University News Service

Media Advisory March 13, 2012 FOR MORE INFORMATION: Contact: Patti Verbanas Phone: 973 972 7273 Email: [email protected]

Mom2Mom Interfaith Celebration Unites Mothers of Children with Special Needs

NEWARK, N.J. – Mothers of children with special needs from all faiths will come together for an afternoon of celebration and reflection during the “Believe!” Interfaith Prayer Service sponsored by MOM2MOM, the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey’s peer-to-peer helpline, and held at The New Hope Baptist Church in Newark.

The Interfaith Prayer Service, which will include music and readings from the Old and New Testaments, and the Koran, gives caregivers of children with special needs a unique opportunity to pray together for continued resilience in making a difference in the lives of their loved. Children and adults with special needs are especially welcome.

Over the past year, MOM2MOM has been listening to the mothers of children with special needs in Newark through focus groups and support groups, and has discovered these mothers’ shared experiences include a deep sense of faith, but often in absence of a connection to a specific faith community. “Believe!” seeks to bring these mothers – and their children – together for an afternoon of fellowship.

WHEN: Saturday March 17, 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.

WHERE: The New Hope Baptist Church 106 Sussex Ave. Newark, N.J. 07103

Reporters interested in learning more about MOM2MOM and the “Believe!” interfaith event should contact Patti Verbanas at (973) 972-7273 or email her at [email protected].

About Mom2Mom MOM2MOM [(877)-914-MOM2] is a 24-hour helpline directed by University Behavioral HealthCare (UBHC), a division of the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey (UMDNJ). The program’s unique focus is the needs of mothers. Research shows there are few, if any, supports for mothers’ mental health; resources largely focus on helping them to take care of their children, not themselves. MOM2MOM initially was funded through a Healthcare Foundation of New Jersey grant awarded through the Foundation of UMDNJ. About New Hope Baptist Church Deeply rooted in this community for 103 years, The New Hope Baptist Church has become synonymous over the years for a diverse range of outreach programs. In addition to being a house of worship for thousands of parishioners, New Hope Baptist provides a host of social services under the auspices of the Vision of Hope Community Development Corporation: Social Services including Homelessness Prevention, Health and Human Services including Substance Abuse Counseling, Support Groups for various needs, Empowerment & Educational Programs including drug and alcohol workshops, and Economic Support including Utility Assistance and Transportation programs.

The University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey (UMDNJ) is New Jersey’s only health sciences university with more than 6,000 students on five campuses attending the state's three medical schools, its only dental school, a graduate school of biomedical sciences, a school of health related professions, a school of nursing and New Jersey’s only school of public health. UMDNJ operates University Hospital, a Level I Trauma Center in Newark, and University Behavioral HealthCare, which provides a continuum of healthcare services with multiple locations throughout the state.

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