2022-2023
Program Year
Mother's Day Luncheon 2023
Maredia Dionne Warren
Elected Chapter President
Chapter Officers:
Our 15 Annual Mother's Day Luncheon was held on May 6 at The Venetian in Garfield, NJ. It was a sold out event with close to 500 in attendance. Eight incredible students received generous scholarship awards and three extraordinary trailblazers were honored for their work in our communities. Links Kathy Dow and Tina Wynn served as co-chair. Please flip through our program book below to learn more about our chapter, our signature event and the wonderful folks who support us. You can also watch the videos of our honorees HERE.
Maredia Dionne Warren was elected the Chapter's President succeeding Tammy King who served two terms. Maredia had previously served as the Vice President handling membership activities and leading meetings in Tammy's stead. A successful development officer, Maredia is on the Institutional Giving and Grants Management team at Hackensack Meridian Health Foundation where she serves as the Manager of Institutional Giving. Maredia will be joined by newly elected Recording Secretary Darla Miles Jeffries and newly elected Treasurer Tianna Barnes.
Chapter Promotes Awareness of Chronic Kidney Disease
The Bergen County (NJ) Chapter of the Links, Incorporated has received a Black K.A.R.E. Initiative sub-grant to help raise awareness of Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) in Black communities. Learn more about the initiative here and find out how you can reduce the risk of kidney failure and improve outcomes for people living with the condition.
Watch Our Video from "The Night of Dance".
Tammy King
President
Maredia Dionne Warren
Vice President
Courtnay Johnson-Suffern
Treasurer
Robin Cooper
Financial Secretary
Kai Brown Smith
Recording Secretary
Tara Edmonds
Corresponding Secretary
LIsa Brown
Program Coordinator
Christine Fowler Phillips
Protocol Officer
Teresa Oakley Smallwood
Parliamentarian
Jacquelyn Styles*
Ritual Chair
*deceased
President's Message
Tammy King
Chapter Honors First President
Theodora Smiley Lacey Receives Legacy Award at 15th Annual Mother's Day Luncheon
Theodora Smiley Lacey, the chapter's charter member and first president received the Legacy Award at this year's annual luncheon. The Platinum member and civil rights activist continues to be an active member of the chapter as well as a mentor to scores of new members. Theodora's glorious history includes her civil rights work in her hometown of Montgomery, Alabama where she helped organize the Montgomery Bus Boycott with her close friend and ally Rosa Parks. She also marched along side the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and their friendship continued until his untimely death in 1968. You can watch the tribute to this extraordinary Link HERE.
Area Teens Earn Scholarship Awards
Eight local teens received generous scholarship awards at this year's Mother's Day Luncheon.
Nina Jeffries-El
(Bergen County Academies)-The Arts Facet Award
Ellen Kyeremeh
(Hackensack HS)-The HHS Award
Jasmine Lockwood
(Hackensack HS)-National Trends and Services Award
Kendall Adkins
(Paramus Catholic HS) Spirit and Service Award
Alycia Brown
(HackensackHS) Jacquelyn Styles Memorial Award
Nia Gooden-Johnson
(Teaneck HS) The Hadnott Family Foundation Award
Shannon-Milan Lambert
(Teaneck HS) The Harold Hall Memorial Award
Gabriel Beidleman (Bergen Catholic HS)
The Ina J. Samuels Martinez Award
Chapter Welcomes New Members
Packathon For Haiti
Chapter members joined other local volunteers and groups to pack over 130,000 meals (rice, pinto beans, dehydrated vegetables, and vitamin powder) for school children in Haiti. Watch the video above to see how this community-wide effort came together.
Stroll for the Vote
Joining the AKA's and other local Black organizations to "Stroll for the Vote!" The crowd was energized by Assemblywoman Shavonda Sumter.
The Arts:
Chapter Sponsors 2 Films at the 2022 Teaneck International Film Festival
Dear Friends,
Welcome to our website!
As the President of the Bergen County (NJ) Chapter of the Links Incorporated, I’m delighted that you’ve come to this space to learn more about our active chapter and the incredible women who are "Linked in Friendship and Connected in Service".
What a challenging two years, we've had but thankfully, we were able to keep step with virtual meetings and programs that have informed, educated and enriched our communities. 2023 promises to be far less challenging as we are finally able to meet in person! We have our sleeves rolled up and are ready to do the work we are called to do!
From our engaging programs to our involvement in the Teaneck International Film Festival ... to those we help during the darkest of days, our rich history in Bergen County is known throughout the community and beyond. We will continue those efforts and we will look for additional ways we can serve.
All the best,
Tammy King
President, Bergen County (NJ) Chapter of The Links, Incorporated
Are you on the social networks? So are we and we invite you to connect with us on Twitter and Facebook.
Legacy Awardee Theodore Smiley Lacey with Chapter President Tammy King
New Jersey Cluster Celebrates
Founders' Day
In 1946, Co-Founders Margaret Rosell Hawkins and Sarah Strickland Scott invited seven of their friends to form the Philadelphia Club. The aim: “to do some good to help less fortunate citizens, raise the cultural level of our race, and to enjoy the social company of our friends,” Hawkins said. Hosted by the Morris County (NJ) Chapter of the Links, Incorporated, members from all over the Garden State came together to greet each other and welcome our National and regional officers as we commemorated our rich history of friends transforming communities through service.
The Links, Incorporated Celebrate 75 Years with "The Invitation"
The Bergen County (NJ) Chapter of The Links, Incorporated sponsored two films at the acclaimed Teaneck International Film Festival. The evening began with the viewing of "The Invitation", a short documentary chronicling the 75 year history of The Links, Incorporated. Many local chapter members were seen in the film. The second film featured the life and legacy of Honorary Link Marian Anderson. "Marian Anderson: The Whole World in Her Hands" explored the career and art of the famed African American contralto and civil rights pioneer. A spirited talkback followed the showing of the film and featured Director Rita Coburn (Marian Anderson) and the Bergen County (NJ) Chapter's first President Theodora Smiley Lacey and current President Tammy King. Allison Davis served as moderator.
©2023 Bergen County Chapter of the Links, Incorporated
In 1946, when Philadelphia educators Margaret Rosell Hawkins and Sarah Strickland Scott co founded the Links, Inc. — their vision for an intercity volunteer service organization for professional women of African descent — they did so with the help of just seven friends. Today, the Links has grown to more than 16,000 members (including Vice President Kamala Harris) in 299 chapters across the country, the Bahamas, and the United Kingdom, who log more than one million hours a year in service to their communities and to ensure the cultural and economic survival of African Americans and others of African ancestry. Watch the trailer below for "The Invitation", the highly touted documentary on the history of The Links, Incorporated. The Bergen County (NJ) Chapter of the Links, Incorporated was founded in 1974.