Opinion

Opinion: N.J. should learn from Kalief Browder’s death how to handle juveniles in criminal justice system

June 13, 2015 In a forceful op-ed in the Star-Ledger, our friend and partner Laura Cohen, of the Rutgers Post-Disposition Advocacy Project, makes the case for reforming New Jersey’s juvenile justice system. She calls the suicide of Kalief Browder – who was held at Riker’s Island for three years (two in solitary confinement) without being charged with a crime – “a knife in society’s gut, because, at each point along his tortuous path, through the system, harmful, antiquated and easily-fixed policies contributed to his demise.”…

On Giving Tuesday, Take Time to Think

November 28, 2014 Hans Dekker The Thanksgiving leftovers hardly have time to cool before Americans turn their attention to the rapid succession of days that kick off the holiday season. On Black Friday, we shop for bargains. On Small Business Saturday, we shop close to home.…

This Thanksgiving, Celebrate Charity

November 26, 2014 With the grocery shopping done and the turkey just hours from the oven, now is when many New Jerseyans pause to reflect on the things in their lives for which they are thankful. Good health usually tops the list, as well as happiness, time spent with family, and personal or professional growth.…

Get the Facts on the Open Space Ballot Question

September 24, 2014 In this year’s November 4th election  – SAVE THE DATE! – New Jersey voters will get to decide whether four percent of the money collected from New Jersey’s corporate business tax will go to preserve open space. Our friends at New Jersey’s Keep it Green campaign have developed the below Q&A to help voters understand the question and its ramifications. …

What issues should you think about when structuring a bequest?

July 15, 2014 Many people ask the Community Foundation to help them build their charitable legacies. For those wishing to structure a bequest or other type of fund meant to last for generations, we offer a host of options and steward their legacies in line with their philanthropic intent.…

Author Argues Against Juvenile Incarceration

June 9, 2014 If it costs $88,000 per year to incarcerate one young person for one year, it’s worth asking the question, “what’s the return on investment?”  The question is one of many author Nell Bernstein asks – and attempts to answer – in her new book, Burning Down the House: The End of Juvenile Prison.…

New York Times: Solitary Confinement Needs to Go

June 9, 2014 The New York Times editorial board this week argues that “solitary confinement […] is especially damaging for children” and solitary policies must change to as to “humaniz[e] juvenile detention.”  Scroll down for the full editorial and be sure to click here for more on what the Community Foundation’s donors are doing to reform New Jersey’s juvenile justice system (and how you can help).…

Rebuilding the Coastline, But at What Cost?

May 22, 2013 The New York Times this week takes a close look at the costs of rebuilding after Hurricane Sandy, particularly in areas that continue to present serious risks.  As one environmental expert explains, the marshes upon which many of the destroyed homes now sit continue to shrink – making rebuilding on them potentially (or particularly) unwise.…