PARSIPPANY — Regional Recovery Task Force Co-Chairs Mikie Sherrill (NJ-11) and Pete King (NY-02) led the first session of the bipartisan group last week to hear from former FDA Commissioner Dr. Scott Gottlieb, who is currently advising the governments of Maryland and Massachusetts on their COVID-19 responses. Sherrill and King, alongside members from New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, Delaware, and Pennsylvania, are leading an effort to address recovery efforts, including reopening the Northeast in a safe and responsible way.

“Dr. Gottlieb is a leading expert on how the nation should respond to and recover from COVID-19,” said Rep. Sherrill. “He provided members of the task force with crucial information, from science-based predictions regarding the course of the virus to recommendations for actions our states and Congress can take to get the country back on its feet as safely as possible.”

“Dr. Gottlieb has an extraordinary record of achievement,” said Rep. King. “The insight and analysis he provided regarding the Coronavirus pandemic was exceptional and much appreciated.”

“It was great to hear from former Commissioner Gottlieb on what has been working in Maryland and Massachusetts as they continue to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Rep. Fitzpatrick. “It is critical that we learn from the successes and failures of other parts of the country, to have every option on the table. Our efforts to safely reopen the country need to be coordinated at the local, state, and federal levels. I look forward to continuing to work with this Task Force as we prepare for the eventual reopening of our country.”

“Dr. Gottlieb, who I had opportunities to meet with personally in early March, has been an influential voice since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Rep. Meuser. “His analysis was helpful in determining how to get America back to work while ensuring our workers and families stay safe.”

“It was valuable for the Northeast Regional Task Force to hear directly from Dr. Scott Gottlieb, a leading expert in medical policy and public health,” said Rep. Stefanik. “His recommendations for how Congress can work to respond to COVID-19 from a public health perspective while getting people back to work on a regional basis were extremely helpful in this time of uncertainty. I’m looking forward to continuing to work with my bipartisan colleagues on solutions based on the experts we hear from.”

Members of the task force bring a wide array of experience based on their backgrounds, on their work on the ground in their districts, and from their committees of jurisdiction in Congress. Based on this experience and their conversation with Dr. Gottlieb, the task force highlighted key opportunities for federal action:

Supporting state and local investments in mobile testing capabilities to reach high-risk communities and employees in work settings. Additionally, encouraging the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to draft and release guidelines that will allow businesses to safely remain operational if a positive case is identified;

Federal investment to ensure the creation of a more robust contact tracing infrastructure and isolation facilities;

Supporting alternatives to mass transit where possible and having mass transit authorities enforce social distancing and regularly clean surfaces with disinfectants.

Rep. Sherrill and Rep. King formed the Regional Recovery Task Force with Representatives Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE), Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA), Jim Himes (D-CT), Sean Patrick Maloney (D-NY), Dan Meuser (R-PA), Elise Stefanik (R-NY), and Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-NJ). The task force is working with leading experts across key fields to put forth bipartisan recommendations and policy proposals for near- and medium-term efforts to get Americans back to work, and address critical questions facing the United States in the coming weeks and months, particularly in the Northeast.

The Regional Recovery Task Force’s first report can be found by clicking here.

MORRIS COUNTY — Support the Kiwanis Club of Greater Parsippany on Friday, May 15 at their Best of Broadway Fundraiser with Award-Winning Actress, Singer, and Model Grace Field. Come enjoy an evening of singing and dancing along to some of the best hits. The show starts at 6:00 p.m.

Admission is only $10.00 and 100% of the proceeds will support the activities of Kiwanis Club of Greater Parsippany. To purchase a ticket click here.

With these difficult times most of our fundraising events have either been canceled or postponed. This event will help support our service projects that help local communities especially the needs of children.

Award-winning Grace Field is a True Star.
Seen performing on NBC’s The Today Show with Hugh Jackman, and Tony Award-Winning member of  Broadway Inspirational Voices, Broadway performer Grace Field has had international acclaim and has performed across the globe. Ms. Field has sung at theatres including Broadway’s New Amsterdam Theatre, Broadway’s New Victory Theatre, the Barclay Center, Jazz at Lincoln Center, and Off Broadway’s New World Stages to name a few.

Recently, Grace was featured on ABC’s Celebrating 25 Years of Disney on Broadway with Whoopi Goldberg filmed at Broadway’s New Amsterdam Theatre. She has had the privilege to work with Broadway’s Alan Menken, Stephen Schwartz, Rebecca Luker, Seth Rudetsky, Anthony Rapp, and others. Ms. Field has also sung with Multi Tony Award Winner Audra McDonald, Cynthia Elviro, Shoshana Bean, and Hollywood walk of fame’s Billy Porter. She has an impressive resume of performances including Oklahoma, Les Miserables, South Pacific, Carousel, and more! She is also a solo artist at the United Nations headquarters in New York City.

Also seen in Broadway Hamilton’s home The Public Theatre’s production of Disney’s Hercules! The event will feature some of Grace’s best performances from your Broadway favorites including Think of Me (Phantom of the Opera) Popular (Wicked) I Got the World on a String (Sinatra) Part of your World (The Little Mermaid) Someone to Watch over me and more!

Not only does Grace perform professionally on the stage, but she also is a professional pianist, artist, and model. Field has a huge heart for charity and helping the world through the arts, and has founded Dare to Dream Art Charity which encourages people to donate to local or global charities through the gift of art. She recently released a Christmas CD, “Christmas with Grace” where 100 percent of the sales go to Operation Christmas Child which aids third world country children. She is currently on tour as the lead female singer and keyboardist in Queen’s Freddie Mercury Band “Mercury World Tour”, and also is currently touring with platinum recording artist Geoff Sewell in his London based company Incognito artists and Bravo Amici.

You can support Kiwanis Club of Greater Parsippany by attending our first virtual concert with Grace Field. Admission is only a $10.00 donation.

To find out more about Grace visit www.gracefield.net www.facebook.com/thegracefield IG @thegracefield .

To purchase a ticket click here. For more information contact Frank Cahill at (862) 213-2200 or Nicolas Limanov at (917) 499-7299.

MORRIS COUNTY — It only took Liquid Church, one of New Jersey’s fastest-growing churches, two weeks to distribute 26,000 pounds of relief supplies to more than 900 local families in need this April. Now, to meet a surge in demand for aid, Liquid has expanded its commitment to serve the community, partnering with Feed The Children, an organization dedicated to fighting hunger. In May, Liquid will triple its distribution of emergency food supplies, toiletries, and cleaners, making 75,000 pounds in relief supplies available to meet the growing needs of families in crisis due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We’re living in the epicenter of the pandemic here in New Jersey, and the demand for emergency supplies is even higher than we anticipated,” said Tim Lucas, lead pastor and founder of Liquid Church. “On top of those battling illness, there are thousands of people suffering financially because of lost jobs and closed businesses. Our church has the heart to help families who are hard-hit as well as people who are high-risk and can’t leave their homes. We anticipate the need will only increase in May, as families burn through emergency savings and supplies, and those who’ve hesitated to ask for help, won’t be able to hold out any longer.”

Any member of the community impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic and in need of an Emergency Relief Kit is welcome to receive free emergency supplies as part of Liquid’s community outreach. The first step is to click here where individuals can submit an “Emergency Relief Request.” Each family will receive one box with 25 pounds of non-perishable food,  plus one box with 15 pounds of hygiene items and cleaning supplies, and one box of feminine care products.

“Our food boxes can feed a family of four with meals for up to a week, which is vital as food insecurity grows. Before this crisis, a 2019 USDA report estimated that 1 in 9 Americans were already food insecure. That was before this pandemic created a tidal wave of job losses and wage reductions which is pushing millions of Americans, who otherwise never experienced food insecurity, to search for help. We’re also concerned that children who depend on their schools for daily breakfast and lunch, no longer have that safety net. As people of faith, we believe God is calling us to step up in this crisis to love, feed, and serve our neighbors-in-need,” added Lucas.

Food boxes will contain non-perishable items such as canned fruit and vegetables, cereal, pasta, and peanut butter. Hygiene boxes will contain items such as toilet paper, paper towels, shampoo, and toothpaste. Each feminine dignity box contains miscellaneous Avon products. Liquid will offer both free delivery and pick-up options for families in need of Emergency Relief Kits. The partnership with Feed The Children has supplies arriving throughout the month of May, enabling the church to serve more than 200 families per week.

“We consider it a privilege to serve our neighbors-in-need, and plan on being here for the long haul. This crisis can seem overwhelming, but we believe that even when the world feels uncertain, God is still in control,” said Lucas.

To learn more about Liquid’s Emergency Relief Kits click here. To view Liquid Church’s services online click here.

Liquid Church is one of New Jersey’s fastest-growing Christian churches. Officially launched in 2007 by Lead Pastor Tim Lucas, the church’s vision is to “Saturate the State with the Gospel of Jesus Christ,” with seven campuses in Essex, Middlesex, Monmouth, Morris, Somerset, and Union Counties. Each week, over 8,000 people experience Liquid Church’s worship services in New Jersey and around the globe through Church Online. As part of its global outreach, Liquid provides clean drinking water to those in need, with hundreds of completed wells in Africa and Central America. Liquid Church’s innovative approaches to outreach and ministry have been spotlighted by CNN, FOX News, and TIME magazine. For more information click here.

MORRIS COUNTY — Governor Phil Murphy signed A1104, also known as the Hunger-Free Students’ Bill of Rights Act. The bill seeks to prevent school districts from taking adverse action, such as a denial of meals or public identification measures, known as “lunch shaming,” against students who have school meal bills that are in arrears.

The bill also requires districts to annually provide all parents and/or guardians with the information and forms necessary to maximize participation in programs. Additionally, the bill requires a district’s liaison for homeless students to ensure that homeless students receive free meals.

“We have an obligation to ensure that our schools are safe, nurturing environments for our students and maximize the reach of beneficial programs” said Governor Murphy. “No child deserves to be shamed over school lunch debt. I commend the Legislature for taking decisive action to protect New Jersey’s students from the stigma and punishment of lunch shaming.”

“This bill tackles two very important parts of our school meal issue here in New Jersey,” said Assemblywoman Carol Murphy. “First, by eliminating policies employed in schools to punish and effectively stigmatize students whose families cannot pay off school meal debt. And second, by establishing guidelines for schools to improve the identification and participation of eligible students in free and reduced-price meal programs.”

“I find it totally unacceptable that children, whose families may be struggling to pay for any number of reasons, are being singled out,” said Assemblywoman Angela McKnight. “Taking a meal away from a child, forcing them to sit at a particular table or stand at the back of the lunch line, withholding grades and barring them from school trips or even prom hinders productive learning. It’s bullying and in no way appropriate.”

“We need to be getting a better picture of why families can’t pay and then developing action around that, not making assumptions,” said Assemblywoman Valerie Vainieri Huttle. “The solution could be as simple as connecting parents with school meal program applications and qualification requirements, but until we ensure school districts are doing that we won’t know.”

“For many children around the state, the meals they receive in school may be their only reliable source of food each day,” said Senator Teresa Ruiz. “Unfortunately, the cost can be financially straining for families struggling to make ends meet and we have seen one too many instances in our state of students being shamed for their school lunch debt. Last year, through legislation I sponsored, we were able to eliminate the cost associated with reduced price meals. As we continue to address food insecurity and school nutrition, the Hunger-Free Students Bill of Rights Act will ensure no one is ostracized for their inability to pay for a meal.”

“In the wake of the current public health crisis, many families across the state will be struggling financially,” said Senator James Beach. “Once schools reopen, this law will ensure all districts are handling school lunch debt respectfully and in a manner that does not punish the students.”