Newark Nonprofits, Groups Will Get Boost From Prudential Grants

NEWARK, NJ — Violence prevention. Resources for single-parent households. CPR and AED training for local youth coaches and parents. These are some of the local initiatives in Newark that will get a boost from the inaugural Prudential Community Grants Program.

Prudential Financial, which has a headquarters in Newark, recently announced the recipients of its award program, which launched in March.

With $500,000 in total funding seeded for the program, $280,000 has been distributed to grantees and partners so far, according to Prudential. Fifty-three community-based projects have been chosen that address local issues and foster growth across the five wards of Newark.

They include:

• Drama with a Twist: With the support of a licensed school social worker and registered drama therapist, Lillian Ribeiro will develop two violence‑prevention programs focused on establishing healthy, peer-to-peer relationships among more than 500 youth at Elliott Street Elementary School.
• Girls Live, Love, Laugh: This organization will provide 300 single-parent households with limited resources the opportunity to shop for school uniforms at Kids Place in Newark and access to meals on the first day of school.
• Weequahic Park Sports Authority: This group will hold monthly trainings to provide CPR and AED training and certification for over 300 youth, coaches and parents. The project will include the opportunity for those ages 7 to 17 to join the Public Safety Youth Explorers Club and Post as participating members to learn more about becoming a firefighter, EMT or police officer.
• Tree House ENT Cultural Arts: This organization will work with Palm Street Block Association and the Heart of Vailsburg Block Club Coalition to provide education around the benefits of healthy and organic foods and encourage community members to become involved in community gardens.
• Brick City Run Club: This group will create a weekly inclusive and free workout program open to the public to encourage residents to engage in regular physical activity in a safe and supportive environment.

The full list of the recipients of the Prudential Community Grants Program can be found here.

Prudential partnered with the Community Foundation of New Jersey to administer and distribute the microgrants. Prudential also partnered with organizations in each ward to assist with the program, including the Lincoln Park Coast Cultural District (Central Ward), the Ironbound Community Corporation (East Ward), La Casa de Don Pedro (North Ward), the South Ward Promise Neighborhood (South Ward); and the Unified Vailsburg Services Organization (West Ward).

“We know a strong city is built on strong neighborhoods and understand that those closest to the challenges in our community are best positioned to solve them,” said Lata Reddy, senior vice president of Inclusive Solutions at Prudential Financial and chair of The Prudential Foundation.

“Prudential shares my administration’s understanding that when we put resources into the hands of our local leaders and nonprofit organizations, we unlock their powerful spirit of ingenuity,” Newark Mayor Ras Baraka said.

“By continuing to collaborate on harnessing public and private resources, we will strengthen our talents and build an even more vibrant and equitable city,” Baraka said.

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