MORRIS COUNTY — With early Spring food drives and fundraisers cancelled, and increased numbers of county residents in need of food as they are out of work due to the COVID-19 situation, food providers and soup kitchens across Morris County are in need of some help.

In addition to a need for food, these nonprofit providers also need supplies, such as forks, spoons, to-go boxes, sandwich bags, and other items for their operations.

It is not just the larger pantries and kitchens that could use a boost, but also smaller providers, many of which normally rely on local churches for donations. But with church, synagogue and mosque services temporarily cancelled, donations collected and dispersed through the generosity of congregations, and by members of  local organizations, such as the county’s YMCAs, have dried up.

From the Interfaith Food Pantry:

“Under normal circumstances, we rely heavily on this April fundraiser to provide food to clients through the Spring and into the Fall. We are now facing an unprecedented challenge as demand is picking up and we are bracing for an influx of unemployed workers. Now more than ever, please consider supporting our efforts.

There are many providers of food and meals in Morris County. Here is a list with contact information:

Boonton:

• Boonton Food Pantry (973) 402-9419 ext.634
• Evangel Church of God (973) 263-1787
• Women’s Infants and Children’s Clinic (WIC) 800-427-3244

Denville:

• Denville Food Pantry (973) 625-8300 ext.269
• St. Clare’s Meals on Wheels (973) 625-6010

Florham Park:

• Holy Family Church (973) 377-7190

Hanover Township:

• First Presbyterian Church of Whippany (973) 887-2197

Madison:

• Meals on Wheels (973) 593-3095

Montville:

• Kiwanis Food Pantry (973) 216-7649

Morris Plains:

• Interfaith Food Pantry (973) 538-8049 ext. 12

Parsippany:

• Parsippany Christian Church 973-335-6387
• Parsippany Food Pantry (973) 263-7163
• St. Peter’s Food Pantry 973-334-2090

LIVINGSTON — Raymond A. Mignone, 95, born in Newark, Raymond was a longtime resident of Livingston.

A graduate of Newark State Teachers College and Seton Hall School of Business, Raymond received his MA and Doctoral Equivalency in Special Education from Seton Hall University.

Raymond was a WWII Navy veteran who served as a Medical and Dental Corpsman. His sea service included deployments on an Attack Transport Ship and Sea Plane Tenders. He also served with the U.S. Naval Construction Force (Seabees) and was attached to the U.S. Marine Corps on the island of Okinawa during the Pacific War. His father and brother also served during the war.

Raymond lived his passion through his career as a teacher. He taught in Newark and Orange before teaching and retiring from Hillside School in Livingston. He enjoyed spending time helping students before and after school and during lunchtime and had a lasting positive impact on many. He was respected by his fellow educators who recognized him as a devoted and dedicated teacher to all.

He was also a dedicated parishioner of St Philomena’s Church in Livingston, having served as a money counter and with the healing masses and various events.

Raymond was predeceased by his parents Joseph and Dora; brother, Roland; and sister, Dorothy Farinella. He survived by his loving wife, Catherine Mignone, and their two children, Mary Kay Alberto and her husband Steve of Livingston, James and his wife Lena of Whippany; his four grandchildren, Christine, Cathy, Stephanie, Christopher, and his great-granddaughter Charlotte Rae. He loved his family above all and was always there to give advice, share stories and celebrate life.

Raymond was an amazing person, touching the lives of everyone he met. He was beloved by all of his friends and former students. His wise remarks fooled everyone, but his brain contained much more than that. He loved to read, do puzzles and cook. He cooked meals for his friends who were ill and confined to their homes.

Funeral services are being privately held under the direction of the LaMonica Memorial Home in Livingston. A Mass of Christian Burial to celebrate Raymond’s life will be held at a later date.

MORRIS COUNTY — The Morris County Board of Freeholders is announcing changes to its scheduled Monday, April 6 county government meetings.

The board was supposed to hold its public session as a “road meeting” in Long Hill on the evening of April 6. Instead, due to the COVID-19 situation, the freeholders will not meet in that municipality.

The Freeholder Board work session that had been scheduled for Monday, April 6, at 4:30 p.m. in Morristown has been cancelled.

The Board’s public meeting will be held, as scheduled, on April 6 at 7:00 p.m.. But it has been changed to a phone-in only meeting, with county residents invited to phone in to listen and to be allowed to comments during the public comment period.

Residents are invited to attend the April 6 meeting:

Call: 1-201-546-5293

Guest Passcode: 439862

MORRIS COUNTY — Morris County, in coordination with Atlantic Health System, will open a COVID-19 drive-thru testing center for Morris County residents only, located at the County College of Morris (CCM) in Randolph starting Monday, March 30. Registration started Sunday at 10:00 a.m.

The Morris County COVID-19 Drive-Thru Testing Site will be located at CCM, Dover Chester Road, Randolph, NJ 07869. Residents will need to use the Dover Chester Road entrance in order to access the site by clicking here.

Residents must show up in a vehicle and must have an appointment in order to access the testing site – you cannot walk through the testing center. Residents will need to display identification and will need to have a printed copy of a COVID-19 medical prescription from a Physician.

Important: Only residents who have a prescription from a medical doctor or medical provider AND who have pre-scheduled an appointment for testing through the county’s COVID-19 appointment portal will be allowed to enter the testing site.

For information and to make an appointment residents should click here.

The Morris County Office of Emergency Management and Office of Health Management are creating the drive-thru center in partnership with Atlantic Health System, whose staff will collect the samples. Other partners in this venture include the County College of Morris, Morris County Sheriff’s Office, Morris County Park Police Department, and the Randolph Township Police Department.

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW:

• Testing is scheduled between 9:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m.
• To be tested, residents MUST:
  • have a COVID-19 test prescription from a healthcare provider
  • read and acknowledge the consent form (click here)
  • make an appointment
• Persons WILL be turned away if they don’t meet all of these qualifications.
• Residents with a prescription can move forward to scheduling an appointment after acknowledging the waiver.
• Please sign up for an appointment by clicking here.
• Residents may not sign up for an appointment until they get a prescription from a healthcare provider. If a resident is symptomatic, call your doctor as soon as possible. Visit CDC for information on symptoms, click here.
• There is no charge for the test

ARRIVING AT THE TESTING CENTER:

• Your ID (any others that have an appointment in same vehicle) and appointment verification for all potential clients will be confirmed before entry is permitted.
• NO photographing or video recording is permitted
• Please pay attention to all signage which is in English and Spanish
• ALL vehicle windows must remain CLOSED
• DO NOT ROLL DOWN ANY VEHICLE WINDOW until instructed to do so
• Do NOT move forward until instructed to do so
• There are no emergency services available at the testing location. If you are experiencing a medical emergency, please go to the nearest hospital emergency room or dial 911
• To get your test results, visit the patient portal by clicking here.

If you have questions, you can call the County Hotline at 973-829-8250, from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on Sunday, March 29, and then from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday.

For more information on COVID-19 and Morris County’s response click here.

PARSIPPANY — Nothing stops Kiwanis. Our volunteers are always ready and willing to serve. Each month, Kiwanis Club of Greater Parsippany, purchases food, cooks food and serves the guests at Homeless Solutions.

This month, due to the Coronavirus, instead of our volunteers preparing the meals in the kitchen at the shelter, Kiwanis Club of Greater Parsippany, still fulfilled their monthly volunteering and had the food catered by IHOP Parsippany and IHOP Cedar Knolls. Board member Nicolas Limanov coordinated the preparation and delivery of the food.

With donations from Morris Plains Chick-fil-A, Restaurant Depot and ShopRite of Greater Morristown, Kiwanis Club was able to donate four trays of baked ziti, two trays of meatballs (750 meatballs), two trays of tossed salad and 100 cupcakes.

The Kiwanis Club has been providing meals to Homeless Solutions for the past 19 years and have served over 7,000 meals. Members volunteer their time to shop, cook and serve the dinner.

Homeless Solutions

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Homeless Solutions, “Providing a Hand UP, Not a HandOUT.” They offer shelter, services, and supportive housing to the homeless and working poor in Morris County, New Jersey.

Interested in learning more about the Kiwanis Club of Greater Parsippany, contact Committee Chairperson Laura Wohland, by emailing [email protected], or Frank Cahill, President Kiwanis Club of Greater Parsippany at (862) 213-2200.

MORRIS COUNTY — Acting on a commitment to provide financial relief to New Jersey homeowners, Governor Phil Murphy announced that financial institutions will provide mortgage forbearance and financial protections for New Jerseyans facing economic hardship as a result COVID-19.

“Millions of hardworking New Jerseyans are suffering financial losses through no fault of their own as a result of the economic downturn brought on by COVID-19,” said Governor Murphy. “With this initiative, we can ensure that no one loses their home during this public health crisis. I commend our private sector partners for doing their part to reduce financial uncertainty for New Jersey families.”

Building on a similar initiative in California, Governor Murphy secured support from Citigroup, JPMorgan Chase, U.S. Bank, Wells Fargo, and Bank of America, in addition to over 40 other federal and state-chartered banks,  credit unions, and services to protect New Jersey homeowners. More financial institutions are expected to sign on in the coming days.  The New Jersey Bankers Association, CrossState Credit Union Association, and the Mortgage Bankers Association of New Jersey have endorsed this initiative and are encouraging all their members to adopt these policies.

Under Governor Murphy’s proposal, New Jerseyans who are struggling financially as a result of COVID-19 may be eligible for the following relief upon contacting their financial institution:

90-Day Grace Period for Mortgage Payments
Financial institutions will offer, consistent with applicable guidelines, mortgage payment forbearances of up to 90 days to borrowers economically impacted by COVID-19. In addition, those institutions will:

• Provide borrowers a streamlined process to request a forbearance for COVID-19-related reasons, supported with available documentation;
• Confirm approval of and terms of forbearance program; and
• Provide borrowers the opportunity to request additional relief, as practicable, upon continued showing of hardship due to COVID-19.

No Negative Credit Impacts Resulting from Relief
Financial institutions will not report derogatory tradelines (e.g., late payments) to credit reporting agencies, consistent with applicable guidelines, for borrowers taking advantage of COVID-19-related relief.
Moratorium on Initiating Foreclosure Sales or Evictions
>For at least 60 days, financial institutions will not initiate foreclosure sales or evictions, consistent with applicable guidelines.
Relief from Fees and Charges
For at least 90 days, financial institutions will waive or refund at least the following for customers who have requested assistance:

• Mortgage-related late fees; and
• Other fees, including early CD withdrawals (subject to applicable federal regulations).

Please note that financial institutions and their servers are experiencing high volumes of inquiries and may recommend using online services when available for the quickest service. Loans held by a financial institution may be serviced by another company.

Last week, Governor Murphy signed Executive Order No. 106, which imposed a moratorium on removing individuals from their homes pursuant to an eviction or foreclosure proceeding while the Order is in effect. Tenants cannot be asked to leave their homes for nonpayment of rent during this time.

Governor Murphy also announced that the Department of Community Affairs received an additional $13 million in federal funds as part of its annual renewal for the Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher Program.  These funds, based on the increased utilization New Jersey achieved in the program last year, are critical to helping current voucher tenants maintain their housing stability during the coming year.

MORRIS COUNTY — New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission Chief Administrator Sue Fulton announced that the closure of all New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission agency, road testing, and inspections facilities will be extended through April 12, as a measure to mitigate the spread of COVID-19.

Chief Fulton says other Commission operations are continuing, through online submissions from customers as well as other functions, including those that support commercial trucking critical to keeping the supply chain moving during the COVID-19 health crisis.

However, Chief Fulton said, other operations, such as agency and road testing, bring people into closer proximity to each other than is recommended under public health guidelines.

“We cannot have crowds like the ones that are drawn to our agencies during a pandemic,” Chief Fulton said. “The health of our employees and our customers takes priority.”

“Fortunately, we have expanded our online capabilities over the past year and many of our customers can get their business taken care of that way,” Chief Fulton said. “In most cases you can renew your license, replace a lost license, change your address, renew your registration and other transactions through our easy-to-use online portal.”

Chief Fulton also noted that the federal REAL ID requirement has been extended for another year, until October, 2021, so customers should not feel any pressure in that regard.

“The safety of our citizens is paramount and we will use every means at our disposal to ensure they are protected,’’ Chief Fulton said.

Working with Governor Murphy, Chief Fulton ordered the initial closure from March 17 through March 30. With the threat from COVID-19 continuing and New Jersey having the second-most cases in the United States, it was determined to continue the closures through at least April 12.

MORRIS COUNTY — As New Jersey continues under a state of emergency due to the coronavirus, please know that my district office remains available to serve constituents by phone and email. Included below are links to information that you may find helpful, along with important state and national news updates related to COVID-19.

Important Links:

• Governor Murphy will deliver a coronavirus briefing at 2:00 p.m. in Trenton. Click here to watch the livestream.
• The latest data on coronavirus infections in New Jersey are available on the New Jersey COVID-19 Dashboard.
• New Jersey’s COVID-19 Information Hub includes valuable resources and information for families, workers, and employers who have questions or needs arising from the current crisis.
• Information for workers impacted by sickness, loss of employment, or reduction in hours.
• Information for businesses impacted by COVID-19.
• Need work? Visit the State’s Jobs and Hiring Portal to connect with employers hiring today.

Important State News:

• New Jersey saw its largest daily increase in positive cases of COVID-19 reported yesterday, with 2,492 new cases and a total of 6,876 cases. There have been 81 deaths since the start of the coronavirus crisis, including 19 fatalities reported at yesterday’s briefing.
• The governor has announced that all New Jersey schools will remain closed through at least April 17.
• The State has launched a new website for organizations to report and donate inventories of personal protective equipment (PPE), including masks, and healthcare equipment, including ventilators and respirators.
• The NJEDA has launched a new emergency program to help small- and mid-size businesses.
• Vulnerable families that receive food assistance through NJ SNAP will get an extra payment on Sunday and increased benefits in April.

Important National News:

• The House of Representatives should soon pass a $2 trillion stimulus package to help individuals, families, workers, businesses, and states.
• Want to know how big your federal stimulus check will be? Try this online calculator from NJ.com.
• A new analysis shows the coronavirus could peak in some places by mid-April and in others in May.
• The Internet is slowing down due to a surge of streaming and video conferencing while students and employees are learning and working from home.

Questions or need assistance? Email my legislative office at [email protected].