Category Archives: Care of the Park

Project Coordinator Highlight – Mary Pereira

Posted in Care of the Park, Enviromental Work, Monthly Calendar Program, Staff and Volunteer Profiles, Volunteer Opportunity Calendar by

Say Hello to Mary Pereira!

Although Mary only recently became a Project Coordinator with Jersey Cares in May, she has been an active volunteer since 2017!  Throughout the years, Mary has been involved in a variety of volunteer opportunities such as Lights On in Newark, Games Galore and More in Hanover, and Conversations and Connections in Elizabeth. When asked why she chose to participate in these opportunities with Jersey Cares, Mary responded:

“I really enjoy it! Although volunteering with seniors (Games Galore and More in Hanover) is not something that I ever saw myself doing, I really enjoyed it and think it’s a great experience. Not only the volunteer realm of it, but the one on one experience from people of different generations and areas really is a great opportunity to be able to expand younger minds. I am happy to be a part of the experience. Additionally, the Care of the Park opportunity is the one I’m excited to work with. It’s not your typical volunteer experience so I am looking forward to being a part of this experience.”

As a new Project Coordinator, we wanted to know what advice Mary would offer to those interested in participating. Mary discussed feeling extremely nervous during her first volunteer opportunity, however once she dove in, she realized she overthought everything way too much. She went on to advise, 

“We are all here for the same reason. Regardless of where we are from – we are all here to help our community. Be sure to TALK! You’ll learn a lot from a stranger who is doing the same thing you’re doing. Even more so than you will learn from your friends. These experiences will shape you into the person you want to become. Being in my early 20’s, volunteering has truly changed the way I view people, situations, government, politics, and so much more. It has shaped me into who I am. Volunteering even one time can really change how you see and view both yourself and your surroundings”

Since beginning her volunteer journey with Jersey Cares in 2017, we asked Mary what her favorite part of volunteering was where she emphasized,

“I’m currently a psych major and everything that happens to me and with every conversation that I have, I always look back and try to realize how that has shaped me. I view everything in a psychological way and one of the things that makes me happy to do this is that we all go through things, sometimes bad situations, and we wish someone can help us. We tend to forget that other people are struggling, so why not go out there and give back? Take one day out of the month to volunteer. We all go through some situation where you want someone there to help you so if that’s the case, be there for someone else. If I am in an okay situation, why wouldn’t I want to help the next person? A five minute conversation with someone can truly make someone’s day.”

Outside of volunteering with Jersey Cares, Mary’s days are constantly busy.  She is a full time student, works part time, attends kickboxing on a weekly basis, loves to read, enjoys the great outdoors, and helps take care of her three nieces and nephews.

Join Mary in becoming a Jersey Cares volunteer leader through our Project Coordinator program.

Who is Care of The Park?

Posted in Care of the Park, Enviromental Work, Painting, Landscaping & Building, Uncategorized by

Pat Thomas has been a part of the Rutgers Master Gardeners of Essex program since 2014, dedicating many volunteer hours to the Care of The Park program at Essex County Branch Brook Park. A lifelong resident of Newark, Pat grew up around the park and takes every opportunity to give back as a volunteer leader with Care of the Park. Keep reading the below interview to learn more about Pat’s experience as a Master Gardener at Care of the Park.

Why do you volunteer?

“It’s been instilled in me to help others and if I can garden while helping my community than that’s even better. I saw the opportunity to give back to the park I grew up with and help people who enjoy it like I do. Even giving a few hours can be so helpful especially when the money and resources aren’t always there to do the job. I volunteer because I like helping others and the community I grew up in.”

Pat Thomas – Master Gardener

What compelled you to volunteer with Care of the Park?

“This is the park that I grew up with, played in, and always felt connected to. It’s something dear to me. I like gardening, so I joined the Master Gardeners and this opportunity just fell into my lap. It’s been great getting to work with the team and whenever I tell my friends from Newark that I volunteer at Branch Brook Park they always say ‘thank you for taking care of our park.’”

What was your favorite moment volunteering in the park?

“My favorite moment was seeing three college students who were all friends but went to different schools. They wanted to get together and decided to do that by volunteering at the park. They could have just gone to dinner but decided to spend time together while taking care of a park that they grew up around. It’s really wonderful seeing all the people coming together and making the most of the time they spend here at the park.”

What was your biggest takeaway from your volunteer experience?

“Despite all the negativity you may hear, there are so many people who are taking care of their communities. So many people come through the park and are thankful for the work that we do. And it’s wonderful to have the Essex County Parks Department and the Branch Brook Park Alliance give so much to take care of the park and the community. I love seeing the collaborative effort to give back, and volunteering has been a big part of that.”

What advice would you give someone who’s thinking about volunteering?   

“Pick something you like that is near and dear to you. Sometimes that park can be difficult and a lot of work, but when you have skills and the passion for it is always great. Just find something that you would like to do and take the time to give back.”

What does it mean to be a Rutgers Master Gardener?

“Part of being a Master Gardener is going out to different gardens and sharing what you have learned with others. We have a little expertise that we get to share and help out in a lot of different places. And we get to meet a lot of other nice people. And when people hear that I work with Care of The Park at Branch Brook Park they even say thank you and great job!”

What does Care of the Park mean to you? “Really Care of The Park is a wonderful experience. So many people come around while we’re working saying “Thank you”. They are so grateful to see so many people taking care of the park. It’s so nice seeing this feeling of ownership for the park that so many people grew up with, played in, and would drive through as a shortcut. And you have so many different people from corporations or schools, so many people from different backgrounds. It really is a collaborative effort.”