Home Care In Asbury Park, NJ

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YMCA of the Jersey Shore to Honor Dr. King at 37th Annual Commemorative Breakfast

YMCA of the Jersey Shore, in collaboration with local partners, invites community members to the 37th annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Commemorative Breakfast on Friday, Jan. 16, 2026, at Eagle Oaks Golf & Country Club in Farmingdale.

The event honors the life and legacy of Dr. King and recognizes the work of local civic leaders, including Beatriz Oesterheld, executive director and chief executive officer of Community Affairs Resource Center (CARC), based in Asbury Park, and Asbury Park resident Teena Lomack, director of operations at The Feast.

“Taking a moment to reflect on the work of Dr. King and his message of hope is such a meaningful way to start the year,” said the Y’s President and Chief Executive Officer Laurie Goganzer. “The annual breakfast is a chance for us to raise awareness for civic leaders hard at work in our community to make sure Dr. King’s spirit lives on. It’s also an opportunity to recognize and inspire our local youth as future leaders of change.”

The commemorative breakfast will feature a keynote address from acclaimed children’s author, historian and playwright Carmen Rubin. A resident of Manalapan, Rubin co-founded One Blue Village, a nonprofit organization that supports youth in obtaining higher education. She also serves on the National Advisory Board for Reading is Fundamental.

Honoring Today’s Civic Leaders Oesterheld will be honored with the YMCA Human Dignity Award. She had led CARC since 2010. The Tinton Falls resident is also a board member of the VNA Community Health Center and the Latino American Association, a member of the Governor’s Council for Disability and chairs the Interagency Lead Task Force at the state level.

The YMCA Community Champion Award will be presented to Lomack. After a long career as a psychiatric nurse, she worked as a nurse auditor for The Arc of Monmouth. She was also a foster care mom and oversaw numerous programs at the Pilgrim Baptist Church, where she remains an active member.

The Grunin Foundation, which provides holistic support to organizations with a shared vision of an equitable, just and vibrant Central Jersey Shore, will receive the YMCA Social Responsibility Award. Since its inception in 2013, the foundation has invested over $58 million in Monmouth and Ocean counties. Located in Toms River, the foundation was co-founded by Jay and the late Linda Grunin. Their son Jeremy currently serves as president.

A Launchpad for Future Leaders of Change The event is also a time to encourage and inspire local high school youth. “Our younger attendees are the heart of this event,” said Michael A. Wright, chief volunteer officer of the Y and chairperson of the MLK event committee. “Motivating our youth to become future stewards of social justice and civic engagement is why I continue to be so vested in this event year after year.”

In recognition of the belief that today’s youth are tomorrow’s leaders, a new Youth Changemaker Award will be presented at the event. The award is based on several criteria, including a demonstrated commitment to positive social change, active participation in YMCA civic engagement programs and inspiring others to volunteer in community service activities.

This year’s recipient of the YMCA Youth Changemaker Award is Annika Raj, a Holmdel resident and senior at Biotechnology High School. She leads the New Jersey Youth and Government program as a state officer and was selected to represent the Garden State YMCAs in Washington, D.C. The winner of a National Outstanding Statesman title, she is a member of several civic organizations, including YMCA of the Jersey Shore Model United Nations and Civic Leaders of America.

Two grand prize winners of the 2026 Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. essay contest will present their winning essays at the breakfast. This year’s essay theme is a timely topic and asks applicants to reflect on the role social media and technology play in relation to respect and social responsibility in their local school or community and how they can use these platforms as vehicles for positive social change and unity.

Powered by Partnership Goganzer emphasized that generous partners play a vital role in honoring Dr. King’s legacy and bringing the community together in service and reflection.

“Beyond supporting this commemorative event, their partnership strengthens the Y’s civic engagement programs for youth and teens, ensuring young people have the tools, confidence, and opportunities to lead in their communities.”

Top sponsors for the event include:

Get Inspired with the Y The commemorative event will begin with registration at 7 a.m., followed by a breakfast buffet at 7:30 a.m., and the MLK program will start at 8 a.m. Event tickets are $50 for adults, $25 for youth 16 and under, and $600 for a table of 12.

Tickets and sponsorships for the annual celebration may be purchased online at https://ymcanj.org/mlk.

About YMCA of the Jersey ShoreThe YMCA of the Jersey Shore is a cause-driven nonprofit committed to strengthening community through youth development, healthy living, and social responsibility. Based in Shrewsbury, NJ, we serve 42,000 people annually in Middlesex, Monmouth, and Ocean counties. From lifesaving swim lessons and child care to mental health support and chronic disease prevention, we offer programs that uplift people of all ages, incomes and backgrounds. With a legacy of more than 150 years of service, we’re proud to be named a USA Today Top Workplace for 2025 and Top Workplace in New Jersey 2022-2025 by NJ Advance Media. Learn more at www.ymcanj.org.

New York-based real estate firm Hudson Valley Property Group recently acquired an 170-unit portfolio of affordable housing units in Asbury Park less than two blocks from the city’s train station. The firm, which owns 27 other affordable housing complexes in the Garden State, is investing approximately $45 million to acquire and upgrade the two apartment buildings at 120 Monmouth Avenue and 1100 Atlantic Avenue.

“Asbury Park is a fast-growing, desirable city that has unfortunately seen rents and housing prices increase in recent years,” Andy Cavaluzzi, Co-Founder and Partner at HVPG. “These conditions make it a strong fit for our work to preserve and maintain high-quality affordable housing for the vulnerable communities who call Asbury Park Gardens home.”

Asbury Park granted a new 35-year tax incentive, a payment in-lieu of taxes agreement, for the properties. The new owners also secured a Section 8 Housing Assistance Payments contract from HUD, which means that residents will pay no more than 30% of their annual income on rent, according to a press release from HVPG. Equity financing was provided by HVPG’s preservation fund, while KeyBank provided a Freddie Mac loan.

The firm intends to invest approximately $7.6 million in renovations, including updates to security, water and heating systems in both buildings, as well as kitchens and bathrooms in every unit. Other upgrades will address common areas of the properties, and include a new business center, roofing EV charging stations and an urban farm that will be developed alongside Kula Urban Farms.

Although Hudson Valley Property Group said that it would invest $45 million towards the property, the firm declined to share the total acquisition cost for both properties.

Records made public by the Monmouth County Clerk’s Office show that the structure at 120 Monmouth Avenue was built in 1969 and was last sold for $4.5 million in 2012. The entire property spans 2.5-acres and includes 79 units. The clerk’s office assessed the value of the property at $6.0 million for 2026.

The building at 1100 Atlantic Avenue was built in 1967 and spans less than 31,500 square feet across 90 units. That building is also known as Stevens Manor and sits on a 3.49-acre lot that has an assessed value of approximately $7.6 million. The apartment complexes sit less than two blocks from the Asbury Park train station and less than 10 blocks from the Ocean Avenue Boardwalk.

The sale of the apartment buildings comes as the city of Asbury Park continues investing significant capital towards affordable housing around the train station. The apartment complex is located six blocks from the empty lot at 1202 Asbury Avenue, which is slated to become a mixed-income housing complex.

A report from September in the Asbury Park Press said that the city agreed to fund a 30-year PILOT for the development of a 101-unit apartment complex, which will include 55 affordable units. That agreement will generate approximately $66,000 in revenue for the city in the first year and $2.7 million over the entire term of the incentive.

That report comes nearly two years after Jersey Digs reported that the city’s planning board approved a site plan for the lot, which is owned by Sackman Enterprises.

ASBURY PARK — A little snow didn’t stop Asbury Park from getting into the holiday spirit over the weekend.

The legendary Stone Pony played host Sunday night to Why Hunger’s 50th anniversary benefit concert, supporting their work to end hunger and advance the human right to nutritious food in the U.S. and around the world.

Making a surprise on-stage visit was none other than New Jersey’s son, Bruce Springsteen.

Wearing a short-sleeved white button-down shirt, jeans, and a baseball cap, The Boss casually joined fellow E-Street Band guitarist Little Steven Van Zandt and his band, The Disciples of Soul, on stage for three songs during a special holidayperformance in front of a packed venue.

Fire alarm briefly halts Springsteen’s Stone Pony set

Springsteen first came onstage to sing “I Don’t Want to Go Home.” But, just as he was about to belt out the first words with his famous gravelly, raspy voice, a fire alarm sounded inside the Pony, cutting off power to the stage and sending the house lights up, the Asbury Park Press reported.

Makes sense considering more than 7 inches of snow fell in the area earlier in the day. But it was not that big of a deal. Power soon returned and the show continued.

“I’m not ready to go home yet”

It was clear Springsteen was not about to go home. He came out to rock.

“Merry Christmas and Happy Hanukkah!” Springsteen said before belting out “Merry Christmas Baby and Santa Claus Is Coming to Town,” at the close of the show, according to The Press.

He even extended “Santa Claus is Coming to Town” with an extra coda. “Steve, Steve, oh Steve, I’m not ready to go home yet. I am not ready to go home. Let’s pick it up from the solo and take it all the way out one more time,” Springsteen said.

The crowd went wild, the Press reported.

After getting all Christmasy, Springsteen recognized the first day of Hanukkah by saying he was going to get bar mitzvahed.

Springsteen honors Harry Chapin and WhyHunger legacy

The event celebrated the career of Harry Chapin, who co-founded WhyHunger.

“I want to send a prayer up and a thank you out to Harry Chapin. I met Harry in 1977 when we were recording Darkness on the Edge of Town. Harry was in the same studio, and I said, ‘Harry, how do you work your charity,’ and he said I play one night for myself and then I play one night for somebody else,” Springsteen said from the stage.

Springsteen’s presence last night was significant for two reasons: one, it’s always a treat when he returns to the iconic Stone Pony, where he began his career, and two, he was helping a cause he has long supported for over 40 years.

Anyone who is a Springsteen fan knows how important combating hunger in New Jersey, around the country, and worldwide is to him.

He has used his music and concert events to fight hunger through merchandise sales, connecting with fans at shows to raise awareness and money for food justice, and through fundraising campaigns like WhyHunger and Hungerthon (promoting the Artists Against Hunger and Poverty) program.

All-star lineup joins WhyHunger anniversary benefit

Other performances last night included members of Little Steven’s Disciples of Soul, fellow E Street Band member Garry Tallent, Young the Giant, Yola, Jim Babjak, The Smithereens, Jimmy Vivino, and more.

Money from the Stone Pony show is going to WhyHunger.

In October, Springsteen also played at The Stone Pony to support Van Zandt’s organization, TeachRock, which is dedicated to improving students’ lives by bringing sound, stories, and the science of music into all classrooms.

"A Longwood Christmas 2025" debuted on November 21, 2025. EJ took the trip out to Kennett Square, Pennsylvania, to snap a few photos!

A symbol on most postcards sent from Asbury Park featured the boardwalk and the imposing Ferris wheel.

The Ferris wheel was a structure featured for 132 years from 1895 to 1988. Children upon arriving in Asbury Park could see the Ferris wheel in the distance, it became a rite of passage for the summer, and you knew that your vacation was about to finally take place. It was a symbol that brought happiness and good times.

The wheel gets a new home

Fittingly, the Asbury Park Ferris wheel will get a new home; it will go back to the makers of that wheel, 90 miles west in the center of Phoenixville, Pennsylvania.

The residents of Phoenixville always referred to the Asbury Park Ferris wheel as the Phoenix wheel. It was built in Phoenixville and sent to Asbury Park for its iconic tenure.

The 78-foot high 68-foot-wide iconic wheel will cost $2 million to rebuild and will become a permanent sculpture adjacent to Phoenixville’s Township Building by the French Creek Trail. The reassembling and restoration of the original steel components is underway. The project was spearheaded by the Schuylkill Heritage Center who plans to present the final sculpture in the spring of 2026.

The wheel will be illuminated and its base surrounded by glass fencing. There will be signage detailing the wheels’ remarkable history along with the recognition of those sponsors who made the restoration possible.

I congratulate the Schuylkill Heritage Center for having the wherewithal to bring back such a major part of the history of Asbury Park and realizing the significance of that iconic structure.

Once in place, it is worth those of us in New Jersey who saw it in all its glory and the children and adults who never had that opportunity to drive the 90 miles and relive memories.

The 17th annual Asbury Park Zombie Walk on Saturday, Oct. 4, 2025. New Jersey 101.5 weekend host Big Joe Henry and 94.3 The Point and 94.5 WPST DJ Matt Ryan broadcast from the boardwalk.

It orbited above the Jersey Shore for nearly a century, offering tourists and locals a unique view of the ocean and boardwalk.

Now the 74-foot high ferris wheel from the defunct Palace Amusements park in Asbury Park is slated to make a comeback — sort of — more than 90 miles away in Pennsylvania.

Sixteen seating baskets will be reassembled for permanent display as a monument in Phoenixville, the borough where it was built in 1893 according to the Schuylkill River Heritage Center.

However, the project does not include reopening it as a working ferris wheel, 37 years after it last circled above Palace Amusements.

“It’s not going to be spinning,” said heritage center president Barbara Cohen.

For those seeking a view of the ferris wheel in motion, it briefly appears in a Bruce Springsteen music video for “Tunnel of Love,” filmed less than a year before Palace Amusements closed.

Just moving the ferris wheel and rebuilding it as a monument is expected to cost $2 million, using a combination of private and public money. It would be “way too expensive to get the ferris wheel up and running again,” Cohen said.

Phoenixville contributed $350,000, received a $750,000 state grant and will carry the cost of the project while the heritage center seeks to raise $1 million, borough manager Jean Krack said.

The ferris wheel monument’s concrete base is in place and installation is scheduled to be completed by May on land near the popular French Creek Trail, Cohen said.

The Asbury Park ferris wheel was among four ferris wheels built 132 years ago by the Phoenix Bridge Company, a subsidiary of the former Phoenix Iron & Steel Company.

Of the four ferris wheels, only the Asbury Park attraction still has its components intact.

“It’s a piece from the past that is unique and special,” Cohen said.

At 74 feet high, the Asbury Park ferris wheel was smaller and less elaborate than modern models. The ferris wheel that opened in Atlantic City in 2017, for example, is times taller and has 40 temperature-controlled enclosed gondolas.

Yet the Asbury Park ferris wheel had plenty of retro charm and is perhaps second only to the Tillie mural in Palace Amusements lore. That iconic mural of a smiling face was also part of Palace Amusements before its demise.

Fans of Tillie recently petitioned Gov. Phil Murphy to help rescue the demolished amusement park’s beloved Tillie mural from a storage shed.

After Palace Amusements closed in 1988, the ferris wheel was used by a Mississippi amusement park for several years. It was taken apart and returned to Asbury Park in 1998, the heritage center said.

Four years after Palace Amusements was demolished in 2004, the heritage center purchased all of the wheel’s components, including the eight-foot-tall seating baskets. Several of the baskets were put on display in locations across Phoenixville, the heritage center said.

Eventually, the heritage center settled on a more ambitious plan: Reassembling the entire ferris wheel for permanent display as a monument.

The ferris wheel will be illuminated and its base will be surrounded by glass fencing. Interpretive signage will offer details on the ferris wheel’s history.

Cohen said the restoration is about “more than just restoring an artifact.”

“It’s about community, heritage, resilience, and the power of preserving Phoenixville’s unique history for future generations,” Cohen said.