Fair Housing Calendar Contest

     As part of our Fair Housing Month activities, Newark Office Director Diane Johnson, FHEO Program Compliance Branch Chief Brenda Edmondson, and Equal Opportunity Specialists Brenda Salas, Sheila Henderson, Betzaida Morales and Balenda Nelson participated in the annual Monmouth County Poster Awards Ceremony in West Long Branch, NJ on April 18. The event was attended by about 300 students and their families, art teachers, Monmouth County Freeholders, Monmouth County Fair Housing Board members, the Monmouth County CDBG Director and staff, and the Monmouth County Fair Housing Officer. Ms. Johnson spoke about the importance of fair housing, and Ms. Edmondson highlighted this year's anniversary of the Fair Housing Act. This annual event included the presentation of awards and Savings Bonds to the winners of the poster judging contest, and John Blakeslee of St. Catherine's School in Spring Lake was given a $500 bond as the grand prize winner. Students from 11 school districts throughout Monmouth County participated in fair housing educational modules, and then submitted posters despite severe snowstorms that kept them out of school for several days. The posters were judged in March 2010 by Newark FHEO and CDBG staff.

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