MetroWest Volunteers Pitch In with Conservancy for a Greener, Healthier Newark

The Jewish Federation of Greater MetroWest’s Center for Volunteerism helped coordinate two recent volunteer events to support the work of Greater Newark Conservancy. The volunteers came from Livingston, Westfield, Short Hills, Maplewood and South Orange.

Founded in 1987, the Conservancy’s mission is to promote environmental stewardship to improve the quality of life in New Jersey’s urban communities through environmental education, community gardening, beautification of neighborhoods, job training opportunities and environmental justice.

The first event had more than 25 volunteers planting and weeding at the Hawthorne Hawks Healthy Harvest (HHHH) Farm on Hawthorne Avenue in Newark’s South Ward. The second event, at a pocket garden in Newark’s Central Ward, included volunteers from MetroWest’s REX professionals group, made up of young real estate executives.

“I am a member of the Jewish Federation of MetroWest community and also proudly serve on the board of Greater Newark Conservancy,” noted Rachel Schwarz of Maplewood. “These two affiliations are naturally aligned in that both organizations believe in the Jewish code of “Tikun Olam” which means repairing or healing the world, and recognize our shared responsibility in pursuit of a better world.”

Covering Essex, Morris, Sussex, Union and parts of Somerset County, the Jewish Federation of Greater MetroWest is New Jersey’s largest Jewish philanthropic organization, with 27 local and overseas partner agencies helping accomplish its mission of service to the community.

For more information about other programs, services, volunteer opportunities or to make a donation to Greater Newark Conservancy, visit CityBloom.org. You can also follow news from the Conservancy through social media at Facebook.com/GreaterNewarkConservancy and Twitter and Instagram - @Citybloom87.