Congratulations to our second round of mini-grantees for 2019! The Partnership for a Healthier JC awarded eleven organizations with mini-grants to build a greater culture of health in Jersey City. They are listed below with a brief synopsis of the work they intend to do in partnership with HealthierJC:

Will address Urgent Health Priority of Health Education and Management of Chronic Illness. Primarily based on providing Cognitive Vitality Education to seniors, this foundation will aid in maintaining overall cognitive health and preventing brain disease. The program focuses on introducing seniors to the MIND Diet, ultimately allowing them to make S.M.A.R.T goals. For more Info about our grantee visit: www.actnowfoundation.org/  

Will address Urgent Health Priority of Education. This program targets the Greenville area of Jersey City and works towards increasing resources within the community. In addition to distributing necessities, this program will provide residents of all ages with information about healthy eating habits, cooking on budget, food prep, and food label reading. For more Info about our grantee visit: www.angelacares.org/ 

Will address Urgent Health Priority of Community Safety & Open Spaces. This Organization implements annual Ward Tours, attracting thousands of cyclists to explore Jersey City. Bike JC has worked over the years to spread positive and safe cycling practices through the introduction of bike lanes and racks. For more Info about our grantee visit: www.bikejc.org/   

Will address Urgent Health Priority of Community Safety & Open Spaces. Funding will help Boyd-McGuiness Park, located in the Greenville area; establish togetherness within the community through the theme of ‘mindfulness and nature.’ Activities range from family yoga and story time for kids to MELT method classes. This organization aims to put forth activities that help individuals unwind. For more Info about our grantee visit: https://www.facebook.com/fobmp/

Will address Urgent Health Priority of Health Education and Management of Chronic Illness. This program focuses upon meeting the needs of students with emotional and behavioral disabilities. Funding will directly go towards sending program mentors to an Educate 2B training program. This program that will teach them breathing and movement exercises to use with students. These exercises will help students face problems in life with a clear mindset and help them succeed in school. For more Info about our grantee visit: www.jcboe.org/ 

Will address Urgent Health Priority of Community Safety & Open Spaces. This foundation promotes a healthy lifestyle in Canco Park by engaging the community with the help of motivating educational activities. Overall, this organization’s mission is to highlight health issues and chronic disease prevalent in the community and help members combat these problems. For more Info about our grantee visit: www.cancoparkconservancy.org/

Will address Urgent Health Priority of Health Education & Management of Chronic Illness. This organization aims to expand its successful Safe Spaces Program throughout the Hudson County. The Safe Spaces Program shows strong commitment to children exposed to domestic violence and helps families work through any personal or financial problems. For more Info about our grantee visit: www.ccannj.com/

Will address Urgent Health Priority of Education. Works in providing funding towards the four different Healthy Families Farmers Market sites in Jersey City. The opening of these markets has significantly reduced unhealthy eating habits in the community and will continue to educate individuals. For more Info about our grantee visit: www.cfbnj.org/

Will address Urgent Health Priority of Community Safety & Open Spaces. Will work to continue their efforts to trap feral cats and return them after neutering them and giving the RABIES vaccination. This Trap Neuter Return project focuses on reducing stray cat population and preventing nuisance complaints. For more Info about our grantee visit: http://www.companionanimaltrust.com/

Will address Urgent Health Priority of Health Education & Management of Chronic Illness. Jersey City Fashion Week will be giving its alliance to Hudson Pride Center. This alliance will help LGBT individuals with Aids and teach them how to still peruse a healthy lifestyle. For more Info about our grantee visit: http://jerseycityfashionweek.com/

Will address Urgent Health Priority of Education. Proposes school workshops, which target violence prevention, anti-bullying, and safety of the community. A series of 25 workshops are prepared for 3rd and 4th graders across Jersey City Public Schools. For more Info about our grantee visit: www.educationalartsteam.org/

Will address Urgent Health Priority of Community Safety & Open Spaces. Under the initiative of Arlington Park Farmers Market and JC Housing Authority Mobile Market, the “Produce points” program will provide customers with benefits. One primary benefit includes purchase power to buy fresh locally grown produce. For more Info about our grantee visit: www.foap.org/

Will address Urgent Health Priority of Community Safety & Open Spaces. This foundation supports the annual African Cultural Arts Family Festival which hosts various health screenings, community exercise, and creative express. The festival also highlights anti-violence and positive usage of green spaces. For more Info about our grantee visit: www.friendsofcas.org/

Will address Urgent Health Priority of Community Safety & Open Spaces. An organization that focuses on a new grief support programming initiative. This program helps children (6-18 years) deal with death of someone significant in their lives. Designed to introduce coping mechanisms, this program spans about 9 weeks with meetings once a week with the children and their families. For more Info about our grantee visit: www.good-grief.org/

Will address Urgent Health Priority of Community Safety & Open Spaces. The Historic Downtown Farmers Market is an integral part of the Grove Street community. Serving as an area for vendors to offer various products, the market also hosts music and attracts many people. The goal is to make organic goods more accessible in Jersey City. For more Info about our grantee visit: https://jcdowntown.org/

Will address Urgent Health Priority of Education. This center wants to establish a “Training for Health and Service Providers and Non-Profits” Program. This program would provide staff with an easy way to get the CE they need to maintain their licenses while building on their skills to serve the community. For more Info about our grantee visit: www.hudsonpride.org/

Will address Urgent Health Priority of Education. The Jersey Art Exchange is built as a neighborhood based non-profit to help with artistic, cultural and educational needs of Jersey City youth. Helping the next generation of artists achieve their dreams, this foundation helps students that are underserved gain access to artistic knowledge. For more Info about our grantee visit: www.thejax.online/

Will address Urgent Health Priority of Community Safety and Open Spaces. Occupy the Corners is a new initiative under this movement where Jersey City residents will be able to gain guidance on how to lead a positive lifestyle. While connecting people to one another and resources around the city, this program significantly helps in spreading wellness and safety. For more Info about our grantee visit: www.jcacm.org/

Will address Urgent Health Priority of Community Safety and Open Spaces. Occupy the Corners is a new initiative under this movement where Jersey City residents will be able to gain guidance on how to lead a positive lifestyle. While connecting people to one another and resources around the city, this program significantly helps in spreading wellness and safety. For more Info about our grantee visit: www.jcacm.org/

Will address Urgent Health Priority of Education. Kismet of Kings (KoK) looks to address the quality of life within the community and informs its members with “A Book About Our Healthy City.” This program will help adolescents explore the city by providing public transportation to visit several historic places. After taking pictures of the places, teens will create their own books to donate to an elementary school’s library. For more Info about our grantee visit: www.kismetofkings.org/

Will address Urgent Health Priority of Health Education & Management of Chronic Illness. Focusing on educating the population about Strokes and Aphasias, this foundation will hold its second annual ‘Stroke of Luck’ event. This will effectively attract the community and educate them on such health problems. For more Info about our grantee visit: www.lifesnextchapterfoundation.org/

Will address Urgent Health Priority of Community Safety & Open Spaces. This organization targets individuals experiencing low esteem due to dramatic hair loss and helps them cope. In order to prevent major side effects of emotional stress, this foundation helps in offering hair replacement solutions. For more Info about our grantee visit: www.mohairfoundation.com/

Will address Urgent Health Priority of Health Education & Management of Chronic Illness. Funding for the Fatherhood Engagement Project (FEP), will help tackle lack of mental health services in Hudson County. This project will use Certified Recovery and Mental Health Peer Mentors in order to reach out to young fathers (aged 18-25) from Greenville. Services such as, primary physicians, mental health checks, and employment opportunities, will be provided. For more Info about our grantee visit: www.mostexcellentwaylifecenter.com/

Will address Urgent Health Priority of Education. In efforts to help at high-risk teens throughout the city, this organization has assigned over 100 teens in a yearlong paid internship. HealthierJC hopes to help by providing funding to support Life Skills courses. These courses will help students start their adult life positively and solidify their practical knowledge. For more Info about our grantee visit: www.newcitykids.org/

Will address Urgent Health Priority of Education. Nimbus works towards focusing on community fitness, healthy nutrition, and life skills, through dance. Providing students with such an outlet, will help them with self-development but also provide them with collaborative lifelong skills. For more Info about our grantee visit: www.nimbusdanceworks.org/

Will address Urgent Health Priority of Education. Funding for the ‘It Takes a Region’ conference will go directly into getting residents and participating members to attend and help educate on sustainable food systems. Bringing this conference to Jersey City will help residents know where to access healthy food and raise awareness about good nutrition. For more Info about our grantee visit: www.nesawg.org/

Will address Urgent Health Priority of Community Safety & Open Spaces. This park coalition has a unique mission in which they hope to plant gardens so that Monarch butterflies can have a sustainable habitat. Monarch butteries are important pollinators and having a garden can help restore their migratory path. Volunteers will also be educated about the importance of sustaining the environment. For more Info about our grantee visit: www.pershingfield.com/

Will address Urgent Health Priority of Education. The “PFLAG Jersey City Healthcare Survey’s” goal is to survey the same number of LGBTQ and non-LGBTQ individuals in order to address any disparities. Addressing these concerns will comfort LGPTQ individuals and make them feel safe and welcomed in Jersey City. For more Info about our grantee visit: www.pflag.org/

Will address Urgent Health Priority of Community Safety & Open Spaces. Comprised of multiple volunteers from fields such as, medicine, nutrition and health, this organization works towards giving primary care to the city’s residents. This foundation helps other ethnic groups, besides only Filipino Americans, by having events in relation to their lifestyles. For more Info about our grantee visit: www.pafcomnj.com/

Will address Urgent Health Priority of Community Safety & Open Spaces. This community group hopes to fund its food share fund, where residents will be able to receive free organic vegetables. They address the fact that good community health begins with access to healthy foods and healing herbs. There will be many mental and physical benefits for the garden volunteers as well. For more Info about our grantee visit: www.riverviewcommunitygarden.org/

Will address Urgent Health Priority of Health Education & Management of Chronic Illness. This institution assigns senior students from its School of Nursing to various underserved wards in Jersey City through its “The Community as Partner” mission. These students will report problems and help solve them through educational programs. This will help the community but also help the undergraduates solidify their knowledge. For more Info about our grantee visit: www.saintpeters.edu/

Will address Urgent Priority of Community Safety & Open Spaces. Sarah’s Daughters assists survivors of domestic violence and their families. Their mission is to effectively aid in the healing process of its participants and help them by offering many services. Counseling and the necessities are given to victims. This foundation also directs attention towards helping perpetrators make a positive change in their lives. For more Info about our grantee visit: https://www.facebook.com/people/Sarahs-Daughters/100010382648000

Will address Urgent Priority of Education. SAMHIN works to educate and eliminative stigma against mental illnesses in the South Asian community. Noticing higher rates of suicide in New Jersey, this organization hopes to aid by starting up a project called Janani. Janani consists of 90 minute weekly sessions where individuals coping with the loss of a loved one will be able to express themselves. For more Info about our grantee visit:  www.samhin.org/

Will address Urgent Priority of Education. This educational institution will begin to include programs to address mental and behavioral health issues, to help guide students. Through professional speakers to help convince students they are not alone, students will get a sense of hope and a positive direction. For more Info about our grantee visit: www.stdomincacad.com/

Will address Urgent Priority of Community Safety & Open Spaces. With the help of wilderness extrusions, this program teaches the youth to stay physically active, while also introducing teamwork and leadership skills. The team will use funding to start up a Health and Wellness Yoga Hike series for at high-risk youth. Yoga hikes will guide the youth to healthy decision making and help them self-reflect. For more Info about our grantee visit: www.teamwilderness.org/

Will address Urgent Priority of Community Safety & Open Spaces. This foundation hopes to hold an event that encourages biking and host certified biking instructors to help beginners. They will collaborate with other community organizations to provide healthy food and free giveaways. For more Info about our grantee visit: www.theroyalmen.com/

Will address Urgent Priority of Community Safety & Open Spaces. This project brings into light the importance of providing healthy food options to those in need. Through their food recovery practices, food waste is greatly limited and hunger in the community decreases as a result. For more Info about our grantee visit: www.theweproject.com/

Will address Urgent Priority of Health Education & Management of Chronic Illness. The “Empowering Young Men” group under this foundation seeks to raise awareness against unhealthy sexual male practices. The program targets young males, aged between 12-18 years, to help them steer away from unprotected and early sex activities. For more Info about our grantee visit: www.ulohc.org/

Will address Urgent Priority of Community Safety & Open Spaces. This incorporation’s mission lies in engaging the community to use open spaces and providing the community with enriching activities. The program will help residents recognize the brave individuals that protect them, engage in planting sessions and learn more about healthy living. For more Info about our grantee visit: www.wpanj.org/

Will address Urgent Priority of Community Safety & Open Spaces. This program aims to offer refugees, asyless, and asylum-seekers in Jersey City with a reliable support system and a resource for help. This organization works to supply these individuals with free medical screenings, food resources, communication training, safety education and even personal support. For more Info about our grantee visit: www.welcomehomerefugees.org/

Will address Urgent Health Priority of Education. This initiative will help selected students expand on their communication skills by hosting a two-week academic program at a university setting. The program will challenge students by improving creative writing and critical thinking skills with the platform of sports journalism. For more Info about our grantee visit: www.writeonsports.org/

Will address Urgent Health Priority of Maternal & Child Health. York Street Project works on providing health services to nearly 500 homeless and economically disadvantaged women and children. Funding will directly allow staff members to undergo mental health educational training. Training will enable staff to apply learned clinical techniques and help give them critical mental health services. For more Info about our grantee visit: www.yorkstreetproject.org/