| OCNYinfo.com Community Services Information Highway |
| Community Agency News |
| Health & Community News MONTHLY NEWSLETTERS |
Orange County Reentry Program Parolees returning to their families and communities in Orange County may have access to the Reentry Program. A County Reentry Task Force works collaboratively with the New York State Offices of the Division of Criminal Justice, Division of Corrections and Division of Parole. Local representatives of these Divisions are serving on the O.C. Reentry Task Force along with various Community Agencies, County Departments and Law Enforcement Agencies to ensure goals of the program are met. These goals include ensuring public safety while planning a positive and productive return of program parolees. Agencies interested in working with returning parolees are urged to contact Orange County Dept. of Social Services at 845-291-4367. |
Weekly Newsletter |
|
of Orange County What's New |
What's New |
The affordable housing & community development resource for professionals What's New |
| Low Income Pharmaceutical Discounts Get Important Information! |
| Meet Orange County's 2005-2006 Community Leaders & Honorees |
Health News |
| ACLU - AMERICAN CIVIL LIBERTIES UNION Stop Congress From Gagging Political Speech If this bill is successful, it is likely Congress would move to restrict the political speech of other non-profit organizations that receive federal funds. Urge your Representative to oppose the gag language. Read more or take action right now! LEARN MORE..... |
Publication by Executive Communications Group, E.C.G., Inc. Communicating Effectively |
CITY OF NEWBURGH OPERATION CEASEFIRE (now known as You Turn) Listen to Newburgh City Police Chief Paolilli and District Attorney Frank Phillips speak about Operation Ceasefire |
Joseph Ventimiglia MA, Life Coach has openings for new participants for an ongoing interactive coaching group for youth meeting weekly in Washingtonville, Wednesday evenings from 6:30 to 8:00 pm. The group offers the opportunity for each participant to explore him/herself as positive teens with other young adults in a supportive environment. Participants are encouraged to work through real-world blocks and to practice new interpersonal behaviors that deepen positive communication and positive community living. . Youth ages 13-17 are welcome. The fee is $30 per session. To schedule a consultation, contact: Joe Ventimiglia, 845-497-7012 or joev@etatraining.com Or log on to our website and click on chat, someone is standing by: www.etatraining.com References available. |
| Have NEWS to share? Send articles to: Here4U@OCNYinfo.com |
| IN THE NEWS?? LET US KNOW AT HERE4U@OCNYinfo.com |
| Learn about using your cell phone to list who to contact IN CASE OF EMERGENCY! Help your family members add ICE to their cell phones!! It could save their lives. |
Community Renewal - DHCR What's New |
 | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  |
| MARIJUANA NEWS Study Reveals a Doubling in Pot Potency Since Mid-80's Study Finds Highest Levels of THC in U.S. Marijuana To Date 20 Year Analysis of Marijuana Seizures Reveals a Doubling in Pot Potency Since Mid-80's; New Strains of Marijuana May Be Behind Increase in Teen Marijuana Treatment Admissions and Rise in Emergency Room Episodes Related to Marijuana White House Drug Czar Warns: "This isn't your father's marijuana." |
| LOCAL PROVIDERS GATHER IN AWARENESS OF MENTAL HEALTH MONTH DELIVERING A MESSAGE OF HOPE FOR CHILDREN’S MENTAL HEALTH More....click here |
OCCUPATIONS, INC., HOSTS “CREATIVE EXPRESSIONS” ART EXHIBIT IN OBSERVANCE OF MENTAL HEALTH MONTH VISIT OUR WEBSITE AT WWW.OCCUPATIONS.ORG FOR MORE INFORMATION. If you have any questions, would like photos emailed to you or need additional information, please do not hesitate to contact Pat ti Archiere at 692-4454, ext. 101. Thank you. |
| Second Annual Agricultural Literacy Week Peas do not mind cold weather. Tomato plants need to be protected from the frost. These points and others were discussed in schools throughout Orange County. Thirty schools in Orange County celebrated New York’ s second annual Agricultural Literacy Week from Monday, March 19 -23. Volunteers helped increase youth agricultural literacy by reading the story “Lily’s Garden,” written and illustrated by Deborah Kogan Ray to elementary students. “Lily’s Garden” is a delightful picture book which creates a calendar of the year seen through the lens of things planted, grown and harvested through Lily’s letters and phone calls to her far away grandparents. In addition to reading the story, volunteers answered questions and guided discussions surrounding local food production. Children who live on or near farms and work in gardens were thrilled to share their experiences with their classmates. Orange County Farm Bureau has donated a copy of the book for each participating school library. Under the guidance of Diana Lupinski, Orange County’s Ag in the Classroom Coordinator, over 40 volunteers have read to kindergarten through fourth grade students in 30 schools reaching over 80 classrooms! Assisting with the program are Cornell Cooperative Extension Orange County and Orange County Junior League. Lucy Joyce, Agriculture Issue Leader with Cornell Cooperative Extension is enthusiastic about this effort. “This has been an excellent opportunity to teach young children about gardening. By following Lily’s gardening efforts over the course of a year, children learned about the change of seasons in a Northeast farm community. The entire food and fiber system from seed to table was outlined.” Joyce commented. If your school is interested in being involved next year, please contact Diana Lupinski at 845-294-5557, email johnlupinskifarm@yahoo.com or Lucy Joyce at 845-344-1234 or ltj1@cornell. Help improve children’s agricultural literacy! |
| Natural Disaster Information Available from Cornell Cooperative Extension Rising waters and flooding from heavy storms can cause a multitude of problems. To help residents cope with the many aspects of a natural disaster, Cornell Cooperative Extension of Orange County has compiled a packet of educational resources for those who have recently been affected by the flood. This packet includes information on food safety, water damage, mold and mildew, contaminated drinking water and possible power loss. To receive this information, please call our office at 845-344-1234 or visit our Resource Room located at 1 Ashley Avenue, Community Campus, Middletown, New York. Additional resources are available on our website: www.cce.cornell.edu/orange. Cornell University Cooperative Extension provides equal programming and employment opportunities. |
| Living In Rural Orange County “You mean I shouldn't burn poison ivy?” “What is that smell coming from my neighbor’s farm?” “Septic, what septic?” To find the answers to these questions, obtain a copy of Living in Rural Orange County. The second edition has just been released by Cornell Cooperative Extension Orange County. This terrific booklet provides tips for meeting the challenges of rural life. “This booklet has received rave reviews” remarked Lucy Joyce, Agriculture Issue Leader with Cornell Cooperative Extension. “We are anxious to share this comprehensive and timely information with Orange County citizens.” Living in Rural Orange County is of special importance to both new and potential residents. Even long time residents find the booklet valuable. Single copies of Living in Rural Orange County are available free of charge to residents. Call Cornell Cooperative Extension Orange County at 845-344- 1234 to receive a free copy. Businesses may purchase the booklet in bulk quantities and personalize the booklet for marketing purposes. Contact Lucy Joyce for bulk orders by calling 845-344-1234 or emaiing ltj1@cornell.edu. |
| Youths break down the walls that separate them March 28, 2007 By Sheldon Scruggs Children from all over Orange County learned how to break down walls recently, and it wasn't at a martial arts class. The wall they faced is harder than wood, brick or concrete: They learned to knock down the social barriers that separate them. The Orange County Youth Bureau sponsored the event "Education Through Adventure." Roughly 75 kids, ages 10-18, from an assortment of county agencies, came to the gymnasium in the Middletown Recreation Center on a Friday evening. Facilitators led the children through a series of exercises, each designed to teach a skill to reinforce the idea of cooperation. ONE OF THESE ACTIVITIES used boxes. The children were divided into small groups and each had to move a stack of boxes from one end of the gym to another. They had to problem-solve and cooperate with others they did not know to complete the task successfully. They discovered that sharing was the best solution. The exercise ended with the children stacking the boxes to form a wall. Then, situating themselves on either side of the boxes, they delighted in "breaking down" the barrier that separated them. "That was fun. Boxes were all over the place," said Russell Hansen, 11, the son of one of the coordinators. "But I also learned that sometimes you have to work with others nicely." CERTAIN GROUP and leadership dynamics naturally emerged. However, the objective was for the participants to cooperate with others, whether in pairs or in small groups. "I just met Brittany tonight," said Greta Kurtz, 17, from the Bellvale Community in Chester. Greta was paired for an activity with Brittany Drye, 16, and she thought they got along nicely. "I'm glad I met her." Brittany, from the Southside After-School Center in Newburgh, felt the same about Greta. "I like her," she said, "and I'm having a good time being her friend." After the program, the children got phone numbers from their new acquaintances. Joe Ventimiglia, the program coordinator for "Education Through Adventure," encouraged all the participants to take the initiative to use what they learned to break down the social barriers they encounter. "The only wall left standing may be the virtual wall in your head," Ventimiglia said. Laura Schwartz, 15, said working with strangers was challenging. "This is putting me out of my comfort zone," she said. "But I think this is a great opportunity for kids to get together." THE CHILDREN CAME FROM all over the county: the Newburgh Youth Bureau, Big Brothers/Big Sisters (also in Newburgh), the Middletown Mayor's Youth Council, the Port Jervis Recreational Center, the Cornell Cooperative Extension (4-H), the Mental Health Facility in Goshen, the Teen Action Group of Middletown, the Glen Hines Boys and Girls Club of Newburgh, the Youth Leadership and Service Council and the Newburgh Youth Bureau. "We're trying to initiate change by providing opportunities for our young people," said Carol Chichester, director of the Orange County Youth Bureau. "We want our kids to be problem solvers instead of being the problem." Joy Hansen, one of the coordinators who is also with the Youth Bureau, said their goal is to help the children reach their potential by promoting leadership, unity, resiliency and self-esteem. "The more assets they have, the better they'll be in life," she said. "Education Through Adventure" is made possible by a $100,000 grant from the New York state Department of Health. The program also has its own overnight-summer and day camp, where more of the same skills are taught and reinforced through outdoor activities. Anyone interested can call 497-7012. |