In this Issue
- Schumann Fund Honors First Executive Director, H. Carl McCall, at Intimate Gathering
- Q3 Grant Awards total $520,000
- Grantee Spotlight on Meeting Essential Needs with Dignity (MEND)
Schumann Fund Honors First Executive Director, H. Carl McCall, at Intimate Gathering
Schumann Fund featured H. McCall (3rd from left), the first Executive Director of the Florence and John Schumann Foundation (the predecessor foundation to the Schumann Fund for New Jersey), at a recent fireside chat to discuss the legacy of the Schumann Fund. Mr. McCall was joined by current Schumann Fund Executive Director Lucy Vandenberg, Urban League of Essex County Executive Director Vivian Cox Fraser, and Montclair Fund for Educational Excellence Executive Director Masiel Rodriquez-Vars. The fireside chat was moderated by Schumann Fund Trustee Carlos Lejnieks. Nearly 50 community leaders joined them to discuss the past, present, and future of service to our communities. Mr. McCall’s insights and reflections of Schumann Fund’s early years during a time of increased attention to racial injustice and inequity made for an engaging time of learning, networking, and visioning. Learn more about Mr. McCall and our esteemed panelists here.
Q3 GRANT AWARDS TOTAL $520,000
Schumann Fund for New Jersey’s Board of Trustees approved 16 grant awards totaling $520,000 at our September 2024 quarterly meeting. The funds support advancing the Fund’s three priorities – affordable homes and healthy communities; early childhood and education; and child welfare and youth justice programs. Each organization is engaged in a range of complementary strategies to positively impact children and families, including community power-building, Essex County direct service programs, and public policy.
Board Chair, Martha Day highlighted, “We are so pleased that Schumann Fund for New Jersey is investing in the First 1,000 Days Policy Coalition Pooled Fund. Schumann Fund is a founding funder member of this Policy Coalition which is working collaboratively to promote the health, well-being and lifelong success of New Jersey’s youngest residents, their families, and communities. We are encouraged by the focus on a policy agenda to increase equitable access to affordable, high quality child care which must be a top priority for our state.”
Read more about each of these grantee partners and their awards by clicking the links below.
Council of New Jersey Grantmakers was awarded a second installment of $15,000 in program support for the Newark Philanthropic Liaison. This installment is part of a three-year grant totaling $45,000. Ewing, NJ
First 1,000 Days Policy Coalition Pooled Fund was awarded $25,000 in program support (fiscally sponsored by Community Foundation of New Jersey). Morristown, NJ
Ironbound Community Corporation was awarded $45,000 per year for each of two years for a total of $90,000 in operating support. Newark, NJ
Jewish Family Service of MetroWest New Jersey was awarded $25,000 in program support for its domestic violence support program – Rachel Coalition. Florham Park, NJ
Make the Road New Jersey was awarded $25,000 in program support for its State Child Tax Credit Expansion and JobBridge Project. Elizabeth, NJ
Meeting Essential Needs with Dignity (MEND) was awarded $35,000 in operating support. Orange, NJ
Monarch Housing Associates was awarded $50,000 in program support for its Family Housing Stability Program. Cranford, NJ
New Jersey Association for the Education of Young Children was awarded a second installment of $30,000 in operating support with a focus on public policy. This installment is part of a two-year grant totaling $60,000. Barnegat Light, NJ
New Jersey Citizen Action Education Fund was awarded $30,000 in program support for its Essex County Civic Leadership Project. Newark, NJ
New Jersey Communities United was awarded $25,000 in program support for year two of a campaign led by in-home childcare providers to address mental health challenges facing Essex County families (fiscally sponsored by New Jersey Citizen Action Education Fund). Newark, NJ
New Jersey Consortium for Immigrant Children was awarded $45,000 in program support for its Equity and Access Advocacy Project. Jersey City, NJ
New Jersey Policy Perspective was awarded $25,000 in program support for its Guaranteeing a Brighter Future Project (in coordination with First 1,000 Days Policy Coalition). Trenton, NJ
New Jersey Public Radio was awarded a two-year matching grant totaling $50,000 in program support. New York, NY
South Ward Promise Neighborhood was awarded $30,000 per year for each of two years for a total of $60,000 in program support for its Healthy Beginnings Program. Newark, NJ
The WNET Group – NJ Spotlight was awarded $25,000 in program support for its Education and Child Welfare reporter. Newark, NJ Urban League of Essex County was awarded $40,000 per year for each of three years for a total of $120,000 in operating support with a focus on improving educational outcomes for low-income students in Essex County and New Jersey. Newark, NJ
GRANTEE SPOTLIGHT: Meeting Essential Needs with Dignity (MEND)
Schumann Fund is pleased to highlight the work and impact of its grantee partners in this quarterly spotlight. For this quarter’s spotlight, we are proud to share the work of Meeting Essential Needs with Dignity (MEND).
Meeting Essential Needs with Dignity (MEND) is a hunger relief network in Essex County focused on addressing food insecurity and advancing health equity by increasing access to fresh and healthy food through collaborative, community-driven programming. Through two core programs, Pantry Partnerships and MEND on the Move (MOTM), MEND has a network of over 40 food pantries and community partners located in Bloomfield, East Orange, Irvington, Maplewood, Montclair, Newark, Orange, South Orange, and West Orange.
Through Pantry Partnerships, MEND regularly convenes leaders of Essex County food pantries and provides supplemental support including advocacy and resource sharing, supplemental fresh and healthy food, and volunteers. MEND on the Move (MOTM) hosts mobile markets (i.e. free farmers markets) and home deliveries designed collaboratively with community partners, bringing fresh, healthy food directly and consistently to community members. In 2023, MEND provided 78,772 fresh food servings and served about 166,440 children.
In 2024, MEND became the backbone organization for the Food & Health Equity Coalition of Essex County (FHEC). MEND spearheaded early efforts to establish this Coalition, which is committed to identifying and addressing the county’s greatest barriers to food and health equity. The Coalition has a membership base of government representatives, funders, non-profit leaders, and community health centers. One hundred members representing over 60 cross-sector organizations are part of the FHEC. The Coalition meets quarterly and follows a committee structure focused on Older Populations, Environment, Maternal & Child Health, and Advocacy. Visit the FHEC’s website to learn more about upcoming meetings and events.
In September 2024, Schumann Fund awarded $35,000 to MEND in operating support. MEND’s efforts are aligned with Schumann Fund’s affordable homes & healthy communities program priority and are advanced under the strategy of community power-building.
“I’m deeply grateful to Schumann Fund for New Jersey for their generous support. Their commitment to addressing food insecurity and promoting healthy communities aligns so well with our mission at MEND. Our dedicated team, partners, and supporters work tirelessly to create lasting change, and this recognition inspires us to keep pushing forward with even greater passion.” – Robin Peacock, Executive Director, MEND
MORE UPDATES:
New Coalition Will Advance Policies That Benefit New Jersey’s Young Children And Families
High quality child care is essential for thriving children, families, and economies. Yet few New Jersey families can afford to pay for high quality care and few child care educators can afford to provide it.
Schumann Fund for New Jersey is proud to be a founding member of New Jersey’s statewide First 1,000 Days Policy Coalition, which works to ensure that all NJ families with young children have a strong foundation during a child’s critical early years, like access to safe, nurturing, consistent early care and education that best suits the needs of their child and family.
The First 1,000 Days Policy Coalition partners with organizations and leaders from across the state, including the Rutgers Center for Women & Work, Advocates for Children of New Jersey, Moms First, Council of New Jersey Grantmakers, and many others. Schumann Fund is providing support for this initiative alongside The Burke Foundation, Turrell Fund, Maher Charitable Foundation, and The Henry and Marilyn Taub Foundation.
Read more about the First 1,000 Days Policy Coalition.
Schumann Fund honored for Newark Stays Initiative
Schumann Fund grantee partner Ironbound Community Corporation will be hosting their Changemakers Gala in celebration of their 55th Anniversary on November 14, 2024. At this event Schumann Fund, alongside Victoria Foundation and Maher Charitable Foundation, will be honored for our support of the Newark Stays initiative. Launched in 2021 through a planning grant provided by Victoria Foundation, Newark Stays is a city-wide eviction prevention effort spearheaded by black and brown-led community organizations: Ironbound Community Corporation, Newark Community Street Team, and Clinton Hill Community Action. Newark Stays has prevented over 13,000 evictions in the City of Newark and has grown into a significant funder-supported collaborative with approximately $2.1 million in funding to date. Schumann Fund has supported a community organizing training for Newark Stays outreach workers, as well as multi-year support for a full-time Field Director. We are proud supporters of Newark Stays and honored to be recognized.
About Schumann Fund for New Jersey
Founded in 1988, Schumann Fund for New Jersey is a private foundation based in Montclair, NJ. It advances ideas and opportunities to empower low-income children, families, and communities of color to thrive. The foundation invests in non-profit organizations rooted in Essex County and statewide that work to advance racial and economic equity.