The Healthcare Foundation of NJ Announces $2,417,304 in Third Quarter Giving

“HFNJ seeks to support the long-term success of our grantees and their projects, so that innovative projects are able to grow roots and flourish,” said Michael Schmidt, Executive Director/CEO of The Healthcare Foundation of NJ. “This quarter, we are gratified to support the continued expansion and success of many of our grantees’ existing projects.”

The largest grant of the quarter is a $355,564 award to the Newark Community Street Team to continue support of the Trauma Recovery Center. In the first year of the project, the Trauma Recovery Center provided critical mental health support to 258 victims of violence and their families―with patients typically seen within 48 hours of contacting the Center. 90% of clients completed 16 or 32 weeks of therapy, and demonstrated significant reductions in trauma symptoms.

An innovative new project funded this cycle―the only grant that was not a renewal of a previously-funded project―is a $125,340 grant to the Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy Association to launch the All Hearts Collaborative in Newark. The All Hearts Collaborative will bring together faith communities and other organizations in Newark’s South Ward to reduce cardiac healthcare disparities affecting Black and other urban Americans through a public outreach campaign providing education and referrals.

Throughout 2024, projects addressing behavioral health needs (mental health and substance use) represented the majority of HFNJ’s focus. The Bridge / Imani Center will receive $170,860 to support the second year of a program to stem substance use among students at Irvington High School. Two Jewish community organizations―Golda Och Academy and NJ Y Camps – will receive third-year renewals of projects that funded staff positions to provide greater mental health and wellness support to students and campers, respectively. Both institutions reported that the new staff members have been integral at leading a cultural change lessening stigma around mental health. Family Service League will receive $80,656 to provide culturally-informed mental health counseling to victims of domestic violence and others in need.

Several projects address the distinct healthcare needs of specific populations. Rutgers School of Dental Medicine will receive $230,000 to support a third year of the Vet Smiles program, which provides free dental care to veterans who are otherwise not eligible to receive oral health care through the VA system.  Part of this grant will also fund a patient navigator to assist Holocaust survivors in navigating the complex oral healthcare system. Bridges Outreach will receive $100,000 to continue Project Connect, which provides year-round street outreach to individuals experiencing homelessness in Newark and links them to health and housing resources. Make the Road NJ was awarded $125,000 to extend a project providing support groups and mental health resources for Spanish-speaking immigrant communities in Elizabeth and Newark, with a focus on new arrivals.

The full list of the grants awarded in the first quarter of 2024 is as follows: