Unity Square residents enjoy a 'Night Out'
By Scott Alessi
Staff Writer
NEW BRUNSWICK — For families living in cities with a high crime rate, it can often be difficult to spend an evening out in the neighborhood without fear for their safety.
For the past 25 years, the National Association of Town Watch has dedicated one summer night each year to taking back the streets with their annual National Night Out program. National Night Out was celebrated for the second consecutive year in the Unity Square neighborhood on the grounds of Sacred Heart Parish Aug. 5.
National Night Out is designed to heighten crime and drug prevention awareness, generate support for local anti-crime programs and strengthen partnerships between the police and the community. Unity Square, a 37-square-block section of New Brunswick, was one of several neighborhoods in the city and thousands nationwide to participate in the event. In 2007, the National Association of Town Watch reported that 35.4 million people in more than 11,000 communities took part in National Night Out.
Nancy Finn, program director for Unity Square, a part of Catholic Charities, Diocese of Metuchen’s Housing and Social Concerns Division, said that the event is an occasion to build community and foster relationships within the neighborhood.
“It is a great opportunity for all residents of Unity Square — young and old, of many faiths and ethnicities — to come out and get to know their neighbors while also taking a stand against crime in the neighborhood,” Finn said.
Finn added that the evening’s festivities, which included games for children, a performance by local hip-hop dancers Dream Team Entertainment and traditional Mexican food served by members of the community, reflected the diversity in Unity Square.
“It is the perfect combination for our neighborhood,” she said.
Father Joseph J. Kerrigan, pastor of Sacred Heart, said that National Night Out helps to further the mission of both the parish and the Unity Square program.
“Because the structure of National Night Out features some of the same facets of our Unity Square approach — partnering with corporations, other non-profits, civic officials, community leaders — it is easy to get everyone together,” he said.
“The event is also a measure of our ability to bring people together,” he added, “and judging by the big turnout, it was a big success.”
A variety of local organizations participated in the event. Target, a national sponsor of the Night Out program, sent representatives from local stores and hosted free drawings for gift certificates and backpacks for children. Representatives were also present from the New Labor organization, the Central New Jersey Child and Maternal Health Consortium, and Saint Peter’s University Hospital.
Tab Chukunta, director of community outreach for Saint Peter’s, said that the National Night Out is an opportunity for the hospital to reach out to the local community by providing free health screenings and information. A member of the hospital’s nursing staff joined Chukunta at the event to provide free blood pressure and blood sugar tests.
“Saint Peter’s is a part of this community and we are very interested in the public safety and well-being of all the citizens of this community,” Chukunta said. “It is really an opportunity for us to bring health care to the people, to support the community in crime prevention and to promote health and wellness.”
Members of the New Brunswick police and fire departments also visited the event, along with several public officials, including New Brunswick mayor James Cahill.
“The weather is absolutely terrific, the music is fantastic but most of all the company is the best there is,” Cahill told the neighborhood residents gathered at the event. “Thank you for all that you do in getting involved in the community and making sure that your neighborhood is the best neighborhood that it could be.”
