The University of Pennsylvania Project for Civic Engagement and WHYY/NewsWorks will host a series of community forums along the New Jersey shore to gather citizen input that can be used to inform decision-makers about what individuals, communities and governments can do to limit the harm done by the next storm.

“Ready for Next Time? Rethinking the Shore After Sandy” invites citizens who live, vacation or make a living at the Jersey shore to participate in this public discussion featuring moderators who will guide the dialogue.

These community forums are:

• Tuesday, July 30, at 6:45 p.m. at the Middle Township High School, 300 E. Atlantic Ave., Cape May Court House, N.J.  Doors open at 6 p.m.
  
  
  
  
• Monday, Aug. 5, at 6:45 p.m. at the Atlantic Cape Community College, 5100 Black Horse Pike, Mays Landing, N.J.  Doors open at 6 p.m.
  
  
  
  
• Tuesday, Aug. 27, at 12:30 p.m. at St. Francis Community Center, 4700 Long Beach Blvd., Long Beach Township, N.J.  Doors open at noon.
  
  
  
  
• Tuesday, Aug. 27, at 6:45 p.m. at the Tuckerton Seaport Museum, 120 W. Main St., Tuckerton, N.J.  Doors will open at 6 p.m.
  
  
  
  

Harris Sokoloff, the director of the Penn Project for Civic Engagement and one of the moderators, said gathering the public’s viewpoints is essential for disaster-recovery planning and prevention for years to come.


“The diverse perspectives of New Jersey residents, renters and business owners can play an important role as appointed and elected officials make decisions about how to move forward,” Sokoloff said. “This series of community forums is an opportunity for stakeholders to work across differences and to connect their values with expert knowledge and leadership to think through the lessons from Super Storm Sandy."

The forums are free and open to the public, but registration is required at WHYY.kintera.org/njforums.

The Project for Civic Engagement is housed at the Graduate School of Education at Penn.  This project is funded by a grant from the New Jersey Recovery Fund through WHYY.