Night at the Races

The Business Volunteer Connect invites you to Night at the Races, an evening filled with food, fun, prizes, a great silent auction and – of course – horse racing at the all new Meadowlands Racetrack! Night at the Races will take place on Friday, July 11, from 6-10pm. All proceeds benefit local children and families that the Business Volunteer Connect help throughout the year. 

Tickets are on sale now and can be purchased online here.  Tickets are $55 per person or 2 for $100, ticket includes; food,  exciting silent auction is planned as well as other favorites like the money hat, 50/50, and lots of horse racing.

A big thank you to our sponsors of this event: Hudson City Savings Bank, Wells Fargo Advisors, BD, Orang and Rockland, Quest Diagnostics, Sharp, Five Star Premiere Residence, and United Water.

Join us for the 47th Annual Meeting of the Volunteer Center

The 47th Annual Meeting of the Volunteer Center of Bergen County will take place on Wednesday, June 4 at 8:30am.  All are invited to attend.

Maggiano's Little Italy
The Shops at Riverside
Hackensack, NJ

8:30am - Buffet Breakfast
9:00am - Annual Meeting (will finish by 9:30am)

$25.00 for Breakfast
no charge for meeting only

Click here to purchase a seat.

Volunteer Opportunities

Here is a current list of volunteer opportunities needing to be filled ASAP.  Take a look and contact the appropriate person. 

Bright Side Manor, Teaneck, is looking for a few volunteer typists to assist the organization with updating documents and manuals.  Typing can be done on site or at home.  Volunteers must be at least 16.  Contact Joanne O'Niell at 201-692-1000 if you are interested.

North Jersey Friendship House is looking for volunteers to assist at there annual Wellness Walk on June 1 from 8:30am - 1:30pm.  Volunteers will assist with set-up, clean-up, and other activities throughout the event.  The event takes place at Olsen Park in Bogota.  Volunteers 16 and older can contact Kathy English at 201-488-2121 to sign up.

Operation Goody Bag is looking for assistance to help fill 4,000 Goody Bags for our troops!  The event will take place on Saturday, June 14 at the Paramus Elks Lodge from 1:00-4:00pm. Community Service hours will be given for this event.  Please email info@operationgoodybag.org to RSVP.

Bergen County's United Way is holding their annual Teterboro Airport 5K run on July 19th.  Over 200 volunteers are needed to help out.  volunteers must be 18 or over, or 12 and over, accompanied by an adult.  Volunteers can sign up by June 15 by emailing Cheryl Moses or calling 201-291-0368.  Volunteers will be provided with a t-shirt, but should dress cool and wear sneakers.

Children's Aid & Family Service is teaming up with the PGA Tour, the Barclay's, this summer and they need your help.  A Volunteer office assistant is needed to assist in managing the project for Children's Aid.  Volunteer will assist with office admin, special events and more. Volunteer is needed August 11-24th from 7am - 6pm.  Volunteer must be at least 16 years old. Contact Henah Parikh at 201-740-7102 to learn more.

Family Volunteer Day Partner receives prestigious NJ State Governor’s Jefferson Award

Congratulations! The Mahwah Environmental Volunteers Organization (MEVO) has been named as an Honoree in the 2014 New Jersey State Governor’s Jefferson Awards in the category of PSEG® Environmental Stewardship. Their extraordinary service to our community was detailed in the nomination. The Community Foundation of New Jersey, The Governor’s Office on Volunteerism, The Star-Ledger/NJ.com, and The Governor’s Advisory Council on Volunteerism honoured this service and notheworthy efforts by granting MEVO with such a well deserved accolade.

Volunteer Center Golf Tournament Seeks Sponsors

The Volunteer Center of Bergen County will be taking its 20 years of experience in coordinating first-class golf outings by presenting its newest signature event, LINK Bergen.

 

LINK Bergen will take place on Monday, July 21st at the Hackensack Golf Club in Oradell, which has hosted New Jersey State Golf Association championships since the 1920’s, as well as the 93^rd Open Championship.

 

Organizers are seeking sponsors for this premier event, the proceeds of which will support the Volunteer Center’s programs and services in the community, which include two mentoring programs for children and mothers and their families, a free repair service that keeps senior citizens safe in their own homes,  robust volunteer programs that connect companies, individuals and teens with volunteer projects that address pressing needs in Bergen County, and a premier civic leadership development program that ensures the next generation of ethical, effective leaders will be serving the community throughout the area.

 

“Sponsorship of LINK Bergen provides a great way to showcase your business, entertain clients, reward top performers and support an organization that helps to make Bergen County stronger,” says Janet Sharma, executive director of the Volunteer Center.

 

Companies can choose from a wide variety of sponsoring levels, including Dinner Sponsor for $3,500, Corporate Sponsor for $3,000, Putting Green Sponsor for $1,500, or Tee Sponsor for $500.  Visit bergenvolunteers.org   and click on LINK Bergen for a complete list of sponsorship opportunities.

 

All sponsors will be recognized with four-color signage, including logo or brand identity, in location indicated, as well as recognition in the printed program and in an online ad journal.

 

Sponsors to date include Synetek Solutions, United Water, Compensation Solutions, Holy Name Medical Center, PSE&G, Ramsey Golf & Country Club and Five Star Premier Residences.

 

For information about sponsorship of LINK Bergen, interested companies can contact Janet Sharma at 201-489-9454 or email jsharma@bergenvolunteers.org.

 

The Volunteer Center of Bergen County strengthens the community by connecting people through service and developing civic leaders.

The World in 2050 - Leading Your Organization into that Future

Bergen LEADS Fifth Friday, a powerful networking and learning event that attracts leaders from every sector in Bergen County, will be held on May 30, 2014 from 11:30 am to 2 pm at the Stony Hill Inn, 231 Polifly Road in Hackensack.    Tickets are $40.00 and must be purchased in advance by registering online at www.bergenleads.org or by calling 201-489-9454 x112.

 

Often referred to as the best networking event in Bergen County, Fifth Friday is hosted by Bergen LEADS, a community leadership program for adults offered by the Volunteer Center of Bergen County.  The mission of the Volunteer Center is to strengthen the community by connecting people through service and developing civic leaders.

 

Eli Amdur, senior coach and advisor at Amdur Coaching and Advisory Group, LLC, and author of the weekly Career Coach column for The Record, will speak about the pace of change in the 21^st century.  He says, “Change has always been a part of our lives; however, in the 21^st century, the pace of change is more rapid and its scope is far greater than ever before.  As a leader, it is imperative to look further ahead than you ever did, to ‘meet the future before it gets here’. If you do, you win.  Otherwise, you risk your very existence.  This is not a threat; it is an opportunity.”   This futuristic talk will focus on what leaders have to do to lead their organizations into that future.

 

PNC Wealth Management has returned as the presenting sponsor for the 2014 Fifth Friday series. The event is also supported by TD Bank, Archer & Greiner,  Meadowlands Regional Chamber of Commerce, Synetek Solutions, (201) Magazine and The Record.

 

Sponsorships for the May 30 event are available. For more information about the Fifth Friday events, or about Bergen LEADS, call 201-489-9454 Ext. 119.

Changing Perceptions of Mental Illness

Join Us for A Real Discussion of Mental Health

 

Mental Illness is a term often describing “those people “or “that population” with “those problems.”  But, who exactly are those people?  Typically, the public mind perpetuates an image of a distressed person with their head in their hands or a homeless person mumbling to himself, but the actual picture is much more familiar.  It’s the people we see every day:  our neighbours, our co-workers, our spouses, and even ourselves. We can no longer pretend that a good job, nice clothes and a smiling face are indicators of wellness, because these issues can affect persons of any age, race, religion or income.

 

We live in a world where one in five people will experience mental illness during their lifetime.  So, why isn’t anyone talking about it? As a nation, we continue to struggle to have an open, honest conversation about mental health, allowing misconceptions, fear, social consequences, and discrimination to keep us silent.

 

It’s time to start talking.

 

Join the Bergen LEADS Class of 2014 in starting “A Real Discussion of Mental Health” addressing stigma, social misconceptions, public policy, advocacy, and the delivery of mental health services. Robert N. Davison, executive director of the Mental Health Association of Essex County, will deliver a keynote address and moderate the ensuing discussion.  The Forum will be followed by a mental health resource fair.

 

The Bergen LEADS Public Forum, sponsored by TD Bank, United Water, Advance Housing, Inc., Bergen Regional Medical Center, CarePlus NJ, Comprehensive Behavioral Healthcare, Vantage Health System and West Bergen Mental Healthcare, will be held on Tuesday, June 10, 2014, from 2:30 pm to 4:30 pm at Bergen Community College’s Ciccone Theater, 400 Paramus Road in Paramus. Immediately following will be a Mental Health Resource Fair from 4:30pm to 5:45pm featuring Bergen County providers of mental health services. The event is free and open to the public, but pre-registration is required; visit www.bergenleads.org/public-forum or call 201-489-9454 Ext. 112.

 

“There is a need to create a dialogue on the County level that brings attention to mental health," says William “Pat” Schuber, former Bergen County Executive and Bergen LEADS seminar director. "The Bergen LEADS Class of 2014 is confronting that challenge head on, and invites the public to be a part of the conversation.”