Author: Erica Torsiello

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Watch the Youtube Livestream Here!

Help light up the community with Womanspace for our 20th Annual Communities of Light™ 

December 6, 2021

In the early December winter, Communities of Light™ (COL) candles line the streets of central New Jersey – a powerful symbol of hope for men, women and children impacted by domestic violence, sexual assault, and human trafficking in our community. Communities of Light raises awareness of the services available to help those victims in Mercer County. The candles come from luminary kits which help spread our important message that Peace Begins at Home.

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Thank you to everyone who participated!

Hamilton Lighting with Kaitlynn Ely, Development Associate; Mayor Jeff Martin; Assemblyman Benson; and Hamilton Police

Princeton Lighting with Mayor Mark Freda; Nathalie Nelson, Associate Executive Director; and Board Members Fran Zeitler and Joan Bartl

Princeton Police Department

Pennington Lighting with Mayor James Davy and his wife Lucille Davy with Pennington Police

Old Hights Brewing Company with Michelle Bajwa, Board of Directors President and Councilwoman Cristina Fowler with friends

The Lawrenceville School Stanley House

Lawrenceville Community Members with Lance Maloney, COL Committee member and Paula Sollami-Covello

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Buy your Luminary & Virtual Luminary kits, Sponsorship, or make a donation to COL today!

Click here to download a Sponsorship Form

Interested in being a COL Neighborhood Coordinator? Click here.

 

Thank you to our sponsors!

 

 Michelle & Rashaad Bajwa   

      Brian Zack, MD    

      Chief William Spain   Joan Bartl     

Mayor Janice Mironov           

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Visit one of the following retail locations to purchase a luminary kit and support Womanspace!
Luminary kits are officially in! Please check with individual retailers as to their availability. 

Terhune Orchards (330 Cold Soil Road, Princeton, NJ 08540)
Pennington Quality Market (25 Route 31 South, Suite X, Pennington, NJ 08534)
Keller Williams (2355 Route 33, Robbinsville, NJ 08691)
McCaffrey’s Princeton (301 N. Harrison St., Princeton, NJ 08540)
McCaffrey’s West Windsor (335 Princeton-Hightstown Road, West Windsor, NJ 08550)
Dandelion Wishes (45 West Broad St., Hopewell NJ 08525)
Old Hightstown Brewing Company (123 West Ward Street Hightstown NJ 08520)

East Windsor Police & Court Building (50-98 1 Mile Rd Exd, East Windsor, NJ 08520)

Kits are also sold at the Womanspace Administrative Office (1530 Brunswick Ave., Lawrenceville, NJ 08648)
*** Due to COVID-19, please call to schedule pickups. 609-394-0136

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The Mayors of Mercer County have been named the 20^th Annual Communities of Light Honorary Chairs. Without our close association with them, we would not be able to assist and advocate for our clients as seamlessly. Our Chairs are:

Janice Mironov of East Windsor, Bert Steinmann of Ewing, Jeff Martin of Hamilton, Larry Quattrone of Hightstown, Paul Anzano of Hopewell Borough, Julie Blake of Hopewell Township, Jim Kownacki of Lawrence, James Davy of Pennington, Mark Freda of Princeton, Reed Gusciora of Trenton, David Fried of Robbinsville, and Hemant Marathe of West Windsor.

“Supporting Womanspace is important, the mission of Womanspace is important. No one should have to endure abuse in any form.  Having advocates and a place to turn to is critical for anyone in this type of situation. Womanspace is deserving of support from all of us.  Please add Womanspace to your list of organizations to support.” – Mark Freda, Mayor, Princeton

The Communities of Light campaign launches every October in recognition of National Domestic Violence Awareness month. We encourage businesses, neighborhoods, and community organizations to purchase luminary kits, raise awareness of Womanspace’s services, and spread the message that Peace Begins at Home.

The campaign concludes with a countywide luminary lighting on December 6, which serves as a powerful symbol of hope for those impacted by domestic and sexual violence in Mercer County.

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Bert Steinmann of Ewing

Jeff Martin of Hamilton

Julie Blake of Hopewell Township

James Davy of Pennington

David Fried of Robbinsville

Reed Gusciora of Trenton

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National Night Out is an annual community-building campaign that promotes police-community partnerships and neighborhood camaraderie to make our neighborhoods safer, more caring places to live. National Night Out enhances the relationship between neighbors and law enforcement while bringing back a true sense of community. It also provides a great opportunity to bring police and neighbors together under positive circumstances. This year’s National Night Out will be held on August 3 at various locations throughout the county (see below):

Confirmed:

Ewing
Ewing Senior Center
Lower Ferry Rd.
6:00 – 8:00

East Windsor
Police Headquarters
One Mile Road
6:00 – 9:00

Robbinsville
Municipal Complex
6:00 – 9:00

Hightstown
Association Park
Grant Street
6:00 – 8:30

Hopewell
Stony Brook Elementary
6:00 – 8:30

West Windsor

West Windsor Community Park
6:00 – 9:00

 

 

This year has been unprecedented. The Coronavirus has shaped the world in ways we never imagined – until we suddenly needed to adapt. At first, the incident rates of domestic violence seemed, by all reports, to decrease. What we soon came to realize was a much more grim reality – individuals were trapped in their homes with abusers and unable to seek help. At Womanspace, we understood that new measures needed to be enacted to serve our clients. We opened our Deaf and Hard of Hearing text line to anyone who needed it. We added a chat feature to our website. Since the onset of the pandemic, we have continued to staff all three of our hotlines as well as our emergency housing and transitional housing. Our counselors adapted to serve their clients in new ways. Our administrative staff has continued to manage Womanspace’s needs from home. We are all working to flatten the curve and serve any and all who need us.

The events of this year have been tough, and we are now asking for your support. Please consider giving to Womanspace this year so that we may continue to help those who need it. This public health crisis isn’t over, but we can get through it, together.

 

Charitable contributions are an excellent method to reduce your tax bill in addition to supporting your favorite charities of choice and helping to support your community. There are a couple of small changes to charitable giving rules that might affect you, but if you keep in mind the various rules and limits, charitable giving can continue to play a key role in your tax planning. Click here for more information on tax laws.

 

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Help light up the community with Womanspace for our 19th Annual Communities of Light™ 

December 7, 2020

Link up – Illuminate- Light

In the early December winter, Communities of Light™ (COL) candles line the streets of central New Jersey – a powerful symbol of hope for men, women and children impacted by domestic violence, sexual assault, and human trafficking in our community. Communities of Light raises awareness of the services available to help those victims in Mercer County. The candles come from luminary kits which help spread our important message that Peace Begins at Home.

[/et_pb_text][et_pb_toggle admin_label=”Become a Sponsor or Coordinator!” title=”Buy your Luminary & Virtual Luminary Kits, Sponsorship, or make a donation!” open=”off” use_border_color=”off” border_color=”#ffffff” border_style=”solid” title_font=”|on|||” title_font_size=”20″ title_text_color=”#000000″]

Buy your Luminary & Virtual Luminary kits, Sponsorship, or make a donation to COL today!

Click here to download a Sponsorship Form

Interested in being a COL Neighborhood Coordinator? Click here.

 

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Visit one of the following retail locations to purchase a luminary kit and support Womanspace!
Luminary kits are officially in! Please check with individual retailers as to their availability. 

Terhune Orchards (330 Cold Soil Road, Princeton, NJ 08540)
Pennington Quality Market (25 Route 31 South, Suite X, Pennington, NJ 08534)
ERA Central Realty (20 Main Street, Robbinsville, NJ 08691)
Keller Williams (2355 Route 33, Robbinsville, NJ 08691)
McCaffrey’s Princeton (301 N. Harrison St., Princeton, NJ 08540)
McCaffrey’s West Windsor (335 Princeton-Hightstown Road, West Windsor, NJ 08550)
Dandelion Wishes (45 West Broad St., Hopewell NJ 08525)
Old Hightstown Brewing Company (123 West Ward Street Hightstown NJ 08520)

Kits are also sold at the Womanspace Administrative Office (1530 Brunswick Ave., Lawrenceville, NJ 08648)
*** Due to COVID-19, please call to schedule pickups. 609-394-0136

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We’re excited to announce that Paula Sollami Covello, Esq., County Clerk of Mercer County, will serve as our 19^th Annual Communities of Light™ Peace Begins At Home Honorary Chair. Paula has served as the Co-chair of Communities of Light and as coordinator of municipalities for many years.

The Communities of Light campaign occurs every October in recognition of National Domestic Violence Awareness month. In light of COVID-19, this year’s campaign will be modified for the health and safety of the community. We encourage businesses, neighborhoods, and community organizations to purchase luminary kits, raise awareness of Womanspace’s services, and spread the message that “Peace Begins at Home.”

The campaign concludes with a countywide luminary lighting on December 7, which serves as a powerful symbol of hope for those impacted by domestic and sexual violence in Mercer County.

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“We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.”

Charitable contributions are an excellent method to reduce your tax bill in addition to supporting your favorite charities of choice and helping to support your community. There are a couple of small changes to charitable giving rules that might affect you, but if you keep in mind the various rules and limits, charitable giving can continue to play a key role in your tax planning. Click here for more information on current tax laws.