH) was established as a free, anonymous, confidential listening and referral service for women prior to the opening of the Center. Volunteers helped callers discuss problems, explore options and find resources in a caring and non-judgmental way.
As our WISH volunteers listened to callers on the phone, the idea of the suburban woman living an idyllic life was continually being challenged . Crises such as separation and divorce, widowhood and depression were discussed. WISH became the Sections monitor on the needs of women in our community, and served as the catalyst for the development of many other services.
Over several years, our Section envisioned a new project for women, centering on the concept of peer support groups. And so, the idea of a Center for Women was born. Such a center could serve as an umbrella agency to incorporate additional projects and services as new community needs were identified.
1981 NCJW CENTER FOR WOMEN was officially opened.
1981 PROJECT GRO (Groups
Reaching Out) a program offering peer
support groups to women who share common concerns, became the second project of
the Center.
1982 EDUCATIONAL WORKSHOPS project began. These seminars led by
professionals addressed a wide range of topics such as mental health, medicine,
law, finance and career planning that were of vital interest to women.
1983 FAMILIES IN TRANSITION (FIT) met the need for a new type of
peer support group designed specifically to meet the needs of separated or
divorced women and their children. At the time, it was one of the only services
of its kind in the country, and continued to be offered for 15 years.
1985 THE NCJW CENTER FOR
WOMEN was relocated to larger quarters
at 2 East Mt. Pleasant Ave. in Livingston.
1987 DOMESTIC VIOLENCE
SUPPORT SERVICES (DVS), was designed
to aid victims of domestic violence through support groups and community
education.
1987 JOB DEVELOPER
project was created to help our "displaced homemaker" clients (women who are
separated, divorced, widowed, or whose spouse has become disabled) gain new
skills needed to enter or re-enter the workforce.
1987 "VIEWPOINTS",
our quarterly newsletter, had its beginning.
1989 LEGAL ASSISTANCE FOR WOMEN (LAW) was developed to provide clients a
confidential 30-minute consultation with a volunteer attorney regarding legal
concerns.
1989 JOB READINESS project consolidated the many services offered to
displaced homemakers. Today, this service offers help in resume writing,
interview skills, computer training, job search strategies, and job
placement.
1991 The NCJW CENTER FOR WOMEN
again moved to larger quarters at 513
West Mt. Pleasant Ave. in Livingston, our current location.
1992 TEEN DATING VIOLENCE
(TDV) project was launched. A classroom experience for 2,500 high school
students each year, TDV describes patterns of abuse, presents alternatives to
violent behavior, identifies help resources, and encourages healthy dating
relations. Today TDV also includes seminars for parent groups and educators.
1997
Teen Dating Violence (TDV) project gained national recognition with a
feature article appearing in Seventeen. An official curriculum guidebook
was developed and made available to other NCJW Sections and outside agencies
throughout the country.
1998
The Section established the Legacy for the Future Endowment with
the vision of raising funds to ensure the continuation of NCJW's many projects.
In recognition of the tremendous generosity of the funds first contributors,
the Center was officially renamed and became the Linda and Rudy Slucker NCJW
Center for Women. Generous contributions by Audrey and Norbert Gaelen have
assured the funding of LAW and TDV for years to come, while Susan and Walter
Schenker have done the same for Educational Workshops. The E.F. Robbins
Foundation grant is used to fund Project GRO.
1999 FINANCIAL FITNESS FOR WOMEN, our project, became a reality.
This project provides clients with a confidential 30-minute consultation with a
volunteer financial professional to determine how best to approach a financial
concern.
2003 Computer Classes were increased and a new Computer Lab opened in the summer of 2003.
2004 A Job Developer was added to the staff to assist the Job Readiness Case Manager.
2005 Positive Body Image (PBI) will target middle school students and emphasize a healthy attitude for one's physical self. Our newest project will be launched in early 2005.
2005 RAINBOWS, which will begin in early 2005, offers a support group curriculum for children who have suffered significant loss in their lives, either through death, divorce or other painful transitions. The goal is to help the children in expressing and understanding their feelings, accept what has happened and foster emotional healing.