Salvation Army Visit
April 9, 2025
Owlbert made a visit to the kids at The Salvation Army during our weekly program reminding the kids to Make Wise Choices.
One Voice Coalition Meeting
April 14, 2025 - One Voice Coalition Meeting
Thanks to our One Voice Steering Committee for their valuable time and input at our April Coalition meeting. We are grateful to Al Bassetti - Director of Emergency Services at Hunterdon Health for an insightful discussion on youth mental health trends, prevention and recovery, such as crisis intervention training (peer to peer). Human contact, through family, friendships and community relationships are the best protective factor. Our next meeting will focus on securing alcohol in the home to prevent underage use. We look forward to working together to bring all of the community expertise and ideas to fruition to reduce youth substance use.
Our next meeting is set for June 9th 11:30 - 1:00 p.m. If you are interested in joining the One Voice Coalition Steering Committee, please contact Peggy Dowd at peggy@onevoicehc.com.
Chamber of Commerce Business Awards
April 16, 2025 - Chamber of Commerce Business Awards
The Hunterdon County Chamber of Commerce presented a Special Recognition Award to the Hunterdon County Partnership for Health in honor of its 30th Anniversary. One Voice of Hunterdon is proud to be a longstanding member of the Partnership for Health. Under the dedicated leadership of Hunterdon HealthCare’s Kim Blanda—Coordinator of the Partnership and Board Chair of One Voice—the organization has successfully prioritized community health needs, including substance use prevention. The Partnership for Health has advanced sustainable solutions and strengthened cross-sector collaboration to improve access to care and overall quality of life. The Partnership remains committed to data-informed strategies and equitable outcomes that make a meaningful difference every day. Congratulations to the Partnership for Health and all its members on this well-deserved recognition.
Open Cupboard Food Pantry Partners in Prevention - March 13, 2025
One Voice Outreach Coordinator Norm Penney worked with Jennifer Tavormina at Open Cupboard Food Pantry and Thrift Shop to provide a new TV which will help deliver wellness messages and provide resources to clients at the OCFP waiting area. Thanks to OCFP for the opportunity to partner in prevention!
Salvation Army - March 12, 2025
Amy Torres continued working with the kids at The Salvation Army on breathwork, and in a unique and fun activity, combined this coping skill with an artistic flare!
The kids enjoyed seeing their creations made by blowing slowly through a straw to make colorful bubbles of paint, which then went onto the paper. Beautiful!
March 4, 2025 - Shannon Daley Benefit
One Voice Community Outreach Specialist, Carolanne Sherwood and Owlbert attended the Annual Harlem Wizards Game at Hunterdon Central High School to benefit the Shannon Daley Foundation. Owlbert was a hit with students and their families. They passed out Be a Buddy, Not a Bully stickers and pencils and posed for some great photos. One Voice was able to promote Owlbert's programs for students of all ages throughout the county, teaching many ways to Make Wise Choices! Thank you to One Voice Board Member Paul McGill for the invitation to this special benefit!
February 26, 2025 - The Salvation Army
Weekly classes continue at The Salvation Army where One Voice brings a unique body, mind and movement program. This week the kids were reminded how exercise is one of the best things we can do, not just for our body but also for our brain, making the connection between exercise and good mental health.
One Voice Steering Committee Meeting - 2/10/2025
One Voice Steering Committee Meeting - 2/10/2025
Thanks to all of our Steering Committee members for their valuable time and input at our coalition meeting on 2/10/25. Together we brainstormed answers to the following questions:
How do we increase fentanyl education in our schools?
How do we convince parents to limit youth access to alcohol at home?
How do we teach youth coping skills to address anxiety without THC use?
We look forward to working together to bring all of the inventive ideas to fruition to reduce youth substance use.
If you are interested in joining the One Voice Coalition Steering Committee, please contact Peggy Dowd at peggy@onevoicehc.com.
CADCA National Forum - February 3-6, 2025
CADCA National Forum - February 3-6, 2025
One Voice staff attended the annual SAMHSA Prevention Day and CADCA National Forum during the first week of February and was honored to be recognized as a CADCA Blue-Ribbon Coalition and the recipient of the COALITION IN FOCUS Award. Peggy Dowd, Chief Development Director, presented the outcomes achieved in Hunterdon County, highlighting the reduction in homes that contain unsecured, unused or expired medicines. Thanks to all of our partners in prevention for helping to achieve these goals.
Lesley Gabel, Executive Director of One Voice, taught a session entitled: Unlocking Local Impact: How to Assess and Address Community Needs, a comprehensive presentation designed to equip participants with the tools and knowledge to conduct effective community assessments. The session guided attendees through the process of gathering, analyzing, and utilizing data to identify the unique needs of their community. Participants learned how to engage stakeholders, understand community dynamics, and translate assessment findings into actionable programs that drive meaningful change.
Capitol Hill Day: One Voice Board Chair Kim Blanda, Executive Director Lesley Gabel, and Youth Outreach Coordinator Amy Torres met with Congressman Kean’s office to advocate for continued support of grants that fund community coalition efforts. The discussion emphasized the importance of collaboration in ensuring strong support for youth. Additionally, they highlighted the outstanding achievement of the award-winning coalitions in his district—the highest number in the country.
The Great Kindness Challenge
The Great Kindness Challenge - January 27, 2025
Thanks to Whitehouse School for including Owlbert in the Great Kindness Challenge! Owlbert and Cubby visited classrooms on Monday 1/27 to stress the importance of friendship, kindness and looking out for one another. Students received owlstanding achievement tags as part of the challenge.
