By Peter Elacqua
Staff Writer
Barbara Kenas has been reaching out to the residents of Covenant House New Jersey in Newark for 18 years, doing what she can to bring cheer into the lives of people who call the facility home.
Covenant House has been providing services to homeless young adults since 1989.
According to Development Director Janette Scorzzo, Covenant House is the largest state provider for homeless, runaway and trafficked youths. Covenant House provides residential services and comprehensive services to young adults between the ages of 18 and 21 and to any blood children those individuals may have.
Kenas and her neighbors in the Rosemont adult community, Marlboro, and her co-workers at Re/Max Central, spend a day wrapping Valentine’s Day packages for Covenant House residents. The packages include candy, stuffed animals and personal hygiene items that are distributed to the young adults and their children.
Kenas said she began donating items to the residents of Covenant House after she met Marveen Barnes, who worked at the residence. Kenas said Barnes told her the residents needed clothes.
Kenas, who lived in Matawan at the time, began collecting clothes from her neighbors and her clients. She said her home became “a clothing store.” The donations were eventually brought to Covenant House and Kenas was invited to attend the organization’s holiday party.
“It was a life-changing event for me,” she said. “I was so taken aback by the (residents) and how they were so appreciative of getting a new pair of gloves or underwear. They taught me so much that holiday.”
Kenas eventually came up with idea of giving valentines to the Covenant House residents. Initially, she and her friend, Sharon Silver, went to Newark to deliver the packages. Kenas later added stuffed animals, candy and toiletries as gifts.
“Since moving to Rosemont, I reached out to my neighbors and we have a basket in our clubhouse for people to drop off toiletries throughout the year and also to donate candy,” she said.”My neighbors bake cupcakes and brownies for the children and it is very special for them to receive homemade treats.”
This year’s Valentine’s Day gifts were brought to Newark on Feb. 9 and distributed to the Covenant House residents on Feb. 14.
“The children are so excited and it makes Valentine’s Day truly feel like a holiday of love,” Kenas said. “That same feeling is felt by the volunteers who help me put the packages together. We all feel that we did something wonderful. Our hearts are filled with joy knowing the happiness each of those packages will bring to the kids of Covenant House.”
“On a day when the rest of the world is celebrating Valentine’s Day, our people are not forgotten and (know) there are people in the community who want them to know others care about them and want them to be successful,” Scorzzo said. “(The packages) bring them so much joy. The last thing they are focused on is Valentine’s Day because they are busy studying and looking for jobs. … People taking the time to remember them makes them feel loved and important.”
“My goal is to pay it forward,” Kenas said. “I hope the children will think back and say ‘I remember that lady who brought the valentines’ and maybe they will do something for somebody else.”
