HFNJ Awards $2.19 Million in Grants and Core Operating Support in First Quarter of 2026

The largest grant, $400,000, was awarded to Clara Maass Medical Center to support the renovation of its cardiac catheterization laboratory. The grant will fund the purchase of a Philips Azurion 7 M20 FlexArm imaging system, a state-of-the-art platform that enables physicians to perform advanced cardiac and vascular procedures using real-time, high-resolution imaging. Clara Maass Medical Center is undertaking a $4.3 million renovation of the lab to ensure patients of the safety net hospital have access to the highest quality cardiac care in their community.

Additional first-quarter grants include:

• $300,000 to Northwest Essex Community Healthcare Network to support a second year of coordinated behavioral health services for vulnerable youth and their families. Funding will enable the hiring of an additional counselor to expand family counseling, education, and evidence-based care.
• $105,842 to Central Jersey Medical Center to support a school-based behavioral health case manager serving students and families at Shabazz High School and 13th Avenue School in Newark. The project builds upon the infrastructure of school-based health clinics in Newark which was pioneered with funding from HFNJ more than two decades ago.
• $85,000 in year three funding to Moving Traditions to continue its MetroWest wellness and inclusion training program for Jewish teen leaders, including training for student teaching assistants in Hebrew schools and counselors-in-training at summer camps.

The grant to Moving Traditions is part of HFNJ’s initiative launched in 2024 to strengthen behavioral health supports for adolescents in Greater MetroWest’s Jewish community. Over three years, the initiative has committed more than $1 million to organizations serving Jewish youth.

“These grants reflect our commitment to strengthening both healthcare infrastructure and community-based services,” said Michael Schmidt, Executive Director/CEO of HFNJ. “From expanding behavioral health support for young people to investing in advanced cardiac care, these partnerships help ensure our communities have access to the care they need close to home.”

In addition to these grants, HFNJ launched a special initiative allocating up to $1.5 million in unrestricted core operating support to trusted nonprofit partners across the region. In the first quarter of 2026, the Foundation awarded the first 13 of these grants of $100,000 each to organizations delivering essential services to families, seniors, and vulnerable populations. The flexible funding will allow nonprofit organizations to retain staff, respond quickly to emerging needs, and sustain critical services in times of uncertainty.

“At a time when many nonprofits face growing demand and limited resources, unrestricted support can make a profound difference,” said Amy Schechner, Board Chair of HFNJ. “These organizations are essential to the health and stability of our communities, and we are proud to stand with them as they continue their vital work.”

The full list of organizations receiving $100,000 each in unrestricted core operating support is as follows:

1. Family Connections
2. FP YouthOutCry Foundation
3. Ironbound Community Corporation
4. Jewish Family Service of Central NJ
5. Jewish Family Service of MetroWest NJ
6. Jewish Service for the Developmentally Disabled of MetroWest
7. New Jersey Citizen Action Education Fund
8. Newark Community Street Team
9. North Jersey Community Research Initiative (NJCRI)
10. The North Ward Center
11. Planned Parenthood of Metropolitan NJ
12. Wynona’s House
13. Youth Development Corporation