Executive Community Leaders Came Together for a Roundtable Discussion

Executive Community Leaders Came Together for a Roundtable Discussion

Plainfield, NJ, April 16, 2024 — Leveraging Community Partnership with Executive Community Stakeholders Initiatives for 2024.

On Wednesday, April 10, the Housing Authority of Plainfield (HAP) and Crescent Avenue Presbyterian Church held a roundtable discussion with executive community leaders addressing solutions for homelessness prevention. The event, titled, “Leveraging Community Partnership with Executive Community Stakeholders Initiatives for 2024” was co-hosted by HAP’s Joanne Hollis Gardens (JHG) Community Resource Center and served as a community behavioral health platform for crisis management through educational awareness.

Key moderators and panelists included:

Distinguished Guest and the Honored Team: The Briar Patch Collaboratory Executive Director Alexis Jemal, LCSW, LCADC, MA, JD, PhD

Coldwell Banker Westfield East Broker Sales Associate Heidi Ann Mucci

HAP’s JHG Community Resource Center Director of Community Programs Eric Graham, PHM and Deputy Director Scotty McFarland

Crescent Avenue Presbyterian Church Reverend Lynn Santulli

Neighborhood Health Corporation Outreach Manager Laron Atins

The Mental Health Association in New Jersey New Jersey Mental Health Players Director Lynette Sheard

The Elizabeth Coalition to House the Homeless Executive Director Linda Flores-Tober

Families & Community Together (FACT) Chief Executive Officer Anthony Cameli

Union County Prosecutor’s Office The Honorable William A. Daniel and Community Prosecution Division Director & ARRIVE Program Director Gina Iosim

Plainfield School District Board of Commissioners President Hanae M. Wyatt

HAP Executive Director Randall M. Wood stated, “The quality of life for families and children of Union County has been improved drastically as a result of this initiative, and it’s the efficient collaboration of community leaders that has made it possible.”

JHG Community Resource Center Director of Community Programs Eric Graham, PHM said, “The Leveraging of Community Stakeholders Initiative meetings are all-inclusive with an approach of obtaining wraparound services for the entire family through results-driven communication and community partners to decrease the duplication of services and make a significant impact to all residents.”

The Leveraging of Community Partnership with Leaders of Stakeholders Initiative was created in 2009 by Eric Graham at the Housing Authority of Plainfield and remains in an upbeat effect, has been a strong all-inclusive tool with the community affiliates in engaging various executive
partners to build an impactful relationship that has worked for many years.

Since the initiative’s inception, the quality of of life for many families and children in and around Union County has been improved through these results-driven wraparound services which includes: education awareness for realistic resources and sustainability that has provided advocacy for homelessness crisis prevention, team building, cultural diversity, gender transparency, behavioral health, dual addiction treatment, youth empowerment, employment opportunities, senior services, and transformational change through its efficient community collaboration of leaders.