Success Stories - New Community Corporation

New Community Corporation has steadfastly remained true to its mission of improving the quality of life for inner city residents since 1968. Take time to learn more about some of the people whose lives have been positively impacted by New Community:

NCCTI Graduate Has High Aspirations in Medical Field

Sakirudeen Hamidu has always had a passion for helping the sick and decided he wanted to make it his career. He graduated from New Community Career & Technical Institute (NCCTI) in 2019 and now works at RWJBarnabas Health Medical Group. He hopes to continue his education through med school. Hamidu began his studies in Ghana, West Africa, where he was born and raised. When he came to the United States in 2018, he knew he wanted to pursue a career in the medical field in this country. He was living with his cousin at the time and spoke about his goals. His cousin, who is a nephew of New Community Board Chairman Dr. A. Zachary Yamba, suggested NCCTI and brought

Former Intern Now a Supervisor at New Community

When Flavia Pinheiro was attending Seton Hall University, she didn’t know a summer internship would lead to a full-time job. But that’s what happened. In the summer of 2016, Pinheiro interned at Douglas Homes, 15 Hill St., Newark, under the supervision of the Resident Services Coordinator at the time, Luz Toro. She participated in the internship for the experience, not knowing it would serve as training for her future position. Pinheiro graduated from Seton Hall University in May 2017 with a major in Social and Behavioral Science and a minor in Social Work. For three months before graduation, she interned at Spectrum Works in Secaucus, a nonprofit organization that provides job training for young adults with autism. When Pinheiro graduated,

NCCTI Graduate Thriving in Diesel Field

Ingrid Simeon was part of the first Diesel Technician class at New Community Career & Technical Institute (NCCTI). Upon graduation in 2019, she secured a job as an entry level technician at HFI Truck Center in Mountainside, an Isuzu dealership and repair facility. Simeon went on a tour of HFI Truck Center with her class and made an impression. “What I noticed right away about Ingrid is that she has the desire to learn,” said HFI Truck Center Service Manager Tim Brennan. “We could use three more people like Ingrid.” Simeon enjoys working at HFI Truck Center. While she said it can be a little intimidating being the only female technician, she has found her coworkers are helpful and work

NCC Resident Goes from Volunteer to Full-Time Employee

Tynise Gordon has always enjoyed helping others. That desire to help has led to a full-time job with New Community. Gordon worked as a nursing assistant for 18 years at University Hospital, when it was called UMDNJ, before leaving that role for health reasons. She was diagnosed with Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS), a condition where the immune system attacks the nerves. Gordon said her hands and feet get numb and tight, particularly in the cold weather. Because she was unable to do a lot of heavy lifting, which was required as a nursing assistant, she left that position. Because she likes to stay busy, Gordon decided to volunteer at the Better Life Engagement Center on Fourteenth Avenue in Newark, helping in

Extended Care RN Credits New Community for Helping Her Achieve Success

Joyce Misiani has faced numerous challenges since coming to New Jersey from Kenya about 15 years ago. New Community has helped her through difficult times and provided support that has enabled her to have a successful career in health care as a registered nurse. Misiani first became involved with New Community when she enrolled in the licensed practical nurse (LPN) program it used to offer. She was working a security job while living in Newark and decided she wanted to obtain a certification in the nursing field. New Community’s program was the closest to where she was living, so she enrolled. Shortly after joining the program, Misiani became homeless. She was staying in a friend’s basement with her daughters and

NCCTI Graduate Thriving in New Health Care Career

Denayah Reese loves her new career, which she recently began after completing the Patient Care Technician (PCT) program at New Community Career & Technical Institute (NCCTI). At just 19 years old, she works as a nurse’s assistant at Clara Maass Medical Center in Belleville, providing direct care to patients during her shift. Reese has been interested in the medical field since she was a young girl. Her grandmother was diabetic and she would help her. When her grandmother went to a nursing home, she would visit often, helping her and interacting with the other residents. She said she also became interested in the medical field because her father’s side of the family has heart issues, including her father who had

NCCTI Graduate Finds Success in Building Trades Field

When Ernest Short was growing up in Newark, he didn’t know he would only have to go steps from home to better his life, but that’s what happened. He visited New Community Career & Technical Institute (NCCTI), signed up for training and now has a job he enjoys with a supervisory role. Short graduated from NCCTI’s Building Trades Specialist program in 2018. He started working for Irvington Housing Authority at the beginning of 2019 as a repair person and then was promoted to head of grounds. The property he works on is large and he is responsible for making sure it has good curb appeal with a manicured lawn and trimmed hedges. As part of his job, he provides other

Extended Care Helps New Mother Return to Son

Becoming a mother is never easy, but imagine facing serious health issues, the recent loss of your child’s father and a diagnosis of a rare disorder for your child. Those are the challenges Valarie Dickerson had when she was pregnant and shortly after giving birth to her son. Dickerson is a diabetic. She says she wasn’t managing her condition as well as she should have and that led to health problems. She started having amputations in 2014 when she had to have a toe removed. Her health worsened, especially after a fall in February 2019, and she decided to have part of her right leg amputated. The decision wasn’t easy. Dickerson’s son was only 6 months old at the time

Former Harmony House Resident Finds Success at Extended Care

Tamika Muhammad is in a good place. She enjoys her job, has her own apartment and is looking forward to the future. But her situation wasn’t always so positive. Muhammad found herself in need of transitional housing after she had to leave a violent living situation. She moved to Harmony House, New Community’s transitional housing facility for homeless families, with her two minor children, ages 16 and 4. She also has a 23-year-old. When she first arrived at Harmony House, Muhammad was ashamed and down. After getting over the initial shock of losing everything, she realized she had to accept her circumstances and work toward a better future. “Once I understood what was going on and the obstacles I could

NCC Helps Teen Empowerment Network Participants On The Road To College

New Community recently launched the Teen Empowerment Network (T.E.N.), which aims to help high school juniors and seniors living in Newark prepare for college. One success story is Luis Santiago, a Central High School senior, who has been accepted to Bloomfield College. Santiago hopes to become an animator and game designer, which drew him to Bloomfield College. The school offers an animation major with 2D and 3D concentrations. What makes the career goal unique for Santiago is that he’s legally blind. He wears glasses, has a white cane to assist with walking and uses the app ZoomText on his iPad, which magnifies text and images on the screen. The iPad is how Santiago draws his creations. He uses his finger