At a time of year when most kids were asking for a new video game, a new cell phone, or a new Playstation, boys at St. Peter’s Orphanage in Denville, NJ were asking for socks, undershirts, or a new pair of boots to keep their feet warm this winter. When Mrs. Ann Darling, Kindergarten teacher at Maple Road School, dropped off the holiday donations collected from the gift drive at school, tears filled her eyes. She watched the boys receive their gifts wide-eyed and blinking away their own tears as they said things like, “Look, it has my name on it!” Or “Look, mine is from a real family!” For those who have so little, the smaller things mean so much.
Saint Peter’s Orphanage is, as described on their website, “a residential treatment facility for adolescent boys, whose parents, for a variety of reasons are unable to care for them.” This facility strives to have a family-like home environment rather than an institutional one, and truly wants to make each resident young man feel like he belongs. Some of the boys have mild to moderate emotional, behavioral or social problems, but all of them have one thing in common, the desire to have a family to call their own.
Many people do not even know that St. Peter’s exists, or that it is so close to West Milford, a mere twenty minutes or so, but that is changing with Mrs. Annie Darling, Kindergarten teacher at Maple Road School. Mrs. Darling, along with her past student and a host of volunteers comprised of teachers/parents/students/families from Maple Road School, is striving to make the plight of these boys known not only to the West Milford community, but to a larger audience as well.
The orphanage is set on 9 acres and currently serves 15 young men ranging in age from 7-18. The residence is continually welcoming assistance from schools, business, community organizations and individuals, for many hands make light work.
Since the facility is quite large they “can always use landscaping assistance and contracting type maintenance/upgrades in the plumbing, painting, electrical, heating/cooling, and carpentry areas. Community organizations/groups and schools can volunteer time with grounds clean up, smaller scale on-site projects, fund raising for specific needs related to the residents (e.g., camping/sporting equipment, clothing or furniture, etc.). Corporate sponsorship is another way local, state, and national/international business can improve both the quality of life for these young men and the facility they live in.”
The facility is staffed with an on-site staff including an Executive Director, Program Coordinator, Consulting Psychologist, Nurse, Mental Health Clinicians, and other professional consultants, St. Peter’s Orphanage is uniquely qualified to offer a wide range of therapeutic services, and a significant level of personal attention. We are proud to have some of the most committed staff available; many have been here in excess of 10 years.
While St. Peter’s welcomes volunteers, there are qualifications that need to be met in order to interact with the residents. Volunteers must complete applications, criminal history background checks, submit a list of skills, sign disclosure forms, and must attend training seminars and learn about the residents. Tutors meet with residents on site and under staff supervision.
St. Peter’s also offers an Independent Living program for up to four young men who have graduated from the Residential Program. While in the Independent Living Program, the young men prepare themselves for life on their own. The precursor to this program is the Pre-Independent Living Program for young men 15 or older who show maturity and motivation.
While St. Peter’s is funded by the New Jersey Division of Youth and Family Services, and both private and public donations, the boys and the facility can always benefit from additional donations. One of the ways in which Annie Darling and the staff and families from MapleRoadSchool are helping is with Sunday meals. There is no cook at the orphanage on Sundays, and so there has been a “meal train” that has been preparing food and goodies to bring to the boys on Sundays.
MapleRoadSchool and the Journalism class here at the high school, Mrs. Petrosillo’s English classes, and Interact are going to be partnering to continue fostering a relationship with St. Peter’s Orphanage. Mrs. Petrosillo is working on forming pen-pal relationships between her students and the residents. The Journalism class is excited to be involved in this endeavor with Cat Urena stating, “It is just so touching and so sad; these boys are our age. I really want to help. I want to adopt them all.”
One of the ways in which we can help is through donations of goods. The list provided is the one from Ms. Kelly McNamara, Director of St. Peter’s Orphanage. Please consider donating to our collection which we will be running soon. Keep an eye out for boxes in 119, 103 and the lower library where you can drop off any of the requested goods. If you have a cash or gift card donation, please see Mrs. Petrosillo in room 119. Thank you.
