FLORHAM PARK — Cornerstone Family Programs’ gathers over 300 of our community’s most philanthropic individuals to raise funds at its annual spring gala.
This year’s event, themed Smoke & Mirrors, was held on Saturday, April 1, at Park Avenue Club. Community members arrived in style, dressed in black and white, to celebrate the continued success of the non-profit organization.
The Gala, which is Cornerstone Family Programs’ largest fundraising event of the year, honored former Mayor of Harding Township, Nic Platt, MACRO Consulting Group of Parsippany, and Marjorie and Ivory Herbert as Cornerstone of the Community Honorees.
Marjorie Herbert, a thirty-year employee of Morristown Neighborhood House, Cornerstone Family Programs’ subsidiary, expressed her gratitude for the organization’s strong support at the event in a heartfelt speech.
“I invite you to come to the Neighborhood House and see what our kids do every day, and would be more than happy to show you around,” Herbert stated as she described the growth of the organization over the past three decades of working there, emphasizing that the children of the Neighborhood House thrive as competitive students thanks to the funds that help its programming.
Patrice Picard, CEO of Cornerstone Family Programs, emphasized the importance of programs at Morristown Neighborhood House. “It’s through our programs and dedication to our children that they grow into our community’s leaders, and it all begins with giving them a chance.”
Encouraging active philanthropy and service, Cornerstone Family Programs’ President of the Board, Hector Mislavsky, noted that 100 percent of Cornerstone’s Board of Directors was in attendance Saturday night. Full board participation contributed greatly to the event’s success, which garnered a nearly $300,000 profit, which will help fund Morristown Neighborhood House’s summer camp and STEM Lab Center programs.
Morristown Neighborhood House’s summer camp provides subsidized care costs for families, and a safe haven for children in the community during the summer months. The program provides activities, healthy meals, and opportunities for trips that ensure positive educational, character, and social development over the summer. A camp for children of all ages, Morristown Neighborhood House encourages active adolescent participation, as its Teen Tutors and Mentors serve as paid camp counselors during the summer, introducing a workforce preparedness aspect to the program.
Each of Morristown Neighborhood House’s classrooms features a STEM Lab Center, encouraging exploration and education in the fields of science, technology, engineering and math. Accompanied with new curriculum for teachers at Morristown Neighborhood House, the STEM Lab Centers were designed with a goal to increase interest and improve performance in these areas of education.
Cornerstone Family Programs and Morristown Neighborhood House joined forces in 2013 to strengthen communities by helping people build better lives. Cornerstone Family Programs helps nearly 10,000 including children, adults, families, seniors and veterans. Cornerstone Family Programs is a private, non-profit organization. For more information about Cornerstone Family Programs, call (973) 538-5260 or click here.
