---

Organizers of the November “Summit to End Violence” in Asbury Park held their second meeting Saturday at St. Stephen AME Zion Church.

The first Summit to End Violence brought law enforcement officials, politicians, business owners and other city stakeholders together in November to address the underlying causes of violence in Asbury Park: health, law enforcement, jobs, housing and education.

Five committees aligned with the five causes were established at the November summit. They were each charged with coming up with an action plan to present at the December follow-up meeting. Members of clergy from some of the city’s churches were assigned to be individual committee leaders.

Summit organizers announced the creation of the Asbury Park Community Action Network [CAN], a telephone number for Asbury Park area residents to call with questions about services.

“We’re trying to be more effective on connecting committees and agencies and resources to the residents,” said Rev. Derinzer Johnson [above, at right], who is spearheading the effort with retired Asbury Park Police Lt. George Corbin [at left]. “To let residents know we will be advocating for them, when necessary, to get the help and assistance that they need.

The number will basically serve as a community resource line, similar to New York City’s 211 service, where residents in the greater Asbury Park area will be able to call and leave a message. The message will be forwarded to the committee that can address the concern best.

“It is not a tipline,” said Corbin.

The Asbury Park CAN number, 732-361-0952, will go live on Wednesday, Dec. 11.

The jobs committee plans to host a job fair sometime in mid-January, according to Rev. Tommy Miles from the Macedonia Baptist Church. Some of the area businesses Miles hopes to have represented are Wal-Mart, Target and Home Depot.

“We want to have screenings for people where those that are qualified will get jobs that day,” he said. “So we can give them the tools they need to take care of themselves and their families.”

The education committee has selected to begin their work by focusing on literacy and writing efforts. Reverend Kevin Williams, a fifth grade teacher at the Asbury Park Middle School and pastor of the Martin Luther King Jr. Presbyterian Church in Neptune, and members of the education committee will begin to take stock of the district’s current after school programs in the weeks ahead to see if they can amp them up with additional reading and writing programs.

According to Williams, there are many fourth and fifth grade students in the district reading at a second and third grade levels.

“We need to assess the educational assets that are already on the ground,” he said. “What is their focus? Can we connect resources together to get kids on their reading level, and how do we direct students and families to the right programs?”

The talent within the community that has signed up to help the housing committee is an “all-star” team, according to Rev. Lydale Akins of the Triumphant Life Church.

Members include Carrie Turner, director of retail for boardwalk redeveloper Madison Marquette, who has a background in affordable housing from previous work done in Camden, and Councilwoman Amy Quinn, who works as an attorney with the Community Health Law Project’s Civil Rights and Fair Housing Litigation division.

The housing committee’s efforts are threefold: create a marketing program to make residents — specifically on DeWitt and Borden avenues — aware of grant funding available through the city’s RCA program for home improvements; go after properties owned by so-called “absentee landords” that may already know about RCA funding and are not utilizing it; and to form a tenant training association in Asbury Park to teach residents how to be stronger renters and homeowners.

“We want to help instill pride,” he said. “Your house matters whether you are renting it or you own it.”

Rev. George E. Britt, who heads up the health committee, was unable to attend the meeting. Teretha Jones, who works with the State Department of Health, spoke on his behalf.

The public health sector should “be the top of the umbrella that all the committees fall under,” she said.

The public safety committee does not have a concrete action plan at the moment, said Corbin. Corbin spoke on behalf of Rev. Kenneth Mitchem, who heads up the public safety committee but was also not able to attend.

The public safety committee’s mission is to “bridge the gap between community and law enforcement,” Corbin said.

Also attending the meeting were representatives from the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office, along with Chief Mark Kinmon and Cpt. Marshawn Love of the Asbury Park Police Department, and Councilman John Moor. Moor joined the housing and public safety committees.

“I’m hoping to be able to take the information [from the committees] back to the mayor and council, to share it and to see what can be done to help residents,” he said.

A sixth committee, “family services” was also established at the December meeting. The work of the family services committee will be put to task at the January meeting.

Resident Kevin Daniels expressed his concern with the problems of integration that may arise from having six separate committees.

“We have a common goal and a common course of action is needed to solve this problem,” he said. “We have to keep in mind that we are trying to stop the violence.”

Members of the public-at-large are invited to the next collective meeting held at noon on Jan. 11 at St. Stephens AME Zion Church, located at 1001 Springwood Ave.

————————————————————

Follow the Asbury Park Sun on Facebook and Twitter.

---