2023 Grant Recipients
Meet our 2023 grant recipients! Each organization was nominated to receive a grant by one of our eleven community-based Nominators. A Team of Selectors then reviewed all nominations. Learn more about our trust-based process here. Read on for more information about each recipient.
Heart of Hannah Women’s Center, Inc.
Passiac County | $10,000
This organization in Paterson, which began its programs in 2003, provides coordination of health care and housing needs as well as social and life skills programs to strengthen women on their journey toward employment and self-sufficiency. Heart of Hannah believes that homelessness can be combated through advocacy, by giving their clients an opportunity to hear and respond to positive communications and by affording them the resources to grow and become an active member of society.
Nassan’s Place
Essex County | $10,000
New Jersey now has the third highest rate of Autism in the nation (CDC statistics). This organization’s mission is to provide accessible and affordable educational and recreational programs for children with Autism Spectrum Disorder in low- and moderate-income families, living in and around under-served inner-city communities. Nassan’s Place was founded by the mother of an autistic child, Nassan, so other parents wouldn’t have to struggle to find affordable programs and services as she did.
Plainfield Community Outreach
Union County | $10,000
This organization provides education, nutrition and family development resources and services to the people of Plainfield through summer camps, an afterschool program, and ESL for adults of all ages. They also operate Grace’s Kitchen, where volunteers help prepare and serve hot, nutritious lunches to the hungry in the greater Plainfield community during the last five days of every month, when many of them find themselves without sufficient funds to buy food.
Leadership Newark
Essex County | $7,500
Believing that leadership is the foundation for strong communities on all levels, this organization seeks to be a catalyst for social justice while engaging, empowering, connecting, and improving a network of community and civic leaders. Their flagship program is the Public Policy Fellowship, a two-year program that for 25 years has been attracting diverse, active, and committed professionals and assisting them to expand their knowledge and delve deeper into public discourse.
The Gem Project
Essex County | $7,500
This organization’s mission is to boost high school to college student engagement and improve on-time graduation rates through youth organizing, peer-based mentoring, employment and service-learning initiatives that take on a social justice approach. Since its inception in 2006, The Gem Project has impacted the lives of over 2000 youth and young adults. Their programs provide youth and young adults with financial awards/scholarships, employment, and a supportive cohort community. They have also been able to provide student travel opportunities and free test preparation.
SHE Wins
Essex County | $6,000
This organization provides leadership, career readiness, and other types of training for middle- and high-school girls who have been the victims of violence in their community. A trauma-informed program, SHE Wins combines social and emotional learning with rigorous college and career readiness training. The flagship initiative is a six-week summer leadership development program. The end goal is to create a community of young women leaders from Newark equipped with the tools and resources to help be agents of positive change.
Daraja of Love
Essex County | $5,000