Cumberland County senior fair brings services, screenings to Bridgeton residents

Older residents in Bridgeton were able to handle tax, license and health questions in one place when a senior resource fair brought state and local services directly to Cumberland Regional High School, cutting down the travel, paperwork and agency-hopping that can keep help out of reach in a rural county.

The April 10 event was hosted by Sen. John Burzichelli and Assembly members Heather Simmons and Dave Bailey Jr. It was set up as a one-stop stop for older adults and caregivers to meet with the New Jersey Division of Aging Services, the Division of Taxation and a mobile Motor Vehicle Commission unit, while also getting free health screenings and printed information on property tax relief and home healthcare.

Burzichelli said the goal was “reaching our seniors” where they are. Simmons said the event was also about “community,” and Bailey said the fair gave residents access to the resources they need. The message was clear: the fair was not a ceremonial gathering, but a practical attempt to remove friction for people who may need help with multiple agencies at once.

That need is real in Cumberland County. The county’s Office on Aging & Disability Services says it serves residents age 60 and older and acts as a focal point for information, planning, coordination and advocacy. The office also works with advisory councils, including a County Transportation Advisory Council, a sign that transportation remains one of the biggest hurdles for older residents trying to reach services on their own.

The transportation piece is especially important in a county where many seniors live beyond easy reach of government offices and medical providers. Cumberland Area Transit System, known as CATS, offers demand-response transportation for older adults, giving residents another option for getting to appointments and errands when driving is difficult or unavailable.

Property-tax relief was another major draw. The Division of Taxation says the Senior Freeze application is now part of a combined PAS-1 application for Senior Freeze, ANCHOR and Stay NJ, a change that can simplify access for older homeowners and renters trying to sort through relief programs. Bringing those representatives into Bridgeton gave seniors a chance to ask questions face to face instead of working through several offices on their own.

The county’s demographics help explain why the fair mattered. Cumberland County’s population was estimated at 155,678 in 2024, and 16.1% of residents were age 65 or older, according to U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts. The Third Legislative District, represented by Burzichelli, Simmons and Bailey, includes Gloucester, Salem and parts of Cumberland County, tying the effort directly to the region it was meant to serve.