September 8, 2015
The Community Foundation of New Jersey (CFNJ) today announced that it will honor Jasmine Moreano of Paterson as one of the state’s four Young Changemakers.
Moreano is the director of community engagement for City Green, a Passaic County-based nonprofit organization that facilitates the creation of urban farms and gardens in northern New Jersey’s cities to create increased access to healthy, local food while cultivating education in food systems, nutrition and the environment.
CFNJ is honoring Moreano and three other Young Changemakers in recognition that many of the most innovative solutions to make our communities stronger are coming from new, young voices in New Jersey. CFNJ will present each Young Chamgemaker with a $2,500 prize at its 35th Anniversary celebration on September 17, 2015 in Morristown.
City Green manages two organic, urban farm sites – the half acre Learning Garden & Farm Eastside Park in Paterson and the 5 acre Learning Farm & Eco-Center in Clifton. All of the produce from City Green’s Farms is sold at their Farm Stands in Downtown Paterson, Downtown Passaic and Clifton and a mobile market that operates throughout the City of Paterson and at Senior Centers.
Moreano last year oversaw the sale of over 25,000 pounds of produce from City Green farm’s to their farm stand customers. About 40% of City Green’s customers participate in City Green’s “Eat Better Tonight” Farmers Market Incentive Program which doubles the value of their federal nutrition benefits such as WIC, SNAP and Senior Farmers’ Market Checks.
“Jasmine understands the importance of healthy, local food and how it can transform communities,” said Helen Mazarakis, a member of the CFNJ board and chair of its Public Awareness Committee, which selected the honorees. “Her hands-on implementation of new programs, like these urban farms and markets, are providing jobs and education to local youth and making northern New Jersey stronger.”
“As a young girl, I would walk home from school asking myself, ‘what can I do to make Paterson a better place to live?’” said Moreano. “I’m so grateful to know that my work has touched the lives of so many people and that the Community Foundation of New Jersey has recognized me with this great honor.”
About the Community Foundation of New Jersey
Established in 1979, the Community Foundation of New Jersey’s mission is to support charitable giving that is inspired by its fundholders, targeted at making communities stronger, driven by creative solutions, and effective in achieving lasting change. Through a combination of Legacy Funds and Donor Advised Funds, the foundation has granted an average of more than $30 million each year to charitable organizations and currently stewards over $320 million in charitable assets for current needs and future challenges.