Middlesex County Family Justice Center Named Outstanding Community Organization

The Middlesex County Regional Chamber of Commerce recently named the Middlesex County Family Justice Center (FJC) Outstanding Community Organization at the Chamber’s annual Community Leaders of Distinction Awards.

The goal of the FJC is to establish a one-stop center where survivors can access services from multiple providers and tell their story once, reducing the risk of re-traumatization. Sixteen partners strong, and led by Women Aware, the FJC is facilitating more direct access to law enforcement, legal, immigration, housing, healthcare, social and human services for survivors and their children. Bringing multidisciplinary and multilingual services providers under one roof, the FJC model is identified as a best practice in the field of domestic violence intervention and prevention services. The Center is located at 100 Bayard Street, 4^th Floor, New Brunswick, NJ. It is the first FJC in Middlesex County and the fourth in New Jersey.

FJC partners include Middlesex County (the Middlesex County Office of Human Services, the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office, Middlesex County Center for Empowerment, and REPLENISH), Central Jersey Legal Services, Jewish Family Services, Partners, American Friends Service Committee, Middlesex County Board of Social Services, NJ DCF Division of Child Protection and Permanency, Coming Home of Middlesex County, Manavi, Town Clock Community Development Corporation, and A Partnership for Change. Since the original MoU was signed, the FJC welcomed Dress for Success Central New Jersey, and the Middlesex County Family Court.

“It is our honor to accept this award on behalf of all our partners in the FJC,” said Women Aware CEO Phyllis Yonta. “A strong coordinated community response to domestic violence, sexual assault and stalking would not be possible without the leadership of Middlesex County and the dedicated commitment of our partners to this life-saving work.”

Photo: Accepting the Community Organization Award on behalf of the Middlesex County Family Justice Center are Women Aware Board Vice President Siyan Bradley, FJC Director Mildred Torres, Women Aware Board President Diane Palmer, Women Aware CEO Phyllis Yonta, Women Aware COO Maria Betanzos and Dress for Success Central New Jersey Program & Community Engagement Manager Nancy Musco.