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The Asbury Park Community Action Network [AP CAN], a grassroots initiative that seeks to address issues of violence in the city, has announced plans to collaborate with city parents through the creation of classes that address issues many parents struggle with while raising children.

The family services committee announced the start of AP CAN Parent University during the January meeting held Saturday, the first meeting open to members of the community at large. Approximately 100 people were in attendance.

The grassroots campaign was established by Pastor Derinzer Johnson and retired Asbury Park Police Lt. George Corbin who in November brought community stakeholders together for a Summit to End Violence, inviting law enforcement officials, politicians, business owners and other city stakeholders together to address what they believe are the underlying causes of violence in Asbury Park: health, law enforcement, jobs, housing and education. Five committees aligned with those five causes were established at the November summit, each led by a member of clergy from some of the city’s churches. The committees were charged with coming up with an action plan to present at the December follow-up meeting. A family services committee was also established at the December meeting.

Parent University will begin to offer classes at St. Stephen’s AME Zion Church in mid-March, according to Johnson.

The purpose of the Parent University is to “intentionally, persistently address many of the crises and challenges our parents and children are facing today,” said Johnson. “Our goal is to empower, educate, equip, partner with and provide the necessary tools our parents need to better nurture and manage their children at home, in the community, and at school.”

Topics of the fifteen classes include Parenting Skills 101, Boys to Men: How Single Mothers Can Raise Them, Reducing Stress in Parents/Guardians and their Children, Emotional Support and Advocacy for Parents of A-Risk Teens and Youth, and Destination: College.

“We must encourage our parents to embrace the fact that they are responsible for the well being of their children, not the police department, not the teachers, not the schools, not the church, not the elected officials, not social service agencies. However, we must hold these organizations accountable for their action to support the well-being of our children,” said Johnson.

Johnson said 14 families have already signed up to take some of the classes and they are still actively searching for volunteers to teach other courses.

Liza I. DeJesus, director of youth services at Prevention First, has offered to partner with the family services committee.

“We have a strengthening families program which is several weeks long … and then we have what is called “booster” sessions,” she said. “We work with the entire family unit, to try to remind them what it is like to sit down and eat a meal at a table and talk, cause we’ve lost that.”

The family services committee will meet Tuesday, Jan. 14 at 7 p.m. Anyone interested in joining is invited to attend.

Recently appointed City Manager John “Jack” Kelly was also present at the meeting.

“I’ve been in municipal government 33 years, 21 of which was in the City of Orange, the last most for the City of Jersey City and I haven’t been to a community meeting that has been this organized in my entire municipal career,” said Kelly. “I’m really looking forward to sharing my experience with the city and making the city a great, progressive city for all of its residents — and I am excited to hit the ground running.”

Kelly begins his appointment Feb 1.

AP CAN is an all-volunteer initiative that has so far been funded out-of-pocket from some of the churches and individuals involved, according to Johnson. The group was encouraged by Kellie Drakeford, Deputy Chief of Staff from Senator Menendez’ office, to apply for a Applying for a Community Oriented Policing Services grant  to secure funding for AP CAN.

“Day in, day out, I’m working with police departments, prosecutor’s offices, on trying to find funding to combat [violence, which is] exactly what you are doing right now. We have been successful in a number of different municipalities and it is because of what you are doing right now,” she said.

The Asbury Park Police department is in the process of creating a directory that list phone numbers for services and agencies in the city and greater Monmouth County. Police officers will be hand delivering the directories door-to-door in the near future, according to Police Chief Mark Kinmon.

Kinmon said he recognizes not all residents may have access to computers to find the information.

The AP CAN number is 732-361-0952. Residents who are in need of services are encouraged to call with questions. The next meeting of AP CAN is scheduled for Feb. 8 at 11 a.m. at St. Stephen’s AME Zion Church,  located at 1001 Springwood Ave.

[Photo at top is of a previous AP CAN meeting.]

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