Jewish Women’s Foundation Of NJ Awards $125K In Local Grants

NEW JERSEY — The Jewish Women’s Foundation of New Jersey (JWF-NJ), recently awarded $125,000 in grants to five local organizations that will put the money to work benefitting women and girls across the region.

According to the JWF-NJ – a giving circle affiliated with the Jewish Community Foundation of Greater MetroWest – the grants are for $25,00 each and will go to the following causes:

• The Domestic Abuse and Sexual Assault Crisis Center (DASACC) will use the funds to purchase necessary items at an emergency shelter, including a swing set, dining room set, and commercial washer/dryer.
• The Boys and Girls Club of Newark will provide 90 girls with bathing suits and teach them basic swimming skills to ensure water safety.
• CUMAC ECHO will pilot a case management system for food-insecure women at a trauma-informed pantry.
• The Trinitas Foundation will provide lymphedema and mastectomy products for impoverished breast cancer patients.
• The Perinatal Health Equity Initiative will provide community health care visits to 50 Black mothers in their prenatal and postpartum periods.

“We are thrilled to partner with incredible organizations that are making a tangible difference in their communities,” JWF-NJ director Pam Greenwood said.

“Each of these grants for 2024-25 represents our dedication to the Jewish value of ‘Tikkun Olam’ (repairing our world) and to fostering environments where all women can thrive,” Greenwood said.

The foundation said the round of grant funding is part of an ongoing effort to make a difference in the lives of women and girls by “addressing their unique challenges through philanthropy.”

According to a news release from the group:

“In 2023-24, the giving circle funded an innovative project that also impacted women with breast cancer, and another project geared toward expectant mothers. A grant to Sharsheret, a national Jewish organization for women with breast cancer, was used to send care packages to New Jersey residents undergoing treatment, providing much-needed support to the patients and their families. A package recipient, who is struggling with medical interventions while trying to provide a sense of normalcy for her children, expressed her gratitude: ‘We received the beautiful gifts that you sent! The toy box is amazing, and I’m so touched by the gift for me... it makes this a little easier!’ In a program addressing maternal health, KinderSmile of Bloomfield – a pediatric dental office--provided free treatment and education to uninsured pregnant women, in recognition of the fact that good oral care is linked to healthy moms and the development of healthy babies. As one mother commented, ‘I need to do better! This program made me realize going to the dentist is not an option, and I cannot just go when I have pain.’”

The foundation will celebrate its 18th anniversary in September. For more information about membership or to apply for a grant, visit its website here.

Send local news tips and correction requests to eric.kiefer@patch.com. Learn more about advertising on Patch here. Find out how to post announcements or events to your local Patch site.