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Congratulations to Jasmin Jackson who is the recipient of this years O.C.E.A.N., Inc. Board of Directors Scholarship
Photo: L-r: Jasmin Jackson and her mother Saleema Jackson.
Ms. Jasmin Jackson of Toms River North High School is this years recipient of the O.C.E.A.N., Inc. Board of Directors Scholarship in the amount of $5,000. Ms. Jackson made the 2018 Honor Roll and was involved in community activities at her church at the 6th Street Baptist Church. She works at the Silver Woods Retirement Center and has a talent in fashion design.
Ms. Jackson will be attending Ocean County College in the Fall. On behalf of the Board of Directors and staff at O.C.E.A.N., Inc., we wish her every success in meeting her education and career objectives.
O.C.E.A.N., Inc. applied for the Atlantic City CDBG HOME funding and received approval to construct three units at 38 N Texas Avenue in the Ducktown Section of Atlantic City
Channell Wilkins, O.C.E.A.N., Inc. President/CEO presents the agency Ducktown Housing Project to the Atlantic City Council members.
At the June 13, 2018 Council Meeting held in Atlantic City, Channell Wilkins, President/CEO presented to the Atlantic City Council the proposed plans for the construction of three affordable housing units at 38 N. Texas Avenue.
During the presentation, Wilkins discussed the agencies previous construction …projects and the agencies ability to continue with new construction projects into the future.
As part of the Ducktown Revitalization project, O.C.E.A.N., Inc. will create affordable housing and the team will help residents access affordable housing.
O.C.E.A.N., Inc. and other Community Partners Kick-off the Ducktown (Atlantic City) Revitalization Project
Photo Clockwise Right: Michael Cagno, Executive Director of the Noyes Museum, Richard Negro, St. Monica/ St. Michaels Parish, Jim Rulula, Rulata Associates, Sumon Majumder, Atlantic City Police Department (Bengali Community), Sgt. Will Santiago, Executive Director of Atlantic City PAL, Michele Grainger, Ocean Inc. Community Outreach Coordinator, Phi Nguyen, Atlantic County Vietnamese Community Center, Channell Wilkins, President/CEO and Janine Simmons, Jacob Rosch, Lauren Mikus, Lois Greco of the Wells Fargo Reinvestment Fund/Regional Foundation.
O.C.E.A.N., Inc. and other members of the Ducktown Revitalization Team conducted the kick-off meeting with the Wells Fargo Regional Foundation staff who provided grant funding to O.C.E.A.N., Inc. to provide the Ducktown Neighborhood Revitalization Plan. The plan will include the guidance and structure of creating a blueprint for the community and what it will look like o…ver a span of 10 years.
The team partners include O.C.E.A.N., Inc., planner Rutala Associates, LLC., Stockton University, City Officials, law enforcement, Atlantic City PAL, Faith, Arts, Community Organizations, volunteers, residents and residential leadership from Ducktown who will all be part of the process in bringing the neighborhood together to plan for its future.
Throughout the next 12 months, the team will have the opportunity to learn about the human landscape of Ducktown through the development of leadership in the community. The creation of the agenda are based on the following pillars of success including:
1) Affordable Housing—The team will help residents access affordable housing. 2) Economic Development by working with the business merchants and providing technical assistance to the business. 3) Workforce Development including ESL, skills training, childcare, transportation and getting people to jobs. 4) Neighborhood Buddy – Creating a cohesion between neighbors and developing leadership within the community, community safety and the celebration of culture through community cohesion. 5) The team will review program gaps for families and children and will find out ways to engage residents and bring them into these programs.
As part of the community engagement process, the team will conduct residential surveys to over 1300 housing units in the Ducktown section providing baseline data for evaluation (assessment tool) showing success over time.
O.C.E.A.N., Inc. Celebrates Community Action Agency Month
Photo l-r: Atlantic County Freeholder Ernest D. Coursey, Sonya G. Harris, Clerk of the Atlantic County Board of Freeholders presented a proclamation to Channell Wilkins, President/CEO designating May as Community Action Month.
During the Month of May, O.C.E.A.N., Inc. continues to celebrate Community Action Month as part of a National Community Action Campaign. The national office of the Community Action Partnership designates May as National Community Action Month to recognize Community Action Agencies’ work fighting poverty on the local level.
This year the Atlantic County Freeholders including Freeholder Ernest D. Coursey, and Sonya G. Harris, Clerk of the Atlantic County Board of Freeholders presented Channell Wilkins, President/CEO of O.C.E.A.N., Inc. with a Proclamation in recognition of Community Action Month.
O.C.E.A.N., Inc., is the designated Community Action Agency for Ocean, Atlantic and Cape May County residents and also provides services in Monmouth County. More than 22,002 unduplicated individuals were served by O.C.E.A.N., Inc. last year through these services.
Each year, Community Action Agencies help 20 million Americans achieve and maintain financial stability through programs such as Head Start, Weatherization, job training and placement, financial education, housing, energy assistance and transportation.
The services provided by Community Action Agencies are even more critical as deficit reduction and spending cuts to key human services programs take place, while tens of millions of Americans across the country are struggling financially.
