Improve Outcomes for Jersey City Youth
Save A Few is a nonprofit organization that was founded on February 12, 2020 at the onset of the pandemic. Its fundamental mission it to provide life-changing solutions to “save a few” Jersey City youth from violence, addictions, low self-esteem, and poverty.
Save A Few envisions a reinvented urban family structure that supports and helps families and youth.
Their goal is to promote healthy, happy, empowered adults, parents, and neighbors. To realize this vision within the Jersey City community, Save a Few offers a broad range of programs and services:
- Dangers in Social Media for Parents and Youth.
- Effective Communication.
- De-escalating Violence: Strategies for Peaceful Resolutions.
- Driving Safety.
- How to Become a Successful Entrepreneur.
- Conflict Resolutions.
- Healthy Living Workshops.
HealthierJC + Save A Few
Save A Few believes that building a Culture of Health means creating an environment where good health and well-being thrive across all geographic, demographic, and social sectors. This includes fostering healthy and equitable communities, and positively influencing public and private decision making. In addition, it ensures that everyone, especially at-risk and disadvantaged youths, has the opportunity to make choices that lead to healthy lifestyles. By prioritizing the well-being of the community, offering support for all ages, and implementing policies that promote respect, trust, empathy, and support – they can achieve this goal.
In awarding the mini-grant, HealthierJC acknowledged the ongoing contribution of Save A Few in advancing a Culture of Health for families throughout all Jersey City neighborhoods.
Results
Thanks to the HealthierJC mini-grant, Save A Few hosted several Health and Wellness Programs in collaboration with Rutgers University. Workshops were held July 6th until July 27th 10:00am – 11:00am at President Barack Obama School, as well as July 14th from 7:00pm-9:00pm in Lincoln Park. At Lincoln High School, Save A Few supplied 40 students with packages filled with feminine products from the Flow Initiative.
On August 11th, they distributed 50 Back to School backpacks at the York Street Shelter. The goal of the backpack giveaway was to alleviate the financial burden of purchasing school supplies, thus allowing the family unit to better focus on a successful academic school year. Save A Few also collaborated with the shelter to provide a weekly Performing Arts program for young shelter residents. Over 50 low income, homeless youth from Jersey City Ward A, B, and F participated.
The Performing Arts program was developed to provide the opportunity for these children to experience the value of healthy dance education. Save A Few also sought to introduce them to the power of dance and performing arts as a shield against harmful environmental influences.
Save a Few witnessed the infectious joy expressed by the performing arts students. Whenever the dance teacher arrived, they raced to class in anticipation. On the final day of the program, they proudly showcased their work to the other students and shelter residents.
As Save A Few observed and gathered feedback from program participants, they found that many of these youngsters wanted to continue their performing arts training and perhaps pursue a professional dance career, but could not afford the classes. At that point, Save A Few began to explore how to make these classes available to them on an ongoing basis.
Many factors influence health, education, and well-being in a community. Various entities and individuals in the community have a role to play in responding to the community’s health needs. Through their partnership with HealthierJC, Save A Few was able to collaborate with several organizations to make a real difference in the lives of Jersey City children from underprivileged backgrounds.
Save A Few considers their most significant accomplishment was recognizing the need for performing arts programming.
In addition to the direct benefit realized by the young participants, Save A Few also witnessed the community’s enjoyment and appreciation for the program, thus advancing their goals for transforming families and building positive, healthy neighborhood interaction.
As immediate next steps, Save A Few created a proposal seeking funding to implement a health and wellness performing arts program in President Barack Obama School. They are also in discussion with Rutgers University to possibly conduct additional Health and Wellness workshops to educate the broader Jersey City community about the positive effects of healthy eating, and the importance of taking care of their health and daily hygiene.
Moving forward…
Save A Few envisions a transformed urban family structure that fosters the growth and well-being of families and youth, empowering them to lead fulfilling lives as confident adults, nurturing parents, and supportive neighbors. Since its inception during the early months of the pandemic, Save A Few has been able to consistently grow due to generous “helping hands” within the Jersey City community.
Moving forward, Save A Few will continue to build a complementary network of partnerships and resources across Jersey City.
This network serves as the engine for health and wellness innovation and quality of life improvements. Save A Few considers HealthierJC a valued network partner to advance a progressive Culture of Health agenda for all Jersey City residents.
For more information about Save a Few, please visit the organization’s website at https://saveafew.org/