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:

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

NCCTI Automotive Technician Graduate Furthers Career At Volvo Dealership

Jalen Thompson turned his love of cars into a career thanks, in part, to New Community Career and Technical Institute (NCCTI). The Automotive Technician program provided him with the skills he needed to secure a job as a car technician at Smythe Volvo in Summit. Thompson completed the Automotive Technician training program in 2017. He worked for Advance Auto Parts before gaining the necessary knowledge to become a technician at a dealership. The classroom instruction paired with the hands-on training portion of the Automotive Technician curriculum prepared Thompson for his current job, which he has held for two and a half years. “The instructors that we had were really good. They knew what they were doing,” Thompson said. “Mr. Winston

New Community Career And Technical Institute Connects Graduates To Newark Beth Israel Medical Center

Students who enroll at New Community Career and Technical Institute can expect not only an education that helps them gain nationally recognized certifications, but also connections to employers in their field of choice that can lead to jobs with family supporting wages. One strong employer partner is Newark Beth Israel Medical Center, which hires Patient Care Technician graduates. Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer for Newark Beth Israel Medical Center and Children’s Hospital of New Jersey Zachary Lipner said both the hospital and New Community are committed to helping Newark. “We’re more than just a business that operates in Newark. We take care of Newark residents who are our patients and we have a very strong commitment to the

New Community Workforce Development Center Graduates Find Success At University Hospital

When students enroll in programs at New Community Workforce Development Center, the goal is to provide them with an education and the skills necessary to obtain a job in their career of choice with a family income supporting wage. Solid training supported by employer partnerships help make that happen. Three recent Clinical Medical Assistant (CMA) graduates have started their careers at University Hospital, one of the employers with which New Community Workforce Development Center has a relationship. University Hospital is in very close proximity to Workforce and is visible from the health care classrooms, which is one of the reasons the school looked to develop that relationship. The hospital also is an anchor institution and has a well-known brand and

Launching Careers For New Community Workforce Development Center Automotive Students

When students complete the New Community Workforce Development Center Automotive Technician program, sponsored by Ford Motor Company, the goal is to find a job. Strong employer partnerships help link graduates to employment opportunities and make the program more beneficial. One strong and lasting partnership is with Rich Liebler, Chief Administrative Officer and Veteran Coordinator for Sansone Auto Group. Liebler helped start NCC’s Automotive Technician program in 1996. “I was friends with Edsel Ford, the great grandson of Henry Ford. I represented all the Ford dealers in the United States. And I got together with him and said that we need to do more in the urban areas for helping at-risk youth and plus we need technicians and employees for the