The Cooperative celebrated its 2010 Annual Meeting at the Camden County Boat House April 28. Its theme, “A Mission in Focus,” united friends, staff, and supporters of the agency in a retrospective of its achievements in 2009. Guests included keynote speaker Dr. Jeffrey Brenner, Executive Director, of the Camden Coalition of Healthcare Providers.
SNJPC Board President Gwen Heaney-Cutts provided a review of the agency's accomplishments in 2009 (presented in detail in the 2009 SNJPC Annual Report 2009 Annual Report which included:
- More than 2000 consumers enrolled in SNJPC case management programs
- More than 12,000 pregnant women screened for high risk factors;
- Professional and consumer educational programs that reached more than 15,000 South Jersey residents and healthcare providers.
- A sharp drop in the average cost per nursing contact hour awarded by the agency (from $9.15 in 2008 to $4.10 in 2009).
- The award of a fourth federal Healthy Start grant that will provide $7.6 million through 2014 to reduce the Camden City's infant mortality rate.
- The highest rate of return (66%) for the Wipe Out Lead in-home lead dust testing kit. Thanks to the test, 827 households detected hazardous levels of lead in their homes.
- An increase in the exclusive breastfeeding rates among six of the seven counties in the SNJPC service region through the WIC Breastfeeding Services program.
Another highlight of the Annual Meeting was the presentation
of the 2010 Joseph A. Pacera Award for Service
to Maternal and Child Health to Marcia Grossmick-Aceved o
of Camden. The award is presented in memory
of Joseph A. Pacera, an SNJPC Board member
who was unflagging, creative, and infinitely devoted to maternal-child
health care.
Marcia
was recognized for her community service activities,
especially her work with young children. As
director of a USDA food program, she organizes, packs, and distributes
much-needed meals to single parents, low-income families, seniors,
and disabled residents of Camden City.
Marcia also oversees the STAR After-School
Program at Washington Elementary in Camden,
caring for the young children there. Despite needing a cane to
walk, Marcia is remarkably vigorous.
Pacera recipients take to
heart the call to action that community service begins at home,
and like Joe Pacera, Marcia lives these values every day in her
personal life and her many volunteer efforts.
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