Police chief forum about St. Pat’s Parade
On Monday, Feb. 22 at 7 p.m., Hoboken Police Chief Anthony Falco, the Community Policing Unit, and Sixth Ward Councilman Nino Giacchi will be co-hosting a meet and greet and answering questions on topics such as the St. Patrick’s Day Parade.
The seventh in a series of such meetings, Monday’s meeting is for residents of Fourth to Eighth streets, Washington Street to Willow Avenue, and will be held at Our Lady of Grace Church, Fourth Street and Willow Avenue, in the chapel hall.
The main topics at this meeting include the St. Patrick’s Day Parade, parks and homelessness, automobile burglaries and GPS thefts, residential burglaries, school and juvenile problems, and traffic and pedestrian safety. The meeting will last approximately two hours and conclude with a one hour question and answer period and a police survey.
Party at the W for Haiti
The New Jersey Jaycees are launching a massive relief effort for the people of Haiti and Hoboken Councilman Ravi Bhalla is chairing the relief efforts for Hudson County.
The relief effort is in three parts. First, the Jaycees are partnering with Party With Purpose, a Hoboken-based volunteer not-for-profit organization, to sponsor a special “Benefit For Haiti” in The Chandelier Room at the W Hoboken on Thursday, Feb. 25 from 7 to 10 p.m.
Tickets are $100 each and include food provided by Zylo Steakhouse and sponsored adult beverages. Due to corporate donations, ticket receipts will be donated to Partners In Health and UNICEF. Tickets are limited and may be purchased online at www.partywithpurpose.org/haiti.
Special guests include Ryan Grant from the Green Bay Packers, David Diehl from the N.Y. Giants, and Jay Williams from ESPN.
Second, the Jaycees are conducting a donation drive to collect clothing, food and medicine. They are accepting nonperishable food items including rice, peanut butter, powdered milk, soups of all kinds, hot and cold cereal, cake and cookie mixes, pasta, pasta sauce and canned goods. Clean clothing of all types is also requested: adult’s shoes; long underwear, regular underwear; towels and facecloths; single-bed sheets.
Individuals are asked that clothing be put in bags and labeled as men’s or women’s so that the donation process can be expedited.
Food and items other than clothing should be put in paper or plastic bags and placed in the food boxes at the drop-off location:
A team of doctors are traveling back to Haiti in March and are desperately in need of medical related supplies such as: large heavy-duty duffel bags; pain killers like Tylenol; Neosporin; bandages; anti-fungal creams like Lotrimin; baby formula; rice cereal; and tents. Donations of airline miles would also be appreciated.
Drop-off clothing and food at Save the Youth Music Academy, 123 Jefferson St., from 4 to 8 p.m.
For more information about drop-offs, contact Luis Acevedo at (201) 993-8602 or e-mail thestyacademy@gmail.com.
Drop-off medical supplies at the Hudson Reporter, 1400 Washington St., Monday through Friday 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., or at 708-710 Hudson St. on weekends.
For more information about medical supply drop-offs, contact Barbara Bravo at fontadonna@aol.com.
Lastly, the Jaycees are accepting monetary donations for Haitian relief.
Checks should be made payable to Hudson County Jaycees and mailed to P.O Box 5013, Hoboken, NJ 07030. Note in the memo section of the check for Haiti relief.
For more information on any of the Hudson County Jaycee relief efforts, contact Ravi Bhalla at (201) 647-6090 or email at ravi@ourhoboken.com.
Chili cook-off for charity
HobokenVolunteers.com, a group set up by resident Timothy Occhipinti to organize local volunteer looking to put their skills to use, is hosting a “Chili Cook-off For a Cause” on Saturday, Feb. 27 from 2 to 5 p.m. at The Shannon, 106 First St.
Admission requires a $20 donation at the door, and includes chili and $2 domestic draft beers.
A portion of the benefits will proceed the American Red Cross’ Haitian relief efforts.
For more information, visit www.hobokenvolunteers.com.
Black Youth Empowerment event
The 10th Annual Richard Hicks Black Youth Empowerment will focus on building career-opportunity awareness among young people in Hoboken, with an emphasis on the African-American community.
The event will take place at 1 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 20, at the Boys & Girls Club of Hoboken, 123 Jefferson St., with food and beverages provided by Andy’s Supermarket of Jersey City.
Representatives from the Hoboken police and fire departments, the National Society of Black Engineers, Stevens Institute of Technology, and several other organizations will make presentations on job opportunities, career goals, and ways to pursue education and self-empowerment.
Other motivational speakers will include Hoboken Housing Authority Executive Director Carmelo Garcia, STY Academy Organization Founder and Director Luis Acevedo, and Minister Shirley M. Dennis.
Three honorees will also receive special awards.
Ora Welch, president and CEO of HOPES Inc., will receive an award from the City of Hoboken for her service to the community in helping low-income families empower themselves by expanding their skill sets and developing career paths.
Jalin Miles, a 16-year-old student, will be awarded for outstanding academic and athletic achievements and working to help and inspire youth throughout the community.
Saquan Williams, a 17-year-old senior at Hoboken High School who has distinguished himself through his academic and extracurricular achievements and his leadership in the STY Academy.
The awards will be presented by Hoboken Health and Human Services Director Leo Pellegrini, Housing Authority Executive Director Carmelo Garcia, and Housing Authority Commissioner Jake Stuiver.