SOUTH ORANGE, NJ — South Orange has launched its Community Care & Justice social media presence on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. CC&J will use its social media presence to share news and information related to its mission of empowering community members in optimizing their own wellness and in turn protecting the community’s most vulnerable and its youth.
The Community Care & Justice program was initiated by South Orange President Sheena Collum and is a collaboration between the South Orange community, Seton Hall University and Essex County. The initiative seeks to reimagine traditional models of public safety through the larger lens of community wellness and with a greater emphasis on crisis prevention. Through outreach and knowledge sharing, Community Care & Justice engages residents, first responders and social work professionals in a more proactive, preventative and collective approach to mental health and wellness, and public health and safety. The program is sponsored by Trustee Donna Coallier, chairperson of the village’s Health and Public Safety Committee, and led by Jayme Ganey, program director. Community Care & Justice deploys grassroots community education and social work outreach to accomplish programmatic goals.
“We have built a powerful CC&J network that comprises first responders, school resources, neighboring municipalities, community organizations, mental wellness and education organizations, and academic institutions with social justice initiatives,” Ganey said. “We’ll be sharing content from our network that can benefit the local community.”
“So many in our community contribute time and money to wellness efforts, particularly for the underserved,” Coallier said. “We want to use the CC&J platform to amplify their news and inspire more wellness activism. We’ll also share news and events that are driven by our CC&J team.”