AIC receives grant from the Community Foundation of South Jersey (CFSJ)’s COVID-19 Response Fund

By Anne Forline | June 3, 2020 | Originally published at the South Jersey Observer

Haddonfield, NJ: Twenty-Five nonprofits located throughout Southern New Jersey have been awarded $222,000 in funding as part of the Community Foundation of South Jersey (CFSJ)’s COVID-19 Response Fund. To date, $322,000 has been awarded from the Fund for organizations serving Atlantic, Burlington, Camden, Cape May, Cumberland, Gloucester, Ocean, and Salem Counties.

The South Jersey COVID-19 Response Fund is the only such effort focused solely on the eight-county Southern New Jersey region. It was established to deploy flexible grant dollars to nonprofits helping South Jersey neighbors affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

“The stories of these organizations adapting to meet the needs of their neighbors and communities under stressful conditions with limited resources are both inspiring and sobering,” said CFSJ Executive Director Andy Fraizer. “Our hope is that this funding

provides much-needed relief in their continued efforts to serve vulnerable individuals impacted by the health, social, and economic consequences of the pandemic.” Fraizer continued, “There is much work still to do. Our team is evaluating the next round of grants and while we have commitments and pledges totaling $1 million, grant requests now exceed $6 million.”

The Fund is providing grants in multiple areas based on three categories.

• Phase one: Triage – Support for organization meeting the immediate basic needs of our South Jersey neighbors.

• Phase two: Treatment – Support for organizations modifying their service delivery methods so South Jersey residents don’t lose access to critical health, human and social services.

• Phase three: Recovery – support for organizations that had to shut down operations, let go of staff, or lost income due to postponed & canceled events because of COVID-19. 

“This round of grants continues our commitment to partner with nonprofit partners making a difference on the front-lines,” said Wanda Hardy, Chairperson of the Foundation’s Community Leadership and Engagement Committee. “The generous outpouring of support received from donors, large and small, is a heartwarming sign of hope. Our South Jersey community cares.”

For more details on making donations, funding priorities, and how to apply, please visit southjerseyresponsefund.org. 

GRANT AWARD DESCRIPTIONS

Allies in Caring – Hammonton

Allies in Caring is providing critical culturally affirmative & linguistically appropriate behavioral & mental health services virtually to South Jersey families & youth.

Bancroft Neurohealth – Cherry Hill

Bancroft is purchasing personal protective equipment so staff can attend to the feeding & socialization needs of low-income children & adults living with disabilities in their residential programs throughout South Jersey.

Big Brothers and Big Sisters of Cumberland & Salem Counties – Vineland

Big Brothers & Big Sisters of Cumberland & Salem Counties is adapting to match & train mentors virtually, so they can provide mentoring activities remotely.

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Atlantic & Cape May Counties – Northfield

Big Brothers & Big Sisters of Cumberland & Salem Counties is adapting to match & train mentors virtually, so they can provide mentoring activities remotely.

Boys & Girls Club Camden County – Camden

Boys & Girls Club of Camden County is expanding virtual academic enrichment, tutoring, mentoring, job training, and social recreation activities, as well as delivering education supplies and food.

Boys & Girls Club of Atlantic City– Atlantic City

Boys & Girls Club of Atlantic City is expanding virtual academic enrichment, tutoring, mentoring, job training, and social recreation activities, as well as delivering education supplies and food.

Cathedral Kitchen – Camden

Cathedral Kitchen is preparing to deliver weekly meals, food, and personal hygiene items to partners throughout Camden & Pennsauken.

Emmanuel Cancer Foundation Southern Regional Center – Woodbury Heights

Emmanuel Cancer Foundation is providing services to South Jersey families facing pediatric cancer. Service includes case management, counseling, and emergency assistance for food & utilities.

Greater Woodbury Cooperative Ministries – Woodbury

Greater Woodbury Cooperative Ministries will purchase food, including fresh fruits, vegetables, and other staple items to supplement food received from the Food Bank of South Jersey.

Inspira Health Foundation – Vineland

Inspira Health is providing emergency financial support to employees facing unexpected expenses as a result of COVID-19 exposure, subsidizing elder care & child care for employees who are needed in the hospitals and providing additional compensation for health workers in high demand who have made themselves available to address the surge of patients.

Interfaith Caregivers – Haddonfield

Interfaith Caregivers is supporting the implementation of a “shop for” model that allows clients to receive food & prescriptions, as well as receive social phone calls.

Jersey Cape Diagnostic – Cape May Court House

Jersey Cape Diagnostic is expanding its distance-learning curriculum and virtual job training offerings to clients throughout Cape May County.

Jewish Family & Children’s Service of Southern NJ – Cherry Hill

Jewish Family & Children’s Services is purchasing food, gift cards, and providing transportation to medical appointments for Burlington, Camden & Gloucester County clients.

Joseph’s House of Camden – Camden

Joseph’s House of Camden is meeting the basic needs of its Camden County clients, including personal hygiene assistance, food, and access to human services including securing personal identification, public benefits, mental health & addiction counseling, and veterans services.

Koinonia Family Life – Camden

A partner of the Food Bank of South Jersey, Koinonia Family Life is procuring equipment necessary to transition their food distribution families in Camden to a grab & go model.

Lakewood Resource & Referral Center – Lakewood

Lakewood Resource & Referral Center is providing information, referrals, and assistance to Ocean County neighbors applying for temporary disability insurance, family leave insurance, unemployment, SNAP, and government-subsidized health insurance.

Legacy Treatment Services – Hainesport

Legacy Treatment Services is purchasing food for youth residing in group homes, personal protective equipment for staff when in-person support is unavoidable, and equipment to expand telehealth functions for clients throughout South Jersey.

Praise Tabernacle – Egg Harbor Township

Praise Tabernacle (a partner of the Community Food Bank of New Jersey), is purchasing additional food and clothing for underserved families and homeless neighbors throughout Atlantic & Cape May counties.

Puerto Rican Action Committee of Southern NJ – Vineland

Puerto Rican Action Committee is providing case management, information, referrals, and assistance to South Jersey neighbors applying for unemployment insurance benefits, SNAP, government-subsidized health insurance, and to purchase personal protective equipment for staff when in-person support is unavoidable. 

Ronald McDonald House of Southern NJ – Camden

Ronald McDonald House is continuing to offer meals, laundry, and a place to stay for families of seriously ill and traumatically injured children receiving care throughout South Jersey.

Southern Ocean Medical Center – Wall Township

Southern Ocean Medical Center is purchasing personal protective equipment, food, and hotel vouchers for South Jersey frontline health care staff who have been exposed to COVID-19. 

Special Children’s Center – Lakewood

Special Children’s Center is providing virtual case management & mentoring activities, as well as delivering toys & supplies to bring comfort to youth and their families throughout Ocean County.

St. John of God Community Services – Westville Grove

St. John of God Community Services is restocking their food pantry and providing counseling to low-income families throughout South Jersey.

Vineland Soup Kitchen – Vineland

Vineland Soup Kitchen (a partner of the Community Food Bank of New Jersey), is providing food, personal care items, and personal protection items to low-income, food-insecure and homeless neighbors throughout Cumberland County.

Volunteers in Medicine – Egg Harbor Township

Volunteers in Medicine is transitioning to a telehealth model to provide primary care, specialist & prescription assistance. The organization is also purchasing durable goods to facilitate the management of chronic diseases and gift cards to offset the costs of prescriptions and food.

Community Foundation of South JerseyThe Community Foundation of South Jersey (CFSJ) envisions an eight-county region thriving where all neighbors aspire, succeed, participate, and give. The vision is realized as CFSJ inspires generosity, manages and deploys permanent charitable assets, and exercises collaborative leadership to create a more equitable region. CFSJ works with South Jersey philanthropists, local nonprofits, and neighbors to build capital, contribute assets, and create permanent endowments for impact in perpetuity. By aligning donor interests and using the investment earnings on each of its endowed funds, CFSJ makes grants and builds leadership within the community to create thriving, equitable, and livable communities for all. Currently, CFSJ manages assets of more than $23 million. CFSJ has issued more than $9 million in nonprofit grants and scholarships. Learn more about CFSJ at CommunityFoundationSJ.org.

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