Imagine Adult Volunteer Facilitators and Teen Volunteer Facilitators were the recipients this year of the New Jersey State Governor’s Jefferson Award in the Adult Volunteer Group Award category and the Youth Volunteer Group Award category.
Each year the New Jersey State Governor’s Jefferson Awards highlight the spirit of civic engagement among New Jersey’s 1.5 million volunteers and provide Jefferson Awards medals in 22 categories of volunteer service.
The Jefferson Awards were established in 1972 as the official recognition program of the United States Senate. They are considered America’s highest honor for public service and volunteerism.
In New Jersey the awards are also the official recognition program of the Governor’s Advisory Council on Volunteerism, administered by a partnership that includes the NJ Office of Volunteerism, NJ Advance Media, the Community Foundation of New Jersey, and corporate sponsors, such as PNC Bank, PSEG, BD and others.
“Imagine adult and teen volunteer facilitators are a consistent, loving, empathic presence for the children and families we serve, providing hope and support while facilitating the mourning process,” said Mary Robinson, Imagine Executive Director who nominated the volunteers. “Our volunteers are the foundation of Imagine’s community-based peer support model. We would not and could not exist without them and are so grateful for each and every one of them for their commitment and extraordinary service.”
Imagine offers free year-round grief support groups for families with children age 3-18 who are coping with loss due to the death of a parent or sibling or other significant family members, or who are coping with a family member with a terminal or chronic physical illness. Concurrent support groups are available for parents and guardians of the children and for young adults ages 18-30.
Imagine is completely privately funded through the generosity of our donors, and our work is only made possible through their support. For more information please contact Imagine at 908-264-3100 or www.imaginenj.org.
(above) The 2018 New Jersey State Governor’s Jefferson Awards presentation ceremony and celebration of volunteerism was held at the War Memorial in Trenton on June 2, 2018. Pictured accepting the award on behalf of all of our over 70 adult facilitators are (l-r) Imagine Adult Volunteer Facilitators Gail Rhein of Plainfield; Monica Rodriguez of Union; Joanne DeSantis of North Bergen; Tamela Beene of Westfield; Jacqueline Miller of North Plainfield; and Steve Johnson of Westfield.
(above) Accepting the award on behalf of Imagine’s 17 Youth Facilitators are Justin Zucker and Dani Jayinski of Scotch Plains.
