Press Release

August 7, 2006
Contact: Melissa Campbell
(973) 972-4564 (office)
(732) 236-1569 (cell)
campbeme1@umdnj.edu

Medical Students in Newark to Help Re-Build Three Community Centers
CARES Day Takes Place on Saturday, August 12

NEWARK — More than 100 medical students at UMDNJ-New Jersey Medical School will join together on Saturday, August 12 to help rebuild three local community centers as part of Cares Day 2006. Coordinated by a student organization called SHARE (Student Health Advocacy for Resources and Education), the service event will take place in three separate locations. Students will renovate and paint local community centers at Tri-City People’s Corporation Preschool Program, Rights of Passage, and Raphael’s Life House.

CARES Day is a service day for New Jersey Medical School students held each year in August, coinciding with New Student Orientation. This August marks the third CARES Day, but represents the first time that medicine will not be the focus.

“CARES Day is an opportunity to positively contribute to the Newark community on a large scale,” said Jennifer Koch, S.H.A.R.E. Co-Director and second-year medical student. “The buildings we are renovating house health, educational and social services for children and adolescents. CARES Day is also a chance to learn more about the community we serve as student doctors.”

Tri-City People’s Corporation Preschool Program in Newark provides developmental, educational, social and cultural services to three- and four-year-olds. Rights of Passage, also in Newark, is a long-term transitional living program that offers support and teaches skills necessary for homeless and at-risk youth to transition to independent living. Raphael’s Life House is a residential program located in Elizabeth that provides special care for pregnant women and parenting for young women who are homeless or at-risk.

Contact Dina Gordon, SHARE Assistant Director, at 908-656-4908 to coordinate a visit to any or all of the sites:

Tri-City People's Corporation Preschool Program
675-681 South 19th Street
Newark

Newark Rights of Passage
(Transitional Living Program for Young Men)
49 Hanford St.
Newark

Raphael's Life House
(Transitional Living Program for Young Mothers & their Babies)
231 Court St.
Elizabeth

SHARE (Student Health Advocacy for Resources and Education) is UMDNJ-New Jersey Medical School’s community service umbrella organization, which supports a wide range of service programs including direct patient care, community education and youth mentoring.

UMDNJ is the nation’s largest free-standing public health sciences university with more than 5,500 students attending the state's three medical schools, its only dental school, a graduate school of biomedical sciences, a school of health related professions, a school of nursing and a school of public health on five campuses. Annually, there are more than two million patient visits at UMDNJ facilities and faculty at campuses in Newark, New Brunswick/Piscataway, Scotch Plains, Camden and Stratford. UMDNJ operates University Hospital, a Level I Trauma Center in Newark, and University Behavioral HealthCare, a mental health and addiction services network.