The Camden County Board of Commissioners and the Addiction Awareness Task Force invite family and friends on Overdose Awareness Day, August 31st at 7:30 PM to remember the loved ones we lost, and spread the message of hope to those still fighting the disease of addiction. Join us to help raise awareness of the crisis we’re facing within our community, help erase the stigma and advocate for change. Families were invited to submit the names and photos of their loved ones prior to the event to be shown as part of a remembrance slideshow. The slideshow, in the intimate setting of the vigil, provided a rare opportunity for families affected by loss to remember and celebrate their lost loved ones publicly. The photos also served as a stark reminder that drug addiction has become ubiquitous, affecting diverse communities in our area and across the nation. To learn more about this event, Click Here.

Congressman Norcross and Commissioner Director Cappelli invite residents to submit questions for the next Virtual COVID-19 update on Tuesday, August 3rd, 2021 at 1:00 p.m. This update will center around the Delta Variant and what you need to know. Click Here to submit a question. Questions will be answered live on Camden County Facebook or CamdenCounty.com/LiveCounty. Commissioner Jonathan Young, Dr. Mark Condoluci, Infectious Disease Physician at Jefferson Health NJ, and Caryelle Lasher, Assistant Public Health Coordinator hosted last week's virtual Camden County Coronavirus (COVID-19) Pandemic Response meeting on the Delta variant. You can watch this week's virtual update here.

The Camden County RECOVERS Rental Assistance Program, which draws $15 million from funding provided by the U.S. Department of Treasury, is aimed at supporting low income renters at risk of losing their homes or facing an eviction threat due to lost employment or income caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The Camden County Rental Assistance Program now makes available up to 12 months of back rent (capped at the Fair Market Rent) and utilities. While tenants will apply to take part in the program, payments will be made directly to landlords and utility companies. In order to qualify for Rental Assistance Program, tenants must meet eligibility and rules. Applications for the program will be awarded on a first come, first served basis. Deadline for Applications is October 30, 2021.

In the wake of extreme weather events in the United States and elsewhere, many Americans have become increasingly interested in disaster preparedness and response skills. This September, the Camden County Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) will offer a free, 20-hour (3-day) training curriculum to prepare interested Camden County residents to help protect themselves, their family, and their community during a disaster. The training is comprised of both practical exercises and classroom instruction and will be conducted on Friday, September 10: 7:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m., Saturday, September 11: 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. and Sunday, September 12: 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Sessions will be held at the Charles P. Dougherty Sr. Center located at 508 Lambert Avenue in Mount Ephraim. Once initial training is completed, participants will be eligible for additional skills training throughout the year. Pre-registration is required in order to participate. Participants under the age of 18 must also receive parent/guardian permission to attend. If you are interested in training and joining the CERT Team, please register by emailing This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. no later than Monday, September 6, 2021.

The Camden County Commissioner Board has approved the recommendations of the Open Space, Recreation, Farmland and Historical Preservation Trust Fund Advisory Committee to award $650,000 to 26 recreation facility enhancement projects throughout the county. These funds will be utilized to upgrade, improve, or renovate recreational facilities for our residents and the families that call Camden County home. The 2021 Grant Recipients include $25,000 for a raised crosswalk at Centre St. for Merchantville's Multi-Use Trail and $25,000 for the Cramer Hill Waterfront Trail Connector in Camden City.

Beginning, April 12, the Camden County Library System will begin gradually reopening to the public, starting with limited services and hours at its larger branches. This marks the first time indoors, in-person services have been available to library patrons since facilities returned to primarily curbside operations amidst the fall and winter surge in COVID-19 activity. In addition to the gradual reopening of larger branches, all of the Camden County Library System’s branches are also continuing to offer contactless pickup options. The Merchantville branch has not yet resumed operations open to the public, however, it is continuing to provide no-contact pickup options. Pickup is available at the Merchantville branch Monday and Wednesday from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m., and on Saturday, from 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Seven library branches will open to the public on Monday, April 12: Bellmawr, Camden Downtown, Ferry Ave., Gloucester Township, Haddon Township, South County, and Vogelson. Each branch will be open during the following hours: Monday, Tuesday, Friday, and Saturday: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m and Wednesday and Thursday: 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. No-contact pickup will be available Monday through Thursday from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., and Friday and Saturday, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.