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CORZINE APPOINTS DEAS TO NEW COUNCIL ON HOMELESSNESS

New Jersey Governor Jon Corzine has appointed Gina Williams Deas, chief operating officer of Volunteers of America Delaware Valley, to serve on his new Interagency Council on Preventing and Ending Homelessness.

Deas, who oversees all of the housing programs operated by Volunteers of America Delaware Valley, is one of 14 public representatives on the Council. The appointments were announced April 8.

"Gina Williams Deas brings an incredible amount of expertise and experience to the Council," said Daniel L. Lombardo, president and CEO of Volunteers of America Delaware Valley.

"As New Jersey grapples with the issue of homelessness amid an economic downturn, it’s more important than ever for Gov. Corzine to hear from folks like Gina, and from organizations like Volunteers of America Delaware Valley," Lombardo said.

"It is very exciting to be a part of this council to prevent and to end homelessness in our state," Deas said. "For years there has been a push to create this interagency council in order to bring more attention to the existing best practices, as well as to challenge us to find ways to be more effective.

"This has been a long time coming," Deas added. "Gov. Corzine has done a great thing for New Jersey. Now homelessness and its prevention can be addressed in a more holistic manner on a statewide level."