COVID-19 Ways to Give

All across New Jersey, our fundholders, clients, and other partners are using their own philanthropy to make a meaningful difference in responding to the COVID-19 pandemic. We will utilize this page as a frequently-updated collection of these ideas and projects, and encourage you to share your own work. Please contact Margarethe Laurenzi at mlaurenzi@cfnj.org.

 

  • Chabad of SE Morris County’s Caring for the Elderly Initiative includes ongoing visits and food deliveries to the elderly isolated in low income housing complexes, a Thanksgiving Dinners for the Homebound project, ongoing nursing home visitations, senior discussion groups, end of life and bereavement counseling and so much more, reaching hundreds of homebound seniors on a regular basis through committed staff and teams of volunteers. The COVID pandemic has increased their efforts dramatically, with their staff constantly in touch with local seniors and low income housing complexes, and thousands of meals, cookies and quarts of soup being distributed regularly to those who are struggling with loneliness, isolation and food insecurity.

 

  • Catholic Charities, Diocese of Trenton’s El Centro program offers a Family Resource Center that serves Mercer County’s Latino population. The Trenton-based center is a multi-service, family-strengthening, community-building hub now in its 21st year of serving Greater Trenton. El Centro’s services include: information, referrals and advocacy; individual and family counseling; women’s and men’s support groups; Alcoholics Anonymous recovery group; marriage education; experienced, Department of Justice (DOJ)-accredited immigration services; job coaching; parenting classes; citizenship classes; ESL classes; computer classes; adult basic education; youth program; educational seminars; clothing bank; and food assistance and referral. To support El Centro, donate online here: https://www.catholiccharitiestrenton.org/givingtuesday/ To designate your donation for El Centro, choose “programs that benefit children and families’ with a notation for El Centro. Donations made by check to Catholic Charities should designate El Centro in the memo line and be mailed to Catholic Charities, Diocese of Trenton at 383 W. State St., P.O. Box 1423, Trenton, NJ 08607.

 

  • United Network for Organ Sharing is closely monitoring the developments and public health recommendations regarding the prevention and treatment of COVID-19. They’ve created a dedicated COVID-19 page for transplant patients and caregivers complete with a FAQ section, webinars and other resources. Please visit and share: https://bit.ly/3beS1bX

 

  • The Foundation for Morristown Medical Center has set up a COVID-19 Support Fund for donations to support Morristown Medical Center’s efforts to treat patients affected by the 2019 Novel Coronavirus, known as COVID-19. Donor contributions are being used to purchase additional equipment necessary for critical care patients and for other critical health needs associated with the COVID-19 crisis response.

 

  • In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Project U.S.E. has developed plans to offer alternative programming for its outdoor and experiential education programs. This virtual programming and facilitation will allow Project U.S.E. to engage its youth participants with the goal of helping them with social-emotional and mental health challenges such as anxiety, depression, isolation, and grief. Project U.S.E. is currently working with its partners to offer this programming to students, and also planning for the possibility of continuing virtual programming in the Fall by training staff, developing additional virtual program options, and coordinating with school and community partners to gauge their needs. They are also planning to offer limited, adjusted in-person outdoor and experiential programming this Summer and Fall, dependent on the current public health situation and guidelines for COVID-19. Project U.S.E. staff has worked to plan and update their programming, operations, and risk management plans to be able to be confident that they will be able to run safe, effective programs using outdoor activities and experiential education as a way to help the youth they serve process their experience during the pandemic and reconnect with a supportive community.

 

  • The COVID-19 shelter-in-place order puts domestic violence victims at greater physical risk and creates barriers to their ability to secure final restraining orders (FROs). The courts are open for virtual final restraining order (FRO) hearings using Zoom, and Partners for Women and Justice staff and volunteer attorneys are continuing to advocate for domestic violence victims, many of whom are disadvantaged by the new court requirement to participate in Zoom FRO hearings. Some of the most concerning challenges that disproportionately impact low-income domestic violence victims include: Limited or no access to the internet, computers, or smart phones; the presence of children at home who cannot be left unattended and would likely overhear the proceedings; risk to victims as virtual screens provide location indicators and sensitive evidence that could be broadcast; inability to ensure that witnesses are separated and are not reviewing inadmissible material while testifying; difficulty in viewing evidence presented digitally on a small screen. To support this critical work, go to https://pfwj.org/

 

  • Table to Table is a community-based food rescue program that collects fresh, healthy food that would otherwise be wasted and deliver it, free of charge, to organizations that serve hungry people in Bergen, Hudson, Essex and Passaic counties. Table to Table’s strengths are its flexible logistics capabilities and trusted community partnerships that enable the organization to be efficient and effective. Through this crisis with so many supply chains disrupted, Table to Table has shifted to partner with many new connections and found unique ways to bring the food it collects to those who are hungry.  This pivot includes local municipalities, Fire Departments, YMCA’s and so many others who have also stepped up to fill the gaps with volunteers and new distribution sites. With Table to Table’s fundraising events cancelled, the group seeks support to keep its refrigerated trucks and drivers on the road and responsive to the daily changes in where and how it can share donated food. For more information, see https://tabletotable.org/

 

  • Newark Working Kitchens delivers nutritious meals safely to one of the cities hit hardest by the COVID-19 pandemic. Newark’s most vulnerable populations deserve safe and consistent access to healthy food. By purchasing at least 200 meals per day from each participating neighborhood restaurant, NWK puts cooks, servers and delivery staff back to work and creates a more sustainable model for Newark’s recovery. Audible has committed to serving 100,000 meals to Newark residents. Your donation today will serve more meals and turn the lights back on in more restaurants. Click here to donate.

 

  • Isles develops innovative ways to build local self-reliance and community health.  Based in Greater Trenton, Isles rebuilds homes, community gardens and parks, operates an alternative school for high school dropouts, trains city residents and contractors in green and energy efficient jobs, offers housing counseling and financial coaching, tests and eliminates lead and other toxins in homes, and more. In response to the pandemic, Isles is delivering food, staff-made masks, school supplies, and healthy homes supplies (including non-toxic cleaning supplies and instructions) to students, families, and customers. Isles uses “google classroom” to keep students engaged and on track, offers virtual financial coaching and garden support training, safely provides seedlings and support to gardeners, maps the locations of food banks, and more.  Isles also works with other nonprofits to develop crisis and post-COVID responses to community threats. Visit https://isles.org/responds to learn more and support their work.

 

  • The Urban League of Essex County is a leading social service agency working on the frontlines of the fight against COVID-19. For more than 100 years, the Urban League has had a proven track record of standing up for social justice, strengthening the business community and providing Essex County residents with opportunities to achieve financial independence. Right now, its mission is more critical than ever: The League is working around the clock to provide educational support to students struggling with distance learning, housing assistance to families facing eviction, and food for seniors isolated during quarantine. Programs for workforce readiness and financial empowerment are in higher demand than ever before as tens of thousands in the region face mass layoffs. The League is actively seeking new partnerships to expand its capacity to build a prosperous and equitable future for Essex County in the face of the pandemic and beyond.

 

  • During the COVID-19 pandemic, CATA – The Farmworkers’ Support Committee has been working to remain connected with the Latino immigrant community throughout Southern New Jersey – many of whom are essential workers in agriculture and food processing. CATA has worked to compile and translate crucial information on community services into Spanish for distribution and which is also located on their website at www.cata-farmworkers.org. They have also been a source of information on the rights for health and safety of workers who continue to work during the pandemic, and in May will be delivering information and masks/bandanas to New Jersey’s migrant farmworker community. Recognizing the economic impact of illness, unemployment and reduced working hours on a large population of immigrants ineligible for federal assistance, CATA also created and is administering the South Jersey Undocumented Solidarity Fund to provide economic assistance to this population.

 

  • The Interfaith Food Pantry of the Oranges (IFPO) continues to work extensively to serve neighbors as the situation related to COVID-19/Coronavirus continues to unfold. Although our usual physical space is still closed, the IFPO is opening up a temporary satellite hub in Orange to be able to receive and pack food, produce and diapers. IFPO continues to work closely with the CFBNJ to bring perishable and nonperishable food to the City of Orange and City of East Orange for their direct distribution to residents in need. The IFPO continues to serve current clients and those now newly in need of our help with the support of volunteers who are doing contactless deliveries of food, produce, diapers and Diabetes boxes in Orange and East Orange. IFPO’s website: https://www.orangesfoodpantry.org has continually updated information for clients and those in need whenever we become aware of other food sources. IFPO can also answer questions on its phone line.

 

  • Due to the COVID-19 the Prince Street facilities of the Greater Newark Conservancy were closed to the public starting in mid-March. GNC has invested in computer upgrades and connection technology to make sure the staff can continue their work remotely. While GNC has had to put on-site programs temporarily on hold, they’ve pivoted for the times and have not laid off any staff during this period. The Conservancy’s major collaborative initiative, the Emergency Food Distribution System for Newark seniors and families, is currently distributing 1,400 bags of fresh produce weekly—and soon will be at 2,000 bags weekly! Deemed an essential service, the GNC team is busy planting to ensure a bountiful harvest for community members and has given out hundreds of seeds and seedlings to those who want to grow their own food. With enhanced safety protocols in place, the Conservancy team has welcomed small groups of community gardeners to the farm to tend their garden plots. GNC educators are sharing helpful, fun, and informative videos and lessons plans as resources for parents and educators on our website and on social media. For more information or to make a donation please visit: www.citybloom.org. Support will help GNC to continue operations during COVID-19 and beyond!

 

  • Meeting Essential Needs With Dignity (MEND) is an interfaith hunger relief network of 20 food pantries located throughout Essex County, NJ. The MEND network includes nine pantries in Newark, four in East Orange, and the remaining seven in Bloomfield, Irvington, Maplewood, Montclair, Orange, South Orange, and West Orange. MEND works to alleviate hunger by providing fresh and healthy food, funds, volunteers, and a collaborative forum for its member pantries, so that they may share ideas and resources, and make a greater impact on the communities they serve. Currently, 13 of the 20 pantries remain open (with adjustments to their traditional operations to continue to safely serve their patrons). In response to the COVID-19 health crisis, MEND is hosting weekly calls with food pantry managers to identify their needs and concerns, and is responding to requests for help from both the pantries, and other local organizations, by sourcing, packing and delivering supplemental food and other essentials through a combination of purchasing, online, and volunteer-led “doorstep” community drives, and by connecting and collaborating with other local organizations and community and town leaders to ensure a strategic and steady supply of resources.

 

  • Preschool Advantage strives to level the playing field between children whose families can afford to send them to preschool and those who cannot, so that all children in our community begin kindergarten with the tools they need to learn and thrive. Numerous studies demonstrate the profound impact a quality preschool education has on early childhood development. Without the educational foundation that preschool provides, students begin school at a huge disadvantage. We know that this setback will affect them for years to come, and will result in real costs for our community. During the crises, we are working remotely. We have retooled our application and placement process to ensure that we continue to thoroughly vet applications while continuing to move forward. We have already agreed to fund 82 students for the next school year. We are maintaining our goal of funding at least 100, as we know the need for our help has grown exponentially as a result of the economic impact on families. Many of these families are on the front line right now, providing critical medical care and other essential services. We are in the process of cancelling our golf event in June, which was projected to provide funding for 22 students, so we are seeking alternatives sources to fill that gap. For more information, visit www.preschooladvantage.org.

 

  • Roots & Wings in Roots & Wings in Denville provides safe housing, educational support, case management, counseling and life skills to young people who aged out of the foster care system in New Jersey to empower them to become self-sufficient members of their communities. During the Pandemic, Roots & Wings Staff are working remotely and continue to receive full salaries, using technology to meet with clients, make daily assessments, and monitor and manage the stress of the situation. R&W staff is distributing essential supplies to clients including food and supplies, and has educated clients about the ways to prevent transmission, the signs/symptoms of the virus and how to contact staff with any concerns. All clients were asked to sign-up for Telemedicine Services with Atlantic Health Systems. Personal “check ins” continue on a weekly basis and students are working to complete required assignments and classes on-line with a renewed focus. Case managers are working with clients to register for new classes, build resumes and cover letters for job interviews, and on-line courses like Microsoft Office Training are being offered. The organization has had to cancel two important fundraising events that places substantial revenue at risk. To learn more go to https://rootsandwingsnj.org/.

 

  • As a healthy food access organization with 2 farms, City Green is in a unique position to help vulnerable communities. In this time of crisis, City Green has increased our vegetable production at both farm properties in order to provide increased fresh food donations to our partner food pantries in Passaic, Essex, and Morris counties, as well as expand produce available through our farm stand and mobile markets in low-income urban communities this season. City Green is also increasing financial support to our statewide Garden State Good Food Network farmers market fruit and vegetable incentive program partners for SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) and WIC (Women, Infant, and Children) beneficiaries. When SNAP and WIC recipients shop at one of 20 participating farmers’ markets, they receive a dollar-for-dollar match to purchase even more fresh produce, which also provides additional income to local farmers. As pantries experience high demand alongside food shortages, and state estimates show over 200,000 households will receive emergency SNAP benefits due to the pandemic, City Green is doing our part to provide increased access to affordable, local, healthy food to those who need it the most.

 

  • CUMAC, the largest anti-hunger organization in Passaic County, has continued its mission of providing groceries (including fruits, vegetables, bread, eggs, and milk, etc.) to individuals and families throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. CUMAC has also shifted its operational capabilities and resources to focus solely on food rescue, food sourcing, disaster relief for individuals and families, and disaster relief for fellow nonprofits, community partners, and the city of Paterson. Additionally, in partnership with 5 other Paterson-based organizations, CUMAC has created a collaborative social safety net that will provide delivery of groceries to home-bound families and individuals as well as create key food distribution points for vulnerable populations. This multi-pronged effort will provide food for hundreds of families in Paterson, Passaic, and Passaic County and allow them to effectively shelter in place to help reduce the community spread of COVID-19 in Passaic County.

 

  • Jewish Family Service of MetroWest has pivoted to a new normal, providing gift cards to clients suffering from food insecurity and baby supplies to families in need. As a provider of mental health services, Jewish Family Service has moved to telehealth sessions for clients and has had hundreds of unique client contacts – checking in by phone, email or a session – and needs more laptops for its counselors. The agency also needs more PPE for its staff. JFS volunteers have shopped for over 20 older adults and delivered the food to their homes. The agency paid for part of funeral costs for one of its Holocaust survivors who succumbed to COVID-19, the first of its survivors to pass from this disease, and have been working with clients throughout the agency who have begun experiencing COVID-19 related losses. Agency staff have had the experience of hearing older isolated adults crying over the phone when they realize they have not been forgotten, and they are going to receive a meal. JFS offers multiple support groups, and is still learning what the community needs. Longer term, JFS will need financial support to provide clients with rent and utility assistance, funds for emergency shelter for its domestic violence clients, as well funds to replace lost income from its annual gala, which has been canceled.

 

  • Move For Hunger is working hard to respond to the growing needs created by this pandemic. Although they are a national organization, its entire 12 person team is based in New Jersey. They anticipate losing at least 1/3 of their funding this year due to the cancellation of fundraisers, events, and corporate partners tightening their belts. Just over the weekend, Move for Hunger helped deliver more than 100,000 meals to food banks across the country. They also have a number of large opportunities in the pipeline to support New Jersey food banks and pantries as well. You can see a few of the stories they’ve captured here.

 

  • The mission of United Way of Greater Union County is to improve lives and build strong communities by uniting individuals and organizations with will, passion, expertise, and resources needed to solve their problems. As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, UWGUC recognized an increased need for access to healthy foods across the county. To address this issue, UWGUC has collaborated with city officials and nonprofits throughout the community to deliver meals and fresh produce. Additionally, UWGUC has established the COVID-19 Emergency Fund to aid residents who face a financial crisis due to the pandemic. This fund will directly assist those who are now unemployed, did not have resources or resources to weather the crisis, or incurred debt related to COVID-19. Click here to learn more.

 

  • The Newark School of the Arts (NSA) is a community arts education organization serving people of all ages in the visual and performing arts. Like all organizations in Newark, the school halted operations indefinitely March 14, 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the only time in the past 52 years the school has not been able to serve its community. NSA’s faculty rallied and quickly pivoted to using technology to deliver some of the school’s services, however it is not enough for NSA to remain financially viable during this health emergency and to equitably serve its community. Most NSA students come from low-income households and over 70% receive financial aid to attend. Unlike most other non-profits of this type, 65% of the School’s income comes from grants from foundations, corporations, the NJSCA, and the rest from tuition, contracted income and other sources. Many of the parents of NSA students have been laid off and have lost wages. The School is developing a plan to re-open when it is safe, but anticipates over $100,000 in deferred and other costs when it restarts. In the interim, NSA is striving to continue its service to the community, albeit remotely, and to employ and pay staff and faculty. Click here for more information.

 

  • To support the New Brunswick community and its nonprofit partners during the COVID-19 crisis, New Brunswick Tomorrow has launched the New Brunswick Community Response Fund, along with its partners – The City of New Brunswick, New Brunswick Public Schools, Catholic Charities Diocese of Metuchen, Civic League of New Brunswick, and MCFOODS. NBT established the New Brunswick Community Response Fund to collect donations and distribute funds. All donations received will be used to fight the social and economic impact of COVID-19 on New Brunswick’s most vulnerable, supporting frontline, boots-on-the-ground organizations that provide essential services to its neighbors. Go to www.nbtomorrow.org/donate to contribute.

 

  • The Morris County Office of Hispanic Affairs (MCOHA) – CFNJ has had a long history with this organization, which provides a host of services to recent immigrants and new citizens who require assistance with immigration and naturalization, home energy assistance, senior support and other services. Because of the shutdown, MCOHA cannot provide the community services for which it normally receives fees. Xiomara Guevara, Esq., executive director, is nonetheless working round the clock with her small team to pivot and provide highly vulnerable people including undocumented and now unemployed residents with support. Funding would help her pay employees to stay on, with or without state and county service reimbursements.

 

  • Zufall Health Centers – Federally qualified health centers are at the eye of the storm with this outbreak, providing health and dental care to some of our poorest and sickest residents. Zufall operates eight centers in four counties in the state, and Eva Turbiner, president (and a CFNJ board member) has described the situation facing her medical professionals as dire, as they work with insufficient personal protective equipment to treat patients. Zufall is continuing to treat patients of all ages, and provides care for many patients who have no primary health provider of record. Click here to make a critical donation to Zufall Health’s Community Health Centers.

 

  • Make The Road NJ – MRNJ works in Elizabeth with largely undocumented youth and families, and has pivoted from a range of immigration and advocacy programs to help families scared about the outbreak and its impact. Among other activities, MRNJ has set up an emergency Spanish language hotline on health access call center to field questions and direct residents to services; created a series of Spanish language know your rights materials on COVID-19, including a daily briefing for community members; is hosting twice-daily social media livestreams to inform residents to more than 15,000 people; holding digital DACA renewal clinics for dreamers; hosting virtual Census 2020 kiosks to help individuals sign up, and providing online peer to peer college access planning programs for Elizabeth high school students. They require additional funds to support these expanded services.

 

  • Partnership for Maternal and Child Health – Based in Newark, PMCH is the lead planning agency for maternal and child health services in Northern NJ. The Partnership coordinates care for patients, while also conducting advocacy, outreach and education. Right now, all of their health professionals meeting with patients have had to switch to a telemedicine model, trying to reach their clients who are mostly poor women and many of whom may not have cell phone access. PMCH has incurred expenses to purchase smart phones for practitioners, and is also producing low-tech, high-reach video on YouTube to educate young people at home about their sexual and general health safety.

 

  • Bridges Outreach is the agency of record for Newark’s homelessness commission, and Department of Health & Community Wellness, working to secure this vulnerable population and halt the spread of the COVID-19 virus. Bridges is protecting its teams with gloves and masks for those workers in direct contact with clients; checking on people experiencing homelessness who are living on the streets, or in shelters; and sending staff out to do their 4-days a week runs around NYC, Newark and Irvington to try and encourage homeless folks to go to shelter. Newark is just about to institute a new rule seeking to keep homeless folks in shelters throughout the day, with additional programs and food to support their stays. Bridges has no volunteers working at present, meaning almost no incoming supplies of lunches and toiletry kits, and thus are having to purchase those materials.

 

  • Toni’s Kitchen provides food and services to community residents in and around Montclair and Bloomfield. In response to the COVID-19 outbreak, students in the public schools are beginning to receive food bags and fresh produce as they pick up their lunches, and Toni’s Kitchen and other partners are providing several hundred seniors with meals, healthy staples and fresh produce delivered to their homes or senior buildings. Regular soup kitchen patrons are receiving regular meals prepared as takeout, the pantry at Bloomfield College (with many first-generation students) has been restocked for students who remain in their on-campus dorms, and the group is seeing the first inquiries from families who have lost income.

 

  • BRICK (Building Resilient Intelligent Creative Kids) Education Network is a charter management organization in Newark, which operates four schools and invests in children and their caregivers together to address the barriers that hamper students’ success. BRICK is working closely with food distribution organizations during the COVID-19, when children are at home, to distribute food to children and families. Current board members are supporting costs of this food distribution, and BRICK could use additional assistance.

 

  • Morristown Meals on Wheels (MOW) delivers meals to shut-in, handicapped, or convalescing seniors who find it difficult or impossible to shop for or prepare their own meals. Seniors receive full course lunches and dinners, delivered every day at noon. These meals are freshly prepared at the Rehabilitation Institute of Morristown Memorial Hospital. MOW continues to deliver meals to the seniors even during the pandemic.

 

  • Cornerstone Family Programs provides a variety of services to children, teens, adults, veterans, and seniors. Some of these programs include preschool, afterschool, and summer programs that provided educational, social, and developmental resources for children. Although the Adult Day Centers are temporarily closed, they continue to do welfare checks on the seniors, provide activities, and support caregivers. They transitioned the Operation Sisterhood program to virtual support to ensure female veterans continue to be supported during these difficult times. For the Morristown Neighborhood House pre-school, school age, and recreation programs, they are providing home school materials, at-home activities, and support the parents. They have also transitioned the support of blind and visually impaired clients to virtual support by volunteers at Friends of the Blind.

 

  • Family Promise of Morris County provides shelter, overnight staffing, breakfast, lunch, and dinner to homeless families. Despite the COVID-19 situation, Family Promise of Morris County still provides 24/7 on call Licensed Social Work Staff and case management. While they have suspended the Shelter Congregational Program, they are serving the guests in that program by providing alternate safe housing and food. The staff continues to work with those in their own apartments and homes in the Housing Program. Outreach Programs have suspended Navigating Hope site visits, Single Stop community visits and all other in-person events, though interaction with guests via phone and email are still an active means of communication. The Promise Drop-In Resource Center will remain open 2 days per week on Tuesday and Thursday from 1pm – 3pm – to distribute mail and supplies as available.

 

  • Interfaith Food Pantry works to provide access to food through food distribution, a free farmers market, and a home delivery program. The Pantry also provides nutrition education and youth involvement programs. The COVID-19 pandemic has increased the demand for food and the Pantry is in need of food donations. The Pantry’s largest fundraiser was also cancelled and they have decided to launch an online auction on April 17 in lieu of the gala.

 

  • Nourish NJ provides services to tackle hunger, homelessness, and poverty through food distribution, housing, work readiness, medical, social, and educational services. Currently they are not providing sit-down meals and free farmer’s markets but are still providing free bagged lunches for pick-up on a daily basis.

 

  • Homeless Solutions provides meals and housing to the homeless while providing resources to rebuild their lives and become self-sufficient. In order to adhere to the social distancing requirement, the shelter moved their guests to a larger building with more space with help from Morris County and Morris Habitat for Humanity. All non-essential activities, including parties, babysitting, programs and training have been suspended indefinitely. Guests are being encouraged to stay in the shelter during the day. The shelter is struggling with volunteer presence since parents are now staying at home with their children; these volunteers would purchase or cook and serve food, so the demand for food has increased.

 

  • St. John’s Episcopal Church of Dover has been streaming their church services on a daily basis on Facebook. The church is also providing food pantry services and hygiene items, as well as diapers for babies and toddlers. Along with the food pantry, the church is also providing takeout meals after April 8th.

 

  • The Summit Area YMCA serves over 10,000 people from the towns of Berkeley Heights, Gillette, Millburn, Short Hills, New Providence, Springfield, Summit, and Stirling. From the YMCA: “With our current, limited staff and resources, as a not for profit charity, we are working hard to continue our family “backpack” program providing food, pantry and hygiene items for local families in need- in partnership with the Community Food Bank of NJ. We are also posting educational curriculum and special projects for children and families to stay engaged, as well as workout programs and tips to stay healthy, we continue our outreach by mail, email and phone to seniors and those who may be isolated, we donate all cleaning and PPE supplies we receive to our first responders and healthcare providers, and we have scheduled two, critical blood drives in the next two weeks. […] Support of the Summit Area YMCA will help us to continue these important initiatives, and will help us to bring back staff who are needed now more than ever as we continue our mission. We recently furloughed more than 95% of our team – approximately 525 people.”

 

  • Catholic Charities, Diocese of Paterson is continuing to help those in need in various capacities. The have set up a response page, which shares daily updates on their many programs, and information on how those in the community can get help. They have also set up a COVID-19 Relief Fund and are asking for donations of food and supplies. More on how you can help here.

 

  • The Community Foundation of South Jersey has established the South Jersey COVID-19 Response Fund to to pool resources to address both the short-term and long-term impact of COVID-19 in local boroughs, counties, and the South Jersey region as whole. CFSJ’s South Jersey COVID-19 Response Fund will support local 501(c)3 non-profit agencies as they adapt internally and programmatically to assist neighbors and continue to deliver on their missions during this turbulent time. To do so, CFSJ will award:
    • A limited number of one-time program support grants
    • Amount: minimum of $3,000 to 501(c)3 non-profit organizations providing critical services tied directly to the economic security of South Jersey residents
    • Organizations’ areas of operation: Atlantic, Burlington, Camden, Cape May, Cumberland, Gloucester, Ocean and Salem counties.

 

  • One of our fundholders is giving support to shore up the payroll account at Oasis, A Haven for Women & Children for the next three months. To consider something similar for a nonprofit that means a lot to you, contact Margarethe at 973-267-4987.

 

  • The United Way of Newark has established a COVID-19 Fund to support nonprofits in a regional fund serving our 13-municipality footprint including Newark, Irvington, East Orange, West Orange, South Orange, Orange, Belleville, Nutley, Maplewood, Kearny, Harrison, East Newark and North Arlington.

 

 

  • The Princeton Area Community Foundation has established a COVID-19 Relief & Recovery Fund to serve low-income children, families, seniors, and communities in its region.

 

  • The Community Foodbank of New Jersey is continuing distribution, strategizing in real time, and creating emergency meal kits. More on how you can help.