The Valley Community Watch is a neighborhood civic organization encompassing households from Northfield and Gregory Avenues east to the Orange border and south, to the South Orange border.

The Valley Community Watch, entering its eighth year, was founded by Amy Simon who lives on Wellington Avenue, in an effort to create a sense of community in our neighborhood which has historically been challenged in its unity by the steep incline of the first rise of the Watchung Mountain ridge and the diversity of its residents.

The VCW’s mission is to work together as neighbors and with the municipality, to retain a safe environment in which to raise our families, and to sustain our property values by maintaining our properties and common areas.

Most, but not all, of the VCW members who participate are families whose children will be attending, are alumni of, or whose children currently do, attend Hazel Elementary School on Hazel Avenue.

The VCW membership meetings have historically been held on each third Monday of the month at the Hazel Avenue gymnasium.

The VCW is currently in a partnership with the State of New Jersey and the Township of West Orange in the utilization of the Neighborhood Preservation Program, administered by the Department of Community Affairs. This grant provides the Valley Community Watch ‘target’ neighborhood with $500,000 over the course of five years with which to provide enrichment programming at Hazel school, housing rehabilitation grants to home owners, facility matching grants to businesses and community funding money to the VCW. For more information about the Neighborhood Preservation Program, contact Director Rose DeSena at 973-325-4207.

Current VCW Board of Directors

Chairperson, Juan Pintado
Vice Chairperson, Jonathan Ridley
Secretary, Karen De Jong
Treasurer, Bruni Nelson
Communications/Membership, Eric Gwaro
Sgt. of Arms, Jennifer Strozyk
Emeritus, Amy Simon

Valley Community Watch Area Map

The area encompassed by the VCW Area is defined at the north western most point of Northfield and Gregory roads, south to the northern most border of South Orange at approximately Luddington Rd, and from Gregory road east to the Orange border.
Download a PDF of the Valley Neighborhood street map

Valley Community Watch By Laws

The VCW By Laws are the written rules for conduct of the organization. They provide for meetings, elections of a board of directors and officers, filling vacancies, notices, types and duties of officers, and other routine conduct. They are, in effect a contract among members, and must be formally adopted and/or amended.
Download a PDF of the Valley Community Watch By Laws