On Wednesday, April 27, 2011 a ribbon cutting ceremony was conducted for the Garden State C.A.R.R.S. Cluster Learning Center for the Rights of Passage Program at the Atlantic City Covenant House.
This well attended event included many dignitaries including Eastern Area Director Bishetta Merritt, Eastern Area Vice Director Dianne Hardison and Atlantic City Mayor Lorenzo Langford and other members of the community. The host Chapters of the Garden State C.A.R.R.S. Cluster were well represented.
The Garden State C.A.R.R.S. Cluster Learning Center will be a permanent educational resource at the Atlantic City Covenant House. Rights of Passage (ROP) is an innovative transitional living program that addresses the long term needs of at risk youth who come to Covenant House in crisis. Covenant House opened their first ROP in 1993 and set goals to meet the needs of youth who have become stabilized enough to benefit from a program that provides education, job training and placement which will lead to independent living. The ROP will serve approximately 30 homeless youth on an annual basis.
This ribbon cutting ceremony was an excellent kick-off for the 41st Eastern Area Conference of The Links, Incorporated. The host chapters of the Garden State C.A.R.R.S. Cluster are Central New Jersey, Atlantic City, Rancocas Valley, Raritan Valley and South Jersey. Link Dianne S. Lennon and Link Cydnee Phoenix of the Atlantic City Chapter served as the Chair and Co-Chair of the Community Service Project.
The C.A.R.R.S. Cluster was pleased to work with the Covenant House on the creation of this fully equipped Learning Center and know it will be beneficial for the at risk youth of Atlantic City for years to come.
Link Alice M. Chapman-Minutello Link Lynn H. Johnson
Conference Chair Conference Co-Chair