Community Foundation

Two local businessmen created the “Afghan Girls Financial Assistance Fund” (AGFAF) in 2008 at the Community Foundation of New Jersey (CFNJ). The program is now assisting almost twenty young women selected to attend college or secondary school in the United States. 

Noorjahan Akbar, who came to the United States in 2010 after being selected by the Fund, has been changing the lives of those around her.

Noorjahan spends every summer break in Afghanistan and helps with a program called Voices for Hope, which teaches creative writing to Afghan orphans. More recently, Noorjahan, or Noor as friends know her, co-founded Young Women for Change (YWC), an organization that seeks gender equality in Afghanistan. In this role, Noor led her fellow YWC members in a daring protest against harassment in downtown Kabul. 

For her remarkable courage and skill, Newsweek named Noor “one of the 150 fearless women in the world” and invited her to the Women in the World 2012 program in New York City.

Though Noor’s determination is unrivaled, achieving a college education in the United States would have been nearly impossible without the support of AGFAF. Just recently, the founders worked with CFNJ to create the “Friends of the Afghan Girls Financial Assistance Fund,” which covers all fundraising and administrative components of the program so that the original fund can focus 100 percent of its resources on helping students. 

Please contact Nancy Hamilton (nhamilton@cfnj.org) or Hans Dekker (hdekker@cfnj.org) to explore ideas for your charitable giving.

To learn more about the Community Foundation of New Jersey, click here:  http://bit.ly/tKsLcV  

Valpaks have been making their way to New Jersey mailboxes since 1976. As one of its first investors, Jeff Cohen watched as Valpak spread to over 100 dealer-distributors across the United States and Canada, ultimately becoming a household brand.

While realizing success, Mr. Cohen and his wife, Marsha, started to think about ways to give back to the company that provided them with so much.

The Cohens brought their idea to the Community Foundation of New Jersey and put together a scholarship program to support the children of Valpak employees across the country. “We talked at some length about this and gave the Foundation the parameters of exactly what we wanted to do,” said Mr. Cohen. “They put together this whole program and kept us from getting buried in the minutia or legalisms of doing something like this.”

The program provides $10,000 to one incoming college freshman or current student each year he or she is in college, for a total of a $40,000 scholarship. To qualify, the student must maintain a B average and annually submit their grades to CFNJ.

The program received 15 applications from the children of Valpak employees in the first year. CFNJ staff organized the applications and participated in the review and selection process with the Cohens.

Early this year, CFNJ will begin accepting applications for the second scholarship from the Cohens’ fund.

“Only this time,” says Mr. Cohen, “we can show the students that someone actually got the scholarship and it’s made an enormous difference.”

Please contact Nancy Hamilton (nhamilton@cfnj.org) or Hans Dekker (hdekker@cfnj.org) to explore ideas for your charitable giving.

To learn more about the Community Foundation of New Jersey, click here:  http://bit.ly/tKsLcV  

(Source: cfnj.org)

The Holiday Season is a great time to give back to the community and those in need. Sadly, scammers can take advantage of people’s generosity and giving intentions throughout the holidays. Check out these charitable giving guidelines courtesy of Elaine B. Morgillo at Seacostonline.

• Be particularly cautious about appeals that attempt to attract your emotions.
• If you are solicited by phone, ask for the exact name of the charity if the telemarketer does not provide it promptly. Watch for similar sounding names, as scam artists may try to fool you into thinking you are giving to an actual, legitimate charity.
• Find out how much of your donation will be used to support the cause. Recent research has discovered that even some legitimate charitable organizations spend an exorbitant percentage of their income on salaries and administrative expenses.
• Contact the charity to confirm that it is aware of the solicitation, and that it has authorized the use of its name.
• Avoid cash gifts, because they can be lost or stolen. For security and tax record purposes, it’s best to pay by check, made payable to the charity, not the solicitor, or by credit card.

Please contact Nancy Hamilton (nhamilton@cfnj.org) or Hans Dekker (hdekker@cfnj.org) to explore ideas for your charitable giving.

To learn more about the Community Foundation of New Jersey, click here: http://bit.ly/tKsLcV 

The Season of Giving is a perfect time to give back to the community and those less fortunate. The Community Foundation of New Jersey compiled several ways donors can make a difference this holiday season.

1) Greater Newark Holiday Fund

By giving to the Greater Newark Holiday Fund, the support will reach six counties — Essex, Union, Passaic, Hudson, Morris, and Bergen counties in northern New Jersey. Donations provide the following:

• Food for the Hungry
• Shelter for the Homeless
• Care for Seniors
• Clothes and Toys for Kids
• Crucial services to individuals and families in crisis

Additional Information:  www.holidayfund.org

2) Family Service of Morris County — Hope for the Holiday Fund

Bringing joy to needy families, seniors and children, Family Service’s Hope for the Holidays Fund is sure to make a difference this holiday season.

Additional information:  www.fsmc.org  

3) Jersey Cares

• Coat Drive: The 16th Annual Jersey Cares Coat Drive is hoping to collect and distribute 50,000 gently used winter coats to at-risk men, women and children. Coats may be dropped off now through December 15, 2011 at all public collection sites. Additional information: www.jerseycares.org/JC_Coat_Drive
• Frosty’s Friends: Jersey Cares connects agency partners’ children in need with Frosty’s Friends volunteers. Each participant receives a letter written by a child between the ages of 4 – 16. Volunteers then purchase a gift by December 17, 2011 and mail it directly to the child in need of joy and cheer this holiday season. Additional information:  www.jerseycares.org/JC_Frostys_Friends

4) Women’s Club of Morristown/Daily Record — Operation Holiday — 41st Annual Campaign

Operation Holiday was conceived by the Woman’s Club and sponsored in part by The Daily Record. Running now through January 31, 2012, Operation Holiday will help the less fortunate and share the real joy of Christmas. Make someone’s holiday a little brighter by volunteering to help fill specific cases or financially contributing to gifts.

Additional information:  www.wcomt.org/Events-7.html

Please contact Nancy Hamilton (nhamilton@cfnj.org) or Hans Dekker (hdekker@cfnj.org) to explore additional ideas for your charitable giving.

(Source: cfnj.org)

The Community Foundation of New Jersey received a $500,000 grant from the Prudential Foundation, which will support efforts to improve Military Park, a landmark in downtown Newark.

The $3.6 million Military Park Restoration Project is led by Biederman Redevelopment Ventures, which also transformed Bryant Park in New York City. Prudential’s $500,000 grant will support the costs of project management, consultation, design and engineering. The rehabilitation will ensure Military Park remains an accessible, viable green space and provides a reinvigorated platform for the City of Newark and its citizens.

“Military Park is one of the oldest and most treasured public landmarks in Newark,” said Sharon C. Taylor, Prudential senior vice president and head of Human Resources and chair of The Prudential Foundation. “Our support for this restoration project reflects The Prudential Foundation’s commitment to urban redevelopment and to Prudential’s pride in its headquarters city.”

The Prudential Foundation focuses its grant making strategy in the areas of education, economic development, arts and civic infrastructure. Learn more about the Prudential Foundation here: http://www.news.prudential.com/

Please contact Nancy Hamilton (nhamilton@cfnj.org) or Hans Dekker (hdekker@cfnj.org) to explore grant ideas.

The Interfaith Food Pantry recently moved its location to Central Park of Morris County and last Tuesday, November 15th, many attended the official Grand Opening and Ribbon Cutting Ceremony.

Established in 1994, the food pantry distributes supplemental and emergency food to eligible Morris County residents in need, provides hands-on opportunities for neighbors to help neighbors, and educates the public on local hunger issues. 

Earlier this month, the pantry started distributing turkeys and holiday items to monthly visitors, which is on top of the 1,100 Thanksgiving baskets it expects to hand out through the holiday. 

“We really need help from the community to meet all the requests,” says Liliana Henao, client services manager for the Interfaith Food Pantry. “We never know until the last minute exactly how many people will be seeking assistance. We are worried because there is now such a short time to collect and distribute the food.” 

In addition to Thanksgiving items, the most urgent pantry needs, according to its website, include: 

• Low salt canned vegetables
• Dry Beans, Canned (Pinto, Red, White, black and Pork and Beans)
• Canned Fruit (low sugar - or lite syrup)
• Canned meats and meals
• Parmalat (shelf stable 32oz size) Dry milk (individual packets)
• Hearty Soups - Low Salt Soups
• Brown and white rice (1 and 2 pound bags)
• Cereal
• Pasta / Whole wheat pasta 
• Peanut Butter
• Tea 
• Spaghetti / Tomato Sauce
• Side Dishes
• Baby Food stages 1 and 3

(Source: dailyrecord.com)

The Community Foundation of New Jersey has joined over 700 community foundations across America for National Community Foundation Week 2011, which continues through Friday, November 18^th.

The first Community Foundation Week launched in 1989. Since then the effort has elevated awareness of these philanthropic establishments and their approach to working with the public, private and nonprofit sectors in order to address community issues.

The Community Foundation of New Jersey, established in 1979, is an alliance of families, businesses and foundations working together to create lasting differences in people’s lives and communities. CFNJ connects donors to important organizations, issues and communities and provides ongoing leadership on issues critical to the health of New Jersey.

The foundation has granted an average of $25 million each year to charitable organizations through a combination of Donor Advised Funds and Legacy Funds. CFNJ presently stewards over $185 million in charitable assets for current needs and future challenges.

For more information, visit CFNJ’s website here: http://www.cfnj.org  

NJ Spotlight, developed by the Community Foundation of New Jersey and former Newark Star-Ledger reporters, has recently expanded its award-winning coverage of crucial New Jersey issues. Due to the recent hire of veteran journalist Beth Fitzgerald, NJ Spotlight will now report on health and healthcare issues within the state of New Jersey.

The addition to NJ Spotlight’s team is partially funded by a grant from The Healthcare Foundation of New Jersey, which improves access to quality healthcare in the greater Newark area.

Beth Fitzgerald has been the healthcare reporter and deputy editor for NJBIZ Magazine for the last three years. Prior to that she was a news and business reporter for 30+ years at the Newark Star-Ledger.

“This is a great opportunity for us, and Beth is just the right person to take us to the next level with our health coverage,” said John Mooney, founding editor and educator writer for NJ Spotlight.

Launched in May 2010, NJ Spotlight provides news and information focused on critical policy issues in the state. NJ Spotlight recently won the prestigious Online Journalism Award for “general excellence” amongst new sites its size. Visit http://www.njspotlight.com for additional information.

After exploring ways to help special needs adults find employment, a Community Foundation of New Jersey donor advisor made a sizable contribution to Employment Horizons. The funding has allowed the non-profit organization, by providing job counseling and placement, to expand their staffing services and place additional special needs adults in jobs.

As Employment Horizons Assistant Executive Director Mark Stephenson said, “This [donation] was like the knight in shining armor coming in and saving the situation for many people.”

Employment Horizons uses a three-step methodology to help special needs individuals achieve self-sufficiency.

1)    Pre-placement employment counseling

2)    Intensive on-the-job coaching

3)    “Follow-along” services to promote job          retention

Now in its second year, the donor’s contribution has generated significant results. In the first 15 months of support alone, Employment Horizons reported 24 new job placements and a 94% job retention rate.

“People who sustain employment have the dignity of being employed and really being a contributing, participating member of society,” said Stephenson. “The community at-large wins because people who were once reliant on tax support are now taxpayers.” He continues to thank the Community Foundation donor for his/her generosity. “Getting a job is fine, but if you don’t keep it, then so what? You haven’t brought people to self-sufficiency. For that, we are most grateful to this donor who is making a lasting difference in people’s lives by helping us to help them.”

Please contact Nancy Hamilton (nhamilton@cfnj.org) or Hans Dekker (hdekker@cfnj.org) to explore ideas for your donor advised fund.

The number of pedestrians killed by cars in New Jersey rose by almost 34% in 2009, its highest level in nearly a decade. During this time, over a quarter of all traffic deaths were ordinary citizens crossing the street. Fortunately, due to pedestrian safety programs instituted by state and city officials, the number of deaths from these accidents fell in 2010.

A local donor was motivated by studies showing pedestrian decoy programs can successfully decrease the number of violations and injuries. After working with a donor advised fund and the Community Foundation of New Jersey, “The Little Falls Pedestrian Decoy Operation” emerged, and was carried out by the Little Falls Police Department.

Sergeant James Briggs monitored drivers’ responses while attempting to cross the street at a crosswalk. If drivers failed to yield, they were pulled over further down the road after Briggs radioed a fellow officer.

 Over the course of six days, 221 drivers were caught breaking the crosswalk law. Of those, 129 were issued summonses and 64 were given written warnings. On the last day of the operation, Briggs noticed the change the program brought in driver behavior.  

“This donation has made a tremendous difference,” said Sergeant Briggs. “Without it, we could not have put together this program and seen the positive results for the community that we did.”

On behalf of the donor advised fund, a pedestrian sign was installed on the Main Street crosswalk where the operation took place – an improvement continually yielding positive benefits today.

Using their donor advised funds, donors positively impact their causes and communities. Please contact Nancy Hamilton (nhamilton@cfnj.org) or Hans Dekker (hdekker@cfnj.org) to explore ideas for your fund.

(Source: cfnj.org)