Tag: Community Foundation of South Jersey

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Community Foundation of South Jersey Receives $100,000 Grant from the PSEG Foundation

Haddonfield, NJ- September 8, 2020:  The Community Foundation of South Jersey (CFSJ) is pleased to announce that it has received a $100,000 grant from the PSEG Foundation to support Transform South Jersey,  an initiative designed to aid small cities and towns in the eight southern New Jersey counties to increase social cohesion and build community capital using the Orton Family Foundation’s resident-driven community planning and development process.

Nearly 100 communities nationwide have used the Heart & Soul model to engage residents in shaping their community’s future.

This includes six South Jersey towns that were selected to become the first Heart & Soul Communities in New Jersey as a part of Transform South Jersey. After undergoing a rigorous application and review process the Town of Hammonton (Atlantic County), Willingboro Township (Burlington County), Winslow Township (Camden County), Downe Township (Cumberland County), Woodbury City (Gloucester County), and Salem City (Salem County), were selected from a potential pool of over 190 eligible cities and towns with a population of 50,000 or less.

A collaboration between CFSJ and other local and national funding partners including the PSEG Foundation, Transform South Jersey consists of three program elements: implementation of the Heart & Soul model in each individual community, the establishment of their own endowed community fund, and the creation of a regional community of practice, the Transform South Jersey Network, where all six communities will come together to explore opportunities and address issues unique to South Jersey. 

“Community Heart & Soul is a local engagement process that reconnects people with what they love most about their town and translates those personal and emotional connections into a blueprint that serves as the foundation for future community decisions,” said Andy Fraizer, CFSJ Executive Director. “It is an approach to community engagement, planning, and development designed to increase participation in local decision-making and empower residents to shape the future of their communities in a way that upholds the unique character of each location.”

“We are grateful the PSEG Foundation supported this work and joined our funder collaborative,” Fraizer continued. “We believe that the strength of every community lies in the hands and the hearts of the people who live there and is the common cause that they will rally around.”

“PSEG has worked tirelessly to develop and maintain extraordinary relationships with the communities we serve and giving back to these locations where we live and work is a fundamental part of the company’s culture and mission,” said Rick Thigpen, PSEG’s Senior Vice President for Corporate Citizenship and Chair of the PSEG Foundation. “The Foundation is pleased to work with CFSJ by bringing our resources to the table to help the Transform South Jersey communities strengthen their social, cultural and economic vibrancy, and define their individual futures based on what matters most to them.”

To learn more about the selected communities and their progress as they embark on this work, visit transformsouthjersey.org.

Community Foundation of South Jersey

The Community Foundation of South Jersey (CFSJ) envisions an eight-county region thriving where all neighbors aspire, succeed, participate, and give.

The vision is realized as CFSJ inspires generosity, manages and deploys permanent charitable assets, and exercises collaborative leadership to create a more equitable region.

CFSJ works with South Jersey philanthropists, local nonprofits, and neighbors to build capital, contribute assets, and create permanent endowments for impact in perpetuity.

By aligning donor interests and using the investment earnings on each of its endowed funds, CFSJ makes grants and builds leadership within the community to create thriving, equitable, and livable communities for all.

Currently, CFSJ manages assets of $22 million in donor-advised funds. Along with its fund-holders, CFSJ has issued more than $9 million in nonprofit grants and scholarships.

Learn more about CFSJ at CommunityFoundationSJ.org.

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South Jersey COVID-19 Response Fund Grant Helping Ronald McDonald House of Southern NJ Continue Their Mission

Camden, NJ – Ronald McDonald House of Southern NJ (RMHSNJ) has been able to provide food, personal protective equipment (PPE), and entertainment for families they serve thanks in part to a $16,000 grant from the Community Foundation of South Jersey’s (CFSJ) COVID-19 Response Fund.

When the COVID-19 pandemic struck, medical care for many patients whose families relied on RMHSNJ had to continue while others had their care postponed, but they were unable to travel home and as a result. They were forced to isolate themselves in place. In response, the RMHSNJ staff worked tirelessly to purchase and provide food for these families as community chefs were not allowed access to the house, offer entertainment like bingo and trivia with other families through Zoom, and provide safety equipment such as masks and hand sanitizer.

The CFSJ COVID-19 Response grant also helped RMHSNJ with the extra costs of sanitizing the house from top to bottom, providing personal trips from the hospital and back to help keep families safe, and holding a 4th of July socially distanced barbeque and lawn sprinkler fun for the kids.

“The grant from the Community Foundation of South Jersey allowed us to help families already in tough situations,” said RMHSNJ’s Teddy Thomas. “Children could not stop being ill or needing medical care. With this support, we were able to feed, keep safe, and entertain all our families while making sure patients could safely get to hospitals for their treatments. We are very grateful for the support the Community Foundation was able to give us along with other South Jersey non-profit organizations in need.”

“We appreciate what the Ronald McDonald House of Southern NJ does for local families, as well as, families from around the world, and we are proud to be able to help them during this unprecedented time,” said CFSJ Executive Director Andy Fraizer. “The work they have undertaken to ensure the health and safety of patients and to maintain high morale among their families is inspiring to see, and we are happy to play a small part in their success.”

The South Jersey COVID-19 Response Fund continues to assist local nonprofits that need support in order to serve communities impacted by the pandemic. To date, the Fund has raised $1 million, but this is not enough to meet the overwhelming need.   

If you would like to support the only such Fund where donations stay in our South Jersey region, click here.

About The Ronald McDonald House of Southern New Jersey

Ronald McDonald House Southern New Jersey (RMH) is one of more than 370 houses in 43 countries and regions across the globe.  Each house operates independently and receives specific funding from Ronald McDonald House Charities and donor-designated gifts from the United Way, along with individual giving, corporate support, foundation grants, and special events. The four-story RMH building, located in the City of Camden, was constructed in 1998.   

It includes 25 comfortable bedrooms with private baths, a tranquil garden, a convenient kitchen, dining room, living room with fireplace, TV lounges, laundry rooms, and internet access for parents to keep in touch with work and family members and to do research on their children’s conditions.  

RMH has served as a “home-away-from-home,” for more than 29,000 families whose children are being treated at nearby hospitals for critical illnesses and traumatic injuries. Fortunately, many patients do not require hospitalization so nearly 70% of the children reside in the House with their families while going back and forth to the hospital for treatment during the day.  

About the Community Foundation of South Jersey

The Community Foundation of South Jersey (CFSJ) envisions an eight-county region thriving, where all neighbors aspire, succeed, participate, and give.

The vision is realized as CFSJ inspires generosity, manages and deploys permanent charitable assets, and exercises collaborative leadership to create a more equitable region. CFSJ works with South Jersey philanthropists, local nonprofits, and neighbors to build capital, contribute assets, and create permanent endowments for impact in perpetuity.

By aligning donor interests and using the investment earnings on each of its endowed funds, CFSJ makes grants and builds leadership within the community to create thriving, equitable, and livable communities for all. Currently, CFSJ manages assets of more than $23 million. CFSJ has issued more than $9 million in nonprofit grants and scholarships.

Learn more about CFSJ at www.CommunityFoundationSJ.org.

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Community Foundation of South Jersey Welcomes Two New Members To Organization’s Governing Board

Haddonfield, NJ- The Community Foundation of South Jersey (CFSJ) is pleased to announce the addition of Valeria Galarza and Ann Marie Liotta to the CFSJ Governing Board.

Valeria Galarza founded ALTA Impact Partners, LLC in January 2020 to address social and community change, and community-driven strategies grounded on equity, policy, systems, and environmental change. Before starting ALTA, Galarza had served as Senior  Project Manager at Cooper’s Ferry Partnership and Vice President of Strategic Expansion for  YMCA of Burlington & Camden Counties. She brings over 15 years of program design and development, policy and advocacy, strategic planning, fundraising, grant writing, and community engagement knowledge to the Governing Board.

Photo of Valeria Galarza provided

Ann Marie Liotta, CPA, AEP®, has over 25 years of experience in the financial services industry.  She currently works as the US Wealth Strategist of Cohn Financial Group and holds a Certified Public Accountant’s license in New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania. Her 20-plus years of financial experience in numerous states will bring a wealth of financial knowledge to the Governing Board.   

Photo of Ann Marie Liotta provided.

“I am excited to join the CFSJ Governing Board and to help develop innovative and collaborative solutions to critical issues impacting the communities the Foundation serves,” said Valeria Galarza. “I am grateful for the opportunity to work with my fellow board members and  to enhance the Foundation’s efforts to help marginalized communities thrive.”

“Becoming a member of the CFSJ Governing Board is truly an honor and I am excited to get to work,” said Ann Marie Liotta. “The Foundation does critical work in South Jersey and I look forward to being a part of their efforts to build stronger, more prosperous communities throughout the region.”  

“It gives me great pleasure to welcome Valeria and Ann Marie to the Community Foundation of South Jersey’s Governing Board,” said CFSJ Executive Director Andy Fraizer. “They both bring a wealth of expertise and a shared understanding of how local giving can impact the needs of the South Jersey region.”

Other members of the Governing Board include Chair Joseph Tredinnick (Market President, Republic Bank), President Kyle Ruffin (President, K Ruffin & Associates), Treasurer Justin Van Fleet (Partner, Friedman LLC), Secretary T. Christian Rollins (Chief Development Officer, Samaritan Healthcare & Hospice), Co-Founder and Former Board Chair Melinda K. Holman (Chairperson, Holman Automotive Group), Co-Founder and Former Board Chair Jack Tarditi (Managing Director, Conner Strong & Buckelew), Joseph C. Atkinson (Principal, PwC LLP), Hon. Raymond A. Batten (Retired) (Of Counsel, Archer), John Connell, Esq. (Partner, Archer), Hon. Alisa Cooper (Commissioner, NJ Casino Control Commission),  Lois Greco (Independent Philanthropy Professional), Rev. Douglas C. Halvorsen (President/CEO, The Evergreens), Wanda Hardy (Managing Principal of WP Hardy Consulting), Mark S. Hodges (Strategic Planning, Quality Management & Organizational Development Consultant), Joseph E. Murphy, Esq. (Certified Ethics and Compliance Professional), and Richelle Todd-Yamoah (Vice President of Programs and Operations, Sykes Foundation).

Community Foundation of South Jersey

The Community Foundation of South Jersey (CFSJ) envisions an eight-county region thriving where all neighbors aspire, succeed, participate, and give. The vision is realized as CFSJ inspires generosity, manages and deploys permanent charitable assets, and exercises collaborative leadership to create a more equitable region.

CFSJ works with South Jersey philanthropists, local nonprofits, and neighbors to build capital, contribute assets, and create permanent endowments for impact in perpetuity. By aligning donor interests and using the investment earnings on each of its endowed funds, CFSJ makes grants and builds leadership within the community to create thriving, equitable, and livable communities for all.

Currently, CFSJ manages assets of more than $23 million. Along with its fund-holders, CFSJ has issued more than $9 million in nonprofit grants and scholarships.

Learn more about CFSJ at CommunityFoundationSJ.org. 

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Inspira Health Receives $10,000 Grant From South Jersey COVID-19 Response Fund

Haddonfield, NJ – The South Jersey COVID-19 Response Fund, which is managed by Community Foundation of South Jersey (CFSJ), awarded $10,000 to Inspira Health in a new round of grant allocations. The grant allows Inspira Health to fund emergency assistance directed to the Human Resources Department in order to surge their hospital staff. 

Inspira Health worked diligently to properly prepare for the spike in COVID-19 cases by increasing the amount of personal protective equipment, ventilators, and beds; while also turning standard care patient areas into negative pressure rooms and erecting tents outside its emergency departments to enhance safety in the event ER volumes rose sharply. Inspira Health was able to pay for some of these preparations with the assistance of emergency funds.  

Most recently, the South Jersey Response Fund grant Inspira received was used to recruit additional hospital employees and contribute to hospital readiness.  This included recruiting an additional 62 staff members to care for the high volume of COVID-19 patients during the height of the pandemic such as nurse aides, lab assistants, and respiratory staff.

“We are very thankful to the Community Foundation of South Jersey for the grant they awarded our health network as part of the COVID-19 Response Fund,” said Nick Sena, Director of Development of Inspira Health Foundation. “The funding helped us make the necessary additions to our staff to keep our community safe as we responded to the effects of the virus.”

“We are so proud to provide Inspira Health with a grant from the COVID-19 Response Fund,” said Andy Fraizer, Executive Director of the Community Foundation of South Jersey. “The heroes at Inspira have done so much for our community, and this grant is only a small token of our appreciation for their dedication to defeating this virus.”

The Community Foundation of South Jersey COVID-19 Response Fund continues to assist local nonprofits that need support to serve communities impacted by the pandemic. To date, the Fund has raised over $1 million in donations, but this is not enough to meet the overwhelming need. If you would like to support the only such Fund where donations stay in our South Jersey region, please visit www.southjerseyresponsefund.org.

About Inspira Health

Inspira Health is South Jersey’s leading network of healthcare providers. They are a charitable nonprofit organization, with over 1,300 physicians and health care providers. Inspira Health comprises three hospitals, two comprehensive cancer centers, several multi-specialty health centers, and more than 150 access points.

They also have urgent care, imaging, rehabilitation, sleep medicine labs, hospice, and many other specialized locations and services throughout Gloucester, Cumberland, Salem, Camden, and Atlantic counties.

Their mission is to provide high-quality medical services to improve the lives of all they serve. Inspira Health works with the community to create a culture of good health and wellness.

For more information about Inspira Health, learn more at https://www.inspirahealthnetwork.org/ 

About the Community Foundation of South Jersey

The Community Foundation of South Jersey (CFSJ) envisions an eight-county region thriving, where all neighbors aspire, succeed, participate, and give.

The vision is realized as CFSJ inspires generosity, manages and deploys permanent charitable assets, and exercises collaborative leadership to create a more equitable region. CFSJ works with South Jersey philanthropists, local nonprofits, and neighbors to build capital, contribute assets, and create permanent endowments for impact in perpetuity.

By aligning donor interests and using the investment earnings on each of its endowed funds, CFSJ makes grants and builds leadership within the community to create equitable and livable communities for all.

Currently, CFSJ manages assets of more than $23 million. CFSJ has issued more than $9 million in nonprofit grants and scholarships. Learn more about CFSJ at www.CommunityFoundationSJ.org.

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Bright Side Covid-19 Feature Stories

Salvation Army Camden Kroc Center Enlists South Jersey COVID-19 Response Fund Grant to Provide Food Assistance

Haddonfield, NJ – The Community Foundation of South Jersey made a $5,000 grant to the Salvation Army Kroc Center from the South Jersey COVID-19 Response Fund. With support from CFSJ and others, the Kroc Center has provided tens of thousands worth of grocery items and food to local residents since the pandemic onset. 

The Salvation Army New Jersey Division has experienced a four hundred percent increase in families seeking aid, including food, statewide.  

In order to meet the demand, The Salvation Army opened three warehouses located in Vineland, Red Bank, and Newark. At these locations, they receive and store food from New Jersey food banks in bulk. 

“We are so thankful that the Community Foundation of South Jersey was able to help fund our organization and support our families in need,” said Kroc Center Administrator Major Terry Wood, “The pandemic is not only an economic crisis but a mental health crisis caused by the stress residents are feeling.  We are working hard to help alleviate some of that stress as we provide help and hope. This grant surely helps.”

“Food access is a basic need. With the COVID-19 Response Fund, we prioritized these triage needs,” said CFSJ Executive Director Andy Fraizer. “Now, more than ever, nonprofits such as the Kroc Center need help, and we are so proud of our South Jersey neighbors for stepping up to the challenge and providing the money needed to make our COVID-19 response possible.”

The South Jersey COVID-19 Response Fund continues to assist local nonprofits that need support in order to serve communities impacted by the pandemic.

To date, the Fund has raised over $1 million, but this is not enough to meet the overwhelming need.  Since March, CFSH has gotten over $6 million in grant requests.  

If you would like to support the only such Fund where donations stay in our South Jersey region, please visit www.southjerseyresponsefund.org.

About The Salvation Army Kroc Center in Camden

The 120,000 square-foot Salvation Army Kroc Center redefines what a community center is all about.

This extraordinary facility houses an array of education, sports, faith, arts, and other support programs never before assembled under one roof in the City of Camden.  

The Kroc Center ministry, as well as the building itself, has been designed to stimulate the mind, body and spirit, to provide hope, and to transform lives within the community.  

It is a dynamic regional asset that is open and accessible to all.  For more information about the Center or to donate directly, please visit www.camdenkroccenter.org.

About the Community Foundation of South Jersey

The Community Foundation of South Jersey (CFSJ) envisions an eight-county region thriving, where all neighbors aspire, succeed, participate, and give.

The vision is realized as CFSJ inspires generosity, manages and deploys permanent charitable assets, and exercises collaborative leadership to create a more equitable region. CFSJ works with South Jersey philanthropists, local nonprofits, and neighbors to build capital, contribute assets, and create permanent endowments for impact in perpetuity.

By aligning donor interests and using the investment earnings on each of its endowed funds, CFSJ makes grants and builds leadership within the community to create thriving, equitable, and livable communities for all.

Currently, CFSJ manages assets of more than $23 million. CFSJ has issued more than $9 million in nonprofit grants and scholarships. Learn more about CFSJ at www.CommunityFoundationSJ.org.