Meet Joyce Ross-Gunter – November 2020 Aide of the Month
Congratulations to our November aide of the month. Joyce Ross-Gunter has been working for Family & Children's Service for thirteen years. Joyce received her license through the FCS CHHA training course in 2007. Read more
Meet Jean Fields – October 2020 Aide of the Month
Congratulations to our October aide of the month. Jean Fields introduced herself to the FCS Home Care team in 2011. She adapted fast to our mission and values and discovered her passion. She completed her CHHA training with FCS. She was encouraged by her father to take the class. Jean had to take care of her father when he suddenly became ill.
Meet Alice Dukes – September 2020 Aide of the Month
Congratulations to our September aide of the month! Alice Dukes has been working for Family & Children's Service for more than three years. Alice completed the CHHA course with the LTC Training Center of Neptune.
Before coming to work for FCS, Alice spent many years taking care of relatives in need. Alice's late husband became ill, and she was unable to work. Alice later discovered her passion to become a CHHA. Workforce Development exposed Alice to many opportunities in the Health Care field.
Meet Talesha Irizarry – August 2020 Aide of the Month
Congratulations to our August aide of the month! Talesha Irizarry has been working for Family & Children's Service for one year.
Before coming to work for FCS, Talesha spent more than ten years working as a CNA with Rosewood Gardens and other organizations. She gravitated to work in the Home Care field after assisting with her relatives during troubling times. She wanted to work for FCS in any capacity because of her appreciation for the agency’s rep payee program. Read more
Meet Lattlyne Simpson – July 2020 Aide of the Month
Congratulations to our July Aide of the Month! Lattlyne has been working for Family & Children's Service for more than thirty years. She received her license through a program coordinated by the Monmouth County Freeholders.
Before coming to work for FCS, Lattlyne spent many years as a teacher in Jamaica. "I learned the importance of compassion by helping students in need living on my island”. The experience of being a teacher encouraged her to pursue a CHHA license. She enjoys her career because the flexible scheduling allowed her to spend time with her children. Spending time with family is essential to her.
All CHHAs must complete 76 hours of specialized training, pass a competency evaluation, and undergo a criminal background check before becoming certified and licensed by the New Jersey Board of Nursing. CHHAs work under the guidance and direction of a Registered Nurse and must undergo training in personal care skills, including bathing, dressing, shopping, meal preparation, Range of Motion assistance, and a variety of other tasks.
Lattlyne was selected to be the July Aide of the Month for going above and beyond her duties. When asked where her clients would be without her care, she replied, "my clients need me to assist with their necessities”. For example, Lattlyne assists her clients with bathing.
She explained that some of her clients are alone throughout the day if she is not there. Lattlyne shared that one of her client's family lives far away so she's the primary caregiver.
Lattlyne would tell someone who was becoming an aide, "If you don't love people. don't do it. You need patience, understanding and learning to relate." She says, "becoming a CHHA is a rewarding career".
Thank you, Lattlyne, for all your hard work! Congratulations.
Author: Ty-Kiera Brown
Home Care Coordinator
Family & Children's Service Receives $50,000 Grant
Long Branch, NJ, Sept. 1, 2020 – Family & Children’s Service (FCS), Monmouth County’s oldest, private nonprofit social service agency recently received a $50,000 grant from Investors Foundation to support the organization’s many programs. The grant will be provided in 5 annual installment payments of $10,000.00; the first of which, was presented to FCS CEO Colleen Verriest at the Long Branch office, by Long Branch Investors Bank branch manager, Vice President Fatima Camacho.
The grant funds will be used to advance FCS’s technology systems. “This grant will help our programs keep pace with current industry workflows, such as cloud-based services and applications that staff use collaboratively,” said Verriest. “These tools will only help further FCS’s mission of providing compassionate care, intervention and education to support people during challenging times in their lives. We are grateful to Investors Bank and Investors Foundation for recognizing the needs of our community and supporting us in our mission.”
Founded in 1909, FCS offers diverse programs and services that address homelessness; neglect, abuse or exploitation; health and respite care; financial instability due to physical, developmental or mental disabilities; childhood literacy and obesity; and long-term care planning.
To learn more about FCS and its diverse programs and services, visit the FCS website at www.fcsmonmouth.org or follow the agency on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter - @fcsmonmouth.
About Family & Children’s Service (FCS)
Family & Children’s Service (FCS) strengthens, protects and preserves the dignity and independence of people in need. With over 110 years of history, FCS is the oldest, private nonprofit social service agency in Monmouth County and a leading volunteer organization. Our mission is to provide compassionate care, intervention and education to support people at challenging times in their lives. We accomplish this through more than a dozen programs focused on the needs of multiple at-risk populations, including: Adult Protective Services; Jersey Assistance for Community Caregivers (JACC); Healthy Buddies; Home Care Services and Home Care Grant Assistance; Operation Sleighbells; Reading Buddies; Representative Payee; Retired and Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP); Statewide Respite Care, State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP); and Telephone Reassurance. Learn more at https://www.fcsmonmouth.org.
About Investors Bank
Investors Bank, headquartered in Short Hills, New Jersey, is a full-service community bank that has been serving customers since 1926. With over $27 billion in assets and a network of more than 150 retail branches, Investors Bank delivers personalized services and products tailored to the needs of its customers. Investors Bank’s services include complete deposit, loan and cash management products for consumers and businesses. Investors Bank. Member FDIC and Equal Housing Lender.
About the Investors Foundation
Investors Bank created the Investors Foundation in 2005 to support the communities Investors Bank serves. Investors Foundation supports initiatives in the arts, youth development, health and human services, education and affordable housing. The Investors Foundation works to improve the lives of its neighbors and communities across the bank’s footprint.
For more information, please visit https://www.myinvestorsbank.com/Community/Investors-Foundation
Meet Carmen Rodriguez - May 2020 Aide of the Month
Congratulations to our May aide of the month!
Carmen Rodriguez has been working for Family & Children's Service for ten years. She completed her certification with Spanish affairs and shortly after, began working with FCS.
Before FCS, Carmen spent many years helping those in need within her family. The experience of helping her grandmother ignited a fire in her to help others regain their independence. "I wanted to make sure my grandmother had excellent care."
All CHHAs must complete 76 hours of specialized training, pass a competency evaluation and undergo a criminal background check before becoming certified and licensed by the New Jersey Board of Nursing. CHHAs work under the guidance and direction of a Registered Nurse and must undergo training in personal care skills; including bathing, dressing, shopping, meal preparation, Range of Motion assistance, and a variety of other responsibilities.
Carmen was selected to be the May aide of the month for going above and beyond her duties. When asked where her clients would be without her care, she responded. "My clients would be in desperate situations." She explained that some of her clients are bed-bound. Carmen provides personal care for her clients. She assists with bathing and meal preparation. 
Carmen would tell someone who was becoming an aide to make sure their heart is in it. She believes possessing compassion is essential for working with a nonprofit agency and she values mission work.
Thank you, Carmen, for all of your hard work. Congratulations!
Author: Ty-Kiera Brown
Home Care Coordinator
Meet Laurica Jones- March 2020 Aide of the Month
Congratulations to our March Aide of the Month, Laurica Jones! Laurica received her CHHA training from FCS in 1996, and has been working for the agency ever since. When asked why she chose to become a CHHA, Laurica said she was encouraged by her sister, who also worked as a CHHA at the time.
Read more
Social Workers: Generations Strong
March is National Social Workers Month, a time to highlight the work of social workers in our community. This year’s theme is “Social Workers: Generations Strong.”Read more
Meet Maria Anchieta - January 2020 Aide of the Month
Congratulations to our January Aide of the Month, Maria Anchieta. Maria has been working for Family & Children’s Service (FCS) since February 2010 and received her Certified Home Health Aide training shortly before that.