Success Stories - New Community Corporation

New Community Corporation has steadfastly remained true to its mission of improving the quality of life for inner city residents since 1968. Take time to learn more about some of the people whose lives have been positively impacted by New Community:

NCC Resident Goes from Volunteer to Full-Time Employee

Tynise Gordon has always enjoyed helping others. That desire to help has led to a full-time job with New Community. Gordon worked as a nursing assistant for 18 years at University Hospital, when it was called UMDNJ, before leaving that role for health reasons. She was diagnosed with Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS), a condition where the immune system attacks the nerves. Gordon said her hands and feet get numb and tight, particularly in the cold weather. Because she was unable to do a lot of heavy lifting, which was required as a nursing assistant, she left that position. Because she likes to stay busy, Gordon decided to volunteer at the Better Life Engagement Center on Fourteenth Avenue in Newark, helping in

Extended Care RN Credits New Community for Helping Her Achieve Success

Joyce Misiani has faced numerous challenges since coming to New Jersey from Kenya about 15 years ago. New Community has helped her through difficult times and provided support that has enabled her to have a successful career in health care as a registered nurse. Misiani first became involved with New Community when she enrolled in the licensed practical nurse (LPN) program it used to offer. She was working a security job while living in Newark and decided she wanted to obtain a certification in the nursing field. New Community’s program was the closest to where she was living, so she enrolled. Shortly after joining the program, Misiani became homeless. She was staying in a friend’s basement with her daughters and

NCCTI Graduate Thriving in New Health Care Career

Denayah Reese loves her new career, which she recently began after completing the Patient Care Technician (PCT) program at New Community Career & Technical Institute (NCCTI). At just 19 years old, she works as a nurse’s assistant at Clara Maass Medical Center in Belleville, providing direct care to patients during her shift. Reese has been interested in the medical field since she was a young girl. Her grandmother was diabetic and she would help her. When her grandmother went to a nursing home, she would visit often, helping her and interacting with the other residents. She said she also became interested in the medical field because her father’s side of the family has heart issues, including her father who had

NCCTI Graduate Finds Success in Building Trades Field

When Ernest Short was growing up in Newark, he didn’t know he would only have to go steps from home to better his life, but that’s what happened. He visited New Community Career & Technical Institute (NCCTI), signed up for training and now has a job he enjoys with a supervisory role. Short graduated from NCCTI’s Building Trades Specialist program in 2018. He started working for Irvington Housing Authority at the beginning of 2019 as a repair person and then was promoted to head of grounds. The property he works on is large and he is responsible for making sure it has good curb appeal with a manicured lawn and trimmed hedges. As part of his job, he provides other

Extended Care Helps New Mother Return to Son

Becoming a mother is never easy, but imagine facing serious health issues, the recent loss of your child’s father and a diagnosis of a rare disorder for your child. Those are the challenges Valarie Dickerson had when she was pregnant and shortly after giving birth to her son. Dickerson is a diabetic. She says she wasn’t managing her condition as well as she should have and that led to health problems. She started having amputations in 2014 when she had to have a toe removed. Her health worsened, especially after a fall in February 2019, and she decided to have part of her right leg amputated. The decision wasn’t easy. Dickerson’s son was only 6 months old at the time

Former Harmony House Resident Finds Success at Extended Care

Tamika Muhammad is in a good place. She enjoys her job, has her own apartment and is looking forward to the future. But her situation wasn’t always so positive. Muhammad found herself in need of transitional housing after she had to leave a violent living situation. She moved to Harmony House, New Community’s transitional housing facility for homeless families, with her two minor children, ages 16 and 4. She also has a 23-year-old. When she first arrived at Harmony House, Muhammad was ashamed and down. After getting over the initial shock of losing everything, she realized she had to accept her circumstances and work toward a better future. “Once I understood what was going on and the obstacles I could

NCC Helps Teen Empowerment Network Participants On The Road To College

New Community recently launched the Teen Empowerment Network (T.E.N.), which aims to help high school juniors and seniors living in Newark prepare for college. One success story is Luis Santiago, a Central High School senior, who has been accepted to Bloomfield College. Santiago hopes to become an animator and game designer, which drew him to Bloomfield College. The school offers an animation major with 2D and 3D concentrations. What makes the career goal unique for Santiago is that he’s legally blind. He wears glasses, has a white cane to assist with walking and uses the app ZoomText on his iPad, which magnifies text and images on the screen. The iPad is how Santiago draws his creations. He uses his finger

CHELC Graduate Gets Full Scholarship To Princeton University

The educational foundation children receive when they are young can help shape who they become. That is the case for Ci’Anee Campbell, who took pre-K classes at Community Hills Early Learning Center (CHELC) and will be attending Princeton University this fall on a full scholarship. Campbell, who is now 18 years old, was in Carolyn Lowe’s pre-K class at CHELC when she was 3 years old. Campbell fondly remembers Lowe, who still teaches in the same classroom. “When I was younger, I was not as expressive. And so being in Ms. Carolyn’s class, she was basically the only person I would speak to,” Campbell explained. “She was a very key part into the person I am today. Because she was

Financial Opportunity Center Helps NCCTI Student Reach Financial Goals

When students sign up for classes at New Community Career and Technical Institute (NCCTI), they not only receive a high quality, hands-on education in their field of study, but they also have access to a variety of services. One of those very useful services is the Financial Opportunity Center (FOC). The FOC helps individuals achieve their financial goals while also providing them with knowledge about credit, budgets and savings plans. Current Clinical Medical Assistant (CMA) student Ciara Cooper-Jones is taking full advantage of the FOC. She met with Financial Coach Tamara Brown and discussed her goals of financial stability and fixing her credit, which has been lowered by student loans she has from attending a college previously. “You can’t do

NCCTI Building Trades Graduate Now Owns Construction Business

Students of New Community Career and Technical Institute (NCCTI) earn certifications in their field of study and are well prepared for jobs after graduation. While many graduates obtain employment from others, some branch out on their own. Yusto Awich is one of those students. He completed the Building Trades Specialist program in 2017 and today he owns and operates his own general construction business. Awich owns Pafya General Construction in Newark, which he started last August. He always knew he wanted to open his own business and enjoyed the building trades and construction industry. This is a second career for Awich, who served as a New York City school teacher for about 10 years, teaching biology and sciences. He took