Magnet Sale Supports Project Community Pride

If you know a real “Madisonian” or a “Rose City Diva,” or someone with “Florham Pride” or “Chatham Pride,” Project Community Pride has car and locker magnets that could make a perfect gift.

The $5 collectibles are on sale at businesses in Madison, Chatham and Florham Park, and have been designed to raise money and awareness for the non-profit counseling organization.

Project Community Pride works in the public schools in Chatham, Madison and Florham Park and with the police departments to provide free mental health counseling to kids and families with behavioral or emotional needs.  Project Pride helps kids navigate divorce, depression, bullying, anxiety, ADHD, loss of a parent and other challenges.

Officials have said Project Pride's work is especially important in light of reports school shootings, teen suicide and bullying.

An announcement about the magnet sale shared testimonials from residents who benefited from Project Pride's services:

"One Madison woman said, 'They did so much for my daughter when my husband and I got divorced. I don’t know what we would have done without them.'  A college sophomore wrote to Project Pride to thank them for their invaluable counseling, when she was a high school student in Madison. Without their guidance, she wrote, I would have gone down a completely different road."

Project Pride started in 1976 as a way to help police with teenagers who had gotten involved with the law, and now serves as a resource for schools as well.

“We see a lot of students, especially in the high schools,” Lara Shaljian, a clinical social worker who has been with Project Pride since 2005, said in a news release.

“Teachers and administrative officials let us know which students are struggling or need help,” said Brigitte Kelly, who like Shaljian, has been with Pride since 2005 and is a clinical social worker. “And those students often will tell their friends who might need help to come to us as well.”

Project Pride typically helps more than 200 families a year and the number of referrals is growing. Pride is selling the magnets in an effort to raise awareness of their behind-the-scenes work and to raise money.

Magnets can be purchased at the following locations:

Madison

Alfred’s Sporting Goods, Blue Ridge Mountain Sports, Crowley’s Cupcakes, Drip, New Leaf Consignment, Madison Pharmacy, Main Street Wine Cellars, Provident Bank, Dr. Sam Romano’s dental office, Rose City Framemakers, Tons of Toys, and Wild Things.

Chatham

Bloomers Florist, Hickory Tree Deli, Hickory Tree Pizza, McGraths Hardware, and Sterling Hallmark in the Hickory Tree plaza.

Florham Park

The Florham Park Diner and Nonna’s.

If you know a child or family in need of counseling you can contact Project Community Pride at 973-593-3034.  If you would like to make a tax-deductible donation to their organization you can send it to Project Community Pride at 28 Walnut Street in Madison.