Community Foundation of New Jersey

Ensuring the well-being and safety of children and youth in foster care is critical. More than 400,000 children find themselves in the U.S. foster care system every day. In New Jersey, over 6,000 children and youth end up in the system every year. “Foster care is interconnected to the juvenile justice system, substance abuse, human trafficking, healthcare, education, and employment,” notes the authors of The Failures and Future of the U.S. Foster Care System brief. “Since today’s children will be tomorrow’s adults, it is imperative that we stabilize and optimize the foster care system to care for society’s most vulnerable.” How can you get involved in caring for our state’s children at the local level? Tune into our most recent Jersey Gives a Damn! episode — featuring Edith Villacampa Fiato, Executive Director of Roots & Wings NJ, and Liza Kirschenbaum, Associate Director of Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) of New Jersey — to find out how you can ensure the state's children in foster care thrive. Your support can range from opening a donor advised fund or making a grant to support local community programs, to volunteering as a CASA advocate or offering home rental opportunities to youth who have aged out of the system. Tune in to learn more: cfnj.org/jerseygivesadamn/ Read The Policy Circle's brief on foster care: https://lnkd.in/eQnsgwEd #FosterCare #NJYouth #DonorAdvisedFund

Funding Alert! Deadlines are approaching in August for several CFNJ grant opportunities, so we invite you to apply or share these opportunities with your network. These grants fund economic empowerment, health equity, education and more. ·  Great Companions Fund ·  Empower New Jersey Grant ·  St. Clare’s Healthcare Delivery Grant ·  St. Clare’s Cancer Support Services Grant ·  St. Clare’s Children’s Behavioral Health Fund ·  St. Clare’s Nursing Education Grant ·  George & Yvonne Alkemade Vision Health Grant ·  George A. Ohl, Jr. Health-Care Services Grant ·  Sheila Williamson Memorial Health Grant Learn more and apply: https://lnkd.in/g6na5eEm #FundingOpportunities #Grants #CFNJ

Funding alert! It’s not too late to apply for a 2024 grant from the RSI Foundation. We welcome applications from non-profits and agencies in the Rahway area that are working with marginalized populations or improving the quality of life in communities. Grant awards typically range between $2,500 – $25,000. Please share via your networks: https://cfnj.org/rsi/ #FundingAlert #RSIFoundation #Nonprofits 

As a donor advised fund (DAF), the Somerset Hills Community Health Foundation is addressing the critical nursing shortage and proudly supporting the education of RN students at Raritan Valley Community College (RVCC). The Foundation made a grant of $7,500 scholarships to 10 nursing students from the Class of 2023 and 2024. In addition to supporting healthcare worker availability and employment across Somerset and Morris counties, the Foundation’s DAF provides resources to restore and maintain the well-being of individuals and fosters independent living that promotes wellness.   Thanks to these scholarships, several RVCC students are well on their way to pursuing nursing careers. “The impact this gift had on me personally cannot be overstated. But it was also transformative to my family,” said Janet Nyambura, a Class of 2023 nursing graduate. “I will always be grateful to have benefitted from such generosity.” Learn more about opening your own DAF at: https://lnkd.in/e_dad23u 📸: Sarah Caputo, Avery Schaefer, Tara Maher, Janet Nyambura and Elicia Levandoski from RVCC’s Nursing Class of 2023 (courtesy of RVCC) #DAF #DonorAdvisedFunds #NursingShortage #HealthcareWorker

The Community Foundation of New Jersey seeks a service-oriented leader who will closely guide our accounting, financial strategy and investment activities as well as provide oversight of administration and human resources. This candidate is committed to promoting philanthropy, improving the quality of life in New Jersey and the power of the common good. Does this sound like you or someone you know in your network? Apply at: bit.ly/cfnj_cfo

Funding alert! We're pleased to announce the opening of the 2024 grant cycle for RSI Foundation. Grant awards typically range between $2,500 – $25,000. We welcome non-profits and agencies from the Rahway area that are working with marginalized populations, or are improving the quality of life in communities, to apply. Please share the grant opportunity via your networks: https://cfnj.org/rsi/

For May's Jersey Gives a Damn! episode, we delved into the “out-of-home placement” process, discussed the challenges in the state’s judiciary and child welfare systems, and explored concrete ways that you can step up to be “that person” that all children need when they end up in foster care. Edith Villacampa Fiato, Executive Director of Roots & Wings NJ, and Liza Kirschenbaum, Associate Director of Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) of New Jersey, both outlined how we can ensure that our state’s children thrive in stable, emotionally supportive, and safe environments — no matter their familial situations or circumstances. Whether at the fundholder, policy, volunteer, advocacy, or board governance level, there may be a way for you to be “that person” for a child. Tune in to find out how you can help: https://lnkd.in/e-y6CRwW

Incredible FOOD & MOOD project featured below for May Mental Health Awareness Month exploring the essential opportunity with food given the links to mental health. There is a well documented relationship between nourishing food and youth emotional wellness. Consistent access is key for children and that is why the Urban Farm was built to take school gardens to the next level and insure year round programming is happening for Morris County children. You can get involved in making this programming available for children so that we can assist teachers, parents and the community by nourishing nature and neighbors. Volunteer slots are open at the farm and we are opening up sponsorships for 15th anniversary activities and events that help make this possible! Join Kings Food Markets, Hampshire Real Estate and Community Foundation of New Jersey- thank you!

So what happens after a Y youth receives a Loyalty Foundation Chromebook? "So after we give out the computers, we actually touch base with the families to see how they are doing and how the Chromebooks are working. Then at Housing [the Y’s residential program, where many of the recipients live], where the families usually use the computers at our community table, we can see what they’re doing with the kids, because we want the parents involved." -- Laura Margeotes Branch Executive Director at the Gateway YMCA. Thank you to our amazing community partners at the The Gateway Family YMCA, J.C. Kellogg Foundation Fund and Community Foundation of New Jersey for supporting our mission and transforming the lives of so many. #digitalequity #devices4all #loyalty

Congratulations to Newark Emergency Services for Families on their recent Impact100 Essex grant award! Read more about the grant here: https://lnkd.in/ewgHbSRV