Essex County, NJ, May 7, 2024 — Impact100 Essex, a giving circle founded and funded by women in Essex County, awarded its annual $100,000 Impact Grant to Newark Emergency Services for Families (NESF). The announcement was made at the organization’s annual meeting on April 30th. Now in its 7th year, Impact100 Essex provides transformative grants to nonprofits serving underrepresented communities in Essex County.
For over 40 years Newark Emergency Services for Families has been serving the Greater Essex County Community. The $100,000 grant from Impact100 Essex will be used to expand NESF’s Drop-In Center for the homeless and working poor by moving its soup kitchen and dining room into a new space to accommodate the vast increase in residents in need of assistance through hot meals, groceries, counseling and case management.
Amina Bey, Executive Director of NESF, reacted to receiving the grant commenting, “We are grateful to have thoughtful and intentional community-based partners like Impact100 Essex to stand in the gap with us and help us in the fight against hunger and food insecurity in our community. There is an African proverb that states, ‘If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.’ We thank all of the members of Impact100 Essex for helping NESF to go far, together”.
Helen Mazarakis, Co-Chair of Impact100 Essex, said, “Every year we are overwhelmed by the organizations in our community doing such amazing work. NESF is filling a critical gap.” Added Jill Edinburg, Impact100 Essex Grants Co-Chair, “NESF has an impressive track record of providing a myriad of critical services to people in crisis and we’re confident this grant will allow them to stabilize and empower many more.”
Newark Emergency Services for Families was chosen from among four finalists by Impact100 Essex members. The other finalists for this year’s Impact Grant were Jewish Vocational Service of MetroWest, Perinatal Health Equity Initiative and Trust for Public Land. These three organizations will receive grants of $10,000 each.
Impact100 Essex Co-Chair Sunita Chaudhuri said, “Since our founding in 2017 we are so honored to have put over $1 million dollars into the Essex County community, supporting the work of amazing organizations like NESF and our other finalists.”
Impact100 Essex is open to new members. The organization enables members to amplify their philanthropic giving and learn about nonprofits in their own community. Impact100 Essex grants are funded by gifts of $1,100 per member, per year. The organization awards a $100,000 Impact Grant each year, three Equity Grants and several smaller grants. For more information, visit www.impact100essex.org.