Housing Partnership gala set for Oct. 14

DOVER - Reaching New Heights is the theme of the Housing Partnership for Morris County's 13th Anniversary Dinner Gala to be held at 6:30 p.m., Friday, Oct. 14, at the Hanover Marriott. Several individuals and groups who have collaborated with the Housing Partnership's home ownership programs will be honored. They are Timothy Touhey, director, Fannie Mae, Lakeland Bank; Lisa Olszowy, of Washington Mutual; Pat Bomus of United Way of Morris County, and the partnership between Community Hope and the Township of Roxbury. Touhey, who grew up in Dover, has been instrumental in the Homes for New Jersey initiative; Lakeland Bank has provided collaboration in grant applications and special mortgage programs for Housing Partnership program participants; Olszowy, a mortgage representative who works almost exclusively with households on modest incomes, has written over $1.3 million in mortgages for Housing Partnership clients; Bomus was the driving force for the formation of the Housing Alliance of Morris County; and Community Hope is providing special needs affordable housing with help from Roxbury Township and United Way. Guest speaker is Terry Rossy, who became a first-time home owner on Sept.16. Rossy overcame obstacles and completed the Partnership's matched savings programs, the IDA (Individual Development Account) Savings Club and the First Home Club, both a year long. She also completed the Partnership's Step by Step to Home Ownership program, paid off debt and saved for a down payment over three years. For information call 973-659-9222 or visit online at housingpartnershipmorris.org.