For South Jersey individuals with special needs, St. John of God Community Services offers job skills, therapeutic recreation and management of Holy Grounds Coffee. Students are treated with respect and dignity.
The school’s connected three-building complex along Route 47 in Westville recently got a new heating and cooling (HVAC) system, a necessary update for a building built in the 1980s. The work was funded by a Gloucester County CARES Act grant of $100,000, block grants from the Community Development program and the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs, and funding from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
Fresh clean air now flows freely at St. John.
“It was much needed,” said the school’s Director of Community Engagement, Jeff Sanders. “The HVAC system replacement is essential to the health and safety of the clients we serve and will ensure we can provide top-notch care. The new system allows for seamless social distancing without interruption of services as it provides sanitized fresh air with proper temperature regulation.”
Sanders explained that the county had issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) from among its eligible nonprofits to St. John of God Community Services for replacement of the HVAC.
“St. John of God does great things in the community for those in need,” noted county Commissioner Joann Gattinelli, one of a dozen government officials and community members who celebrated the installation of the new system and took a tour organized by Sanders on April 25.
“We spent our COVID money wisely,” said Commissioner Director Frank DiMarco, who praised St. John of God’s work.
“This is a fantastic, excellent program here,” emphasized state Assemblywoman Heather Simmons, who added that the grant money for the school will help it better service its population.
“We have a mission to improve the lives of individuals with special needs and to create a hospitable space where people may experience dignity and respect,” Sanders explained. “Our New Jersey location provides multi-dimensional services to individuals and families throughout each stage of life.”
The school’s Chief Development Officer, Darek Raguzza, praised the work of Assistant Executive Director Cathy Scanlon, who initially wrote the grant application in August 2023.
“When we applied for the grant, there were a few glitches and technical issues,” Scanlon recalled. “Gloucester County did a wonderful job in working out those glitches. They handled the majority of the administrative duties. It couldn’t have been a better process.”
“At the end of the day, this grant helps the organization,” said the county’s Director of Economic Development, Tom Bianco, who pointed out that money that would have been spent by the school for the new HVAC could now be used to help the community.
Programs at the nonprofit St. John of God Community Services include adult therapeutic recreation, job training and day services. Its clients have paid jobs and often later gain employment outside of school at stores like Wawa and Heritages.
On site, many of them work for Holy Grounds Coffee.
“Building partnerships in support of each person’s goals,” Sanders observed, “St. John of God Community Services is dedicated to the individuals they serve and the community around them.”
