Communities First Association

Touched by Christ...Touching Her Community

Linda DiFazio has been touched by God�s grace and is in turn touching her Newark �Ironbound� community through her love for its children and families. She is a staff member of Safe Haven Urban Redemption, a youth and family development ministry and NECT partner affiliated with Trinity Reformed Church (RCA). In 2003, Linda was touched by the love of Jesus Christ through the ministry of Trinity and committed her life to the Lord. At the time she was volunteering as an aid in the community school but now the Lord has magnified her burden and gifts for her community in a way she could never have imagined.

These gifts were recognized by Safe Haven Director Danny Iverson who invited her on staff. Her responsibility as Food Service Director at Safe Haven includes teaching Home Economics as part of the after school program, preparing community meals and helping to organize the food pantry. The after school program (SHAC) is conducted in coordination with the neighborhood school, Hawkins St. School. Students are held accountable for behavior and academic performance and rewarded accordingly.

Another �hat� that Linda wears is as coordinator of the Hawkins St. School Community Association where she is organizing parents to address issues such as: school safety and cleanliness; parents and teachers working together to address child behavior; fundraising, and advocating for quality programs and against budget cuts. Some of the results of her efforts include raising funds for graduation caps and gowns and the board of education removing junk furniture which was blocking fire exits.

The Lord has wonderfully knitted her ministry and community roles together as she has been a bridge builder between Safe Haven and Hawkins St. School. She is helping Safe Haven to be a servant to the school and she is bringing parents and youth into the Safe Haven community where they are being touched by the love of Jesus. She has become a friend, example, and counselor. She is known in the community as �Mommy� or �Titi�.

Linda comments on her calling to serve her community: �I do this for our children�s future. I do this because I see the potential in them. I do it with the hope that I can reach a handful of parents and help them get involved in the community and in the life of their children.�

Al Santino