EAST ORANGE, NJ — East Orange celebrated National Night Out on Tuesday, Aug. 1, with community-oriented events in Soverel Field Park, a block party and food giveaway by the Joi’s Angels nonprofit organization, and lots of other block parties and events in neighborhoods across the city. The common thread linking them, however, was the public safety caravan motorcade composed of police officers, firefighters, first responders, emergency service providers and the Office of Emergency Management, which traveled throughout the city, from block to block and event to event.
This year’s annual events were markedly different, however, because Councilman Ted Green was leading the motorcade for the first time. Current Mayor Lester Taylor was also on the move for National Night Out 2017, officiating at the Soverel Field Park event and making appearances across the city, including at the Joi’s Angels event on South Arlington Avenue.
“I want to thank everybody for coming out and supporting our community,” Mark Smith, of Joi’s Angels, said Tuesday, Aug. 1. “We love you. Joi’s Angels Loves you. We had a great time tonight. It was nice and safe, and Mayor Lester Taylor came through.”
Smith founded Joi’s Angels, along with his wife, Joyce Smith, in order to give back to the East Orange community, where they were born and raised. The group operates a food pantry and social service clearinghouse right out of the Smiths’ home on South Arlington Avenue. Last December, they served thousands of city residents and others at the annual Holiday Party and Toy Giveaway at Calvary-Roseville United Methodist Church on Main Street in East Orange.
According to Joyce Smith, Joi’s Angels has a food pantry open the third Thursday of each month, from 8 a.m. to noon, at its headquarters at 114 South Arlington Ave., East Orange. Calvary-Roseville UMC also has a food pantry the fourth Thursday of each month, from 9 a.m. to noon, at the church, located at 400 Main St.
Mark Smith said helping the community is not just the Joi’s Angels mission; it’s a pleasure.
“Don’t forget that we’re having the Christmas Party Extravaganza at Essex County College in downtown Newark this year,” said Mark Smith. “Thank you again for coming out. On behalf of my wife, Joi, we want to thank you guys for coming out to our National Night Out block party and food giveaway. We had a great time. It was only possible because of you guys. The people made it possible.”
Green’s words were similar as he spoke to the throngs of National Night Out revelers he encountered while traveling through East Orange. Green won the Democratic Party mayoral primary on Tuesday, June 6, along with the other members of his Green Team in 2017 slate. The Democratic Party is so strong in East Orange that primary winners are almost assured a victory in the general election Tuesday, Nov. 6. Election winners will be sworn into office on New Year’s Day, Jan. 1.
On Tuesday, Aug. 1, Green was led the way across the city on National Night Out, and when the motorcade stopped in his 3rd Ward home district, he was greeted like a conquering hero or a homegrown rock star.
“I went around to the different block-association and tenants-association events that are taking place across the city, showing my face and showing support,” said Green on Tuesday, Aug. 1. “We’re literally driving our back-to-school initiative, where we’re focusing on giving away 1,000 backpacks to our young people that are going back to school. We’re going to be connecting to Diamonds Among Men, the Young Professionals of East Orange, and we’re going to partner with Newark, Irvington and Orange to try to make this a successful day.”
Green and Talmadge also invited everyone in East Orange to Elmwood Park on Sunday, Aug. 13 and “let their hair down” at the 12th annual Summer Jam concert.
“National Night Out, the Summer Jam, and everything else that we’ve been doing this summer are all part of our effort to do everything we can in terms of focusing this city, especially the 3rd Ward, on enjoying their summer and back to school,” Green said.
For more information about the 12th annual Summer Jam concert and other events in East Orange parks, call 973-266-5120.
To learn more about Joi’s Angels, call 862-888-1855 or visit www.joisangels.com.
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