PARSIPPANY — The Kiwanis Club of Greater Parsippany is proud to support Prevent Child Abuse NJ in their Pinwheels for Prevention® campaign.

This month the Kiwanis Club kicked off Child Abuse Prevention Month setting up pinwheel gardens and displays, with the first one set up at the Parsippany Town Hall and followed by a second display set up at the Parsippany IHOP on Route 46.

April is Child Abuse Prevention Month

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Once again, IHOP has agreed to collect donations throughout the month of April for Child Abuse Prevention Month.  In addition, many pinwheel gardens will be set up  to turn your attention to the importance of ensuring great childhoods for all children because our children are our future. Gourmet Cafe purchased all of the pinwheels which will be used in the pinwheel gardens and displays.

All throughout April you will see pinwheels on display around the Parsippany and Lake Hiawatha areas as the symbol of this very thought…that all children deserve a great childhood because they are our future.

And while the pinwheel can do many things — bring smiles, lift spirits, call for healthy starts for all children — the one thing it cannot do is move on its own.  Be the force that makes it move, bringing about real change for children in the United States.  Protecting our children is everyone’s job…it’s your turn to make a difference!

Since 1983, April has been a time to acknowledge the importance of families and communities working together to prevent child abuse.  As we look upon the faces of the many children in our communities and think about all of the children around the world that suffer at the hands of others, let’s remember that April may be Child Abuse Prevention Month, but unfortunately abuse happens every day.  That is why every year, during the month of April, communities across the country come together to focus on this startling issue and on the need for widespread prevention and public awareness campaigns to reduce the number of children who, sadly, are victims of abuse.  Close to 700,000 children were victims of child abuse; and almost 1,700 children died as a result of abuse or neglect.

During a recent Kiwanis meeting, Karen DeChristopher, President-Elect and Co-Director of the Kiwanis “Young Children Priority One” program who has lead this campaign for the past four years explained, “As an organization that focuses on children, there is one goal that we are looking to achieve…to raise awareness of the many ways people can get involved in the fight against child abuse:  First, we can get educated, so you can learn to recognize the signs of child abuse, so you can be that one person with courage to step up for these children and report abuse when you suspect it.  Secondly, you can volunteer or support your child advocacy centers (Prevent Child Abuse-NJ ) by calling to determine how you can support them, because every children’s advocacy center can benefit from your support for their programs and services they provide to child victims of abuse and neglect.  And lastly, but most importantly we must help break the silence surrounding child abuse by raising awareness and spreading the word.  These children deserve a voice, because this problem has been overlooked for far too long and you can open the doors on this crime of secrecy, because we can all make a difference for these children.”

To learn more about what you can do to help prevent child abuse, contact Pamela Stalcup, Director of Development & Communications for Prevent Child Abuse-NJ at (732) 246-8060 or click here.

Kiwanis is a global organization of volunteers dedicated to changing the world one child and one community at a time.  It is not religious based or partisan in any way. The Kiwanis Club of Greater Parsippany meets every Thursday at 7:15 a.m. at the Empire Diner, 1315 Route 46.  We are 63 members strong and growing.  New members are always welcome. (Click here for more information on Kiwanis Club of Greater Parsippany).

MORRIS COUNTY — With the end of tax season quickly approaching, there’s good news for area residents who still haven’t filed. MyFreeTaxes.com has enhanced features that allows most filers to complete their taxes in under one hour United Way of Northern New Jersey announced.

MyFreeTaxes.com is a safe, easy and free way for individuals or families earning less than $66,000 to file their federal and state taxes. For filers earning more than $66,000, some fees may apply.

For the past nine years, United Ways across the country have partnered with H&R Block to provide free tax filing services for federal and state taxes in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Since that time, this partnership has helped nearly a million people file their returns, bringing more than $1 billion in refunds back to local communities.

“Tax season is a source of confusion and stress for most Americans,” United Way of Northern New Jersey CEO John Franklin said. “Many are worried they’ll make a mistake, won’t get their full refund or will pay too much. With MyFreeTaxes.com, filers can get support from IRS-certified specialists and cut down the time it takes to complete their returns.”

MyFreeTaxes.com users get access to an H&R Block premium product with enhanced features to ensure filers get every dollar they deserve:

• Ability to upload image of your W-2, allowing MyFreeTaxes.com to automatically fill in your information;
• Free, unlimited, personalized real-time chat and phone support in English and Spanish from IRS-certified specialists at 1-855-MY-TX-HELP;
• Refund Reveal^TM shows filers how and why their refund amount is changing in real time; and
• Advanced functionality for those working in the gig economy.

Taxpayers earning less than $66,000 can enter their data through MyFreeTaxes.com, which links to a secure H&R Block website, making it easy to complete their taxes from home, at work or on mobile devices.

Along with MyFreeTaxes.com, area residents living paycheck to paycheck also have the option of free in-person tax preparation. United Way of Northern New Jersey, in conjunction with NORWESCAP RSVP, Greater Providence Missionary Baptist Church, Partners for Health Foundation, Single Stop and the IRS, offers a free tax preparation program at more than 20 sites throughout its five-county region. Residents meet one-on-one with IRS-certified volunteers who prepare and file both state and federal returns for free.

This free service is designed to help the 37 percent of New Jersey households identified by the United Way ALICE Report as living below the ALICE Threshold – living paycheck to paycheck, unable to afford necessities. For local individuals and families who are ALICE (Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed) or in poverty, the free tax preparation program allows them to receive the credits and refunds they’ve earned while saving them the average $270 fee paid tax preparers charge.

Last year, United Way and its partners made it possible for nearly 5,500 households to file their taxes for free, refunding nearly $6.2 million and saving residents more than $1 million in tax preparation costs.

United Way in-person tax preparation sites are open in Morris, Somerset, Suburban Essex, Sussex and Warren counties. To make an appointment at a free tax site or to find out more information about MyFreeTaxes.com, visit www.UnitedWayNNJ.org/FreeTaxPrep.

United Way of Northern New Jersey is a nonprofit organization working to improve people’s lives and strengthen communities by focusing on Education, Income, and Health.  These are the building blocks for a good life – a quality education that leads to a stable job; the tools needed to achieve financial stability; and good health.  We lead caring communities to create long-lasting changes that transform people’s lives.  Together, united, we can inspire hope and create opportunities for a better tomorrow. United Way of Northern New Jersey serves Morris, Somerset, Sussex, and Warren counties as well as portions of suburban Essex County, including the Caldwells, Cedar Grove, Essex Fells, Fairfield, Glen Ridge, Livingston, Millburn-Short Hills, Montclair, Roseland, and Verona.  Give.  Advocate.  Volunteer.  LIVE UNITED.  To learn more, call 973.993.1160 or visit www.UnitedWayNNJ.org.

H&R Block, Inc. (NYSE: HRB) is a global consumer tax services provider. Tax return preparation services are provided by professional tax preparers in approximately 12,000 company-owned and franchise retail tax offices worldwide, and through H&R Block tax software products for the DIY consumer. H&R Block also offers adjacent Tax Plus products and services. In fiscal 2016, H&R Block had annual revenues of over $3 billion with 23.2 million tax returns prepared worldwide. For more information, visit the H&R Block Newsroom.

CEDAR KNOLLS — Clothing and fashion accessories for men, women and children will be collected as Employment Horizons holds its annual spring clothing drive April 18 – 20.  The clothing drive offers an opportunity to spring into spring while benefiting area residents with disabilities.

Items to be collected also include stuffed animals and hard toys, such as dolls and action figures (must be below 14” in size), as well as household linens (blankets, sheets, curtains, etc – no fabric scraps or carpet). All items should be placed in well-tied plastic bags. Shoes, boots, and sneakers are also accepted. No single shoes, winter coats, or winter boots, please. All donated items will be distributed to needy families overseas. The clothing will be turned over to a company that will in turn pay Employment Horizons for each pound collected. Our goal is to collect 5,000 lbs!

Bags may be dropped off at Employment Horizons, Inc. at 10 Ridgedale Avenue in Cedar Knolls April 18 – 20, between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m.  Donations are to be placed in the box truck marked “Clothing Drive” located in the Employment Horizons rear parking lot. Items may not be dropped off prior to these dates.

Don’t forget, Employment Horizons also has an on-site book bin where you can drop off books, textbooks, CDs, DVDs, and video games. Please no encyclopedias, magazines, VHS tapes, or water damaged items.

Employment Horizons is a local not-for-profit organization which serves individuals with disabilities, empowering them to earn a paycheck and live as productive citizens in the greater Morris County area. For more information, contact Maria Florio, Director of Community Relations at (973) 538-8822 ext. 240 or at [email protected].

MORRIS COUNTY — For young men and women, ages 14-20, who are interested in careers in Law.  Explorer Post 22 will have its next meeting on Saturday, April 21 from 10:00 a.m. to 11:45 a.m. at One Saddle Road, Cedar Knolls.

Post 22 meets monthly.  Explorers hear from guest speakers who are experts in particular fields of law.  Our guest speaker on April 21^st will be Jaimie B. Field, Esq. who will speak on how lawyers market and advertise their services.  How does a lawyer get business?  What are the limitations and ethical issues?

Exploring helps young people make a more informed decision about future careers and learn about different jobs within a particular field.  For more information, contact Al Thomas, [email protected], or call (973) 919-0389. 

PARSIPPANY — The Delta Dental of New Jersey Foundation awarded nearly $1 million this year to 34 non-profit organizations based in New Jersey and Connecticut, enabling them to increase access, provide education or expand the dental health care they currently provide to children, developmentally disabled persons and senior citizens, as well as to support various community events and programs that promote the importance of good oral health and its vital role in overall wellbeing.

PARSIPPANY — On April 26 and 27, The Township of Parsippany Health and Human Services Department will host Free Mental Health First Aid Training at the Parsippany Community Center, 1130 Knoll Road, from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. The program is free and includes light refreshments.

The training is an eight-hour course that teaches a five-step action plan to offer initial help to people developing a mental health problem or substance abuse disorder, and connect them with appropriate care.

Please register by April 17, 2018 by calling (973) 263-7160. Space is limited.