Congratulations to our wonderful, young friends from the Harrington Park Teens for Tomorrow . They have been acknowledged both statewide and nationwide for the great work they have been doing at Apostles' House for the past 4 years. This incredible group of young people have raised money to donate a playground for the young people at our Family Shelter, then worked all of one Saturday to see the long needed play area come to be, including a vegetable garden, new bbq grill, swings and a basketball hoop. It is such fun to leave work on a summer evening and hear the laughter and see the smiles of children and their parents playing in this beautiful spot. For the past several Christmases they Teens raised money to buy every resident at the Family Shelter a brand new coat picked out especially for them, right size, right color, right coat.

Last Thanksgiving we put out an alert because we were fearful we would not have enough turkeys and trimmings for all of our consumers, several regular suppliers where unable to help. The Teens collected donations and were able to bring us 225 turkeys with all the extras and stayed at the Food Pantry to help give them to the families. Also last week they painted the hallways on three floors of our Transitional Housing facility on Avon Ave., a job well done and much needed. These young people are truly extraordinary and they are a uplifting counterpoint to so much of the negative news of young people today. I May they received the NJ Governor's Jefferson Award for Public Service at the Award Ceremony at the Newark Museum. (see picture below) In June they received the final award the Youth Service Challenge Project for Outstanding Impact. This award included a cash prize o $2,500 which they have asked to be donated directly to Apostles' House. The Staff and residents of Apostles' House Congratulate and thanks Harrington Park Teens for Tomorrow and all of the adults who work with them you are our Guardian Angels.

Sandra Accomando