PARTNERSHIP FOR A HEALTHIER JERSEY CITY ANNOUNCES 2019 CULTURE OF HEALTH MINI-GRANT AWARDEES

JERSEY CITY – Mayor Steven M. Fulop and the Partnership for a Healthier Jersey City, an Office within the Jersey City Department of Health & Human Services, are proud to announce the complete list of 2019 Culture of Health Mini-Grantees. This year’s grant recipients are part of the largest ever group of awardees, with a total grant funding of nearly $100,000.

The 2019 Culture of Health Mini-Grants are the final major expenditure of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) Culture of Health grant that was awarded to the City of Jersey City in 2014.  Since then, the City has been awarded a total $200,000 through this program. The goal of the grant is to enable community-based service organizations to better connect with one another and combine resources to best serve their communities. It also requires the Department of Health & Human Services to assemble a team of core partners to help implement the grant, which has incorporated the Jersey City Medical Center, Jersey City Housing Authority, Jersey City Parks Coalition, and New Jersey City University all as steadfast allies in creating a culture of health.

The initial RWJF Culture of Health grant was leveraged by the Department of Health & Human Services to qualify for multiple additional grants, and allowed the Department to award $125,000 in mini-grants to 54 community organizations over four years, transforming the Department’s role into that of Chief Public Health Strategist for the City of Jersey City.

Recognizing that grassroots organizations are best suited to identify and address the systemic barriers to health, the Partnership for a Healthier JC has worked to empower community groups through technical support, trainings, and small grant awards.

A recent report in NJBiz noted that wide disparities in health access exist many of New Jersey’s cities, including Jersey City. The distribution of the 2019 mini-grant dollars will be dedicated to areas of Jersey City that are most in need of improved health outcomes. The Department of Health & Human Services itself has been physically located in Ward F since 2014.

The 2019 mini-grants are being awarded to 43 different community groups, with an additional $5,000 in funding coming from Wellcare Health Plans to fund child and maternal health-focued mini grants. Half the grants are being awarded to groups that primarily serve Wards A and F. The full list of grantees includes the Jersey City Anti Violence Coalition Movement, Life’s Next Chapter Foundation, Inc., Philippine American Friendship Committee (PAFCOM), Team Wilderness, Most Excellent Way Learning Life Center, Inc., Northeast Sustainable Agriculture Working Group, Community Foodbank of New Jersey, Kismet of Kings, Inc., Boyd-McGuiness Park: the Jersey City Parks Coalition, C.H.O.I.C.E.S. Program, Good Grief, Inc., Jersey City Public Schools, Saint Peter’s University, Saint Dominic Academy, Welcome Home Jersey City, Act Now Foundation, Bike JC , Canco Park Conservancy, Hudson Pride Center, Pershing Field Garden Friends (PFGF), PFLAG Jersey City, South Asian Mental Health Initiative & Network (SAMHIN), Write to the Goal, Inc., Riverview Community Garden, Washington Park Association of Hudson County, Inc., The WE Project, Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Newark, DLJ Give to Live Community Foundation,  Historic Downtown Special Improvement District, Nimbus Dance Works, Run JC, York Street Project , Mo’Hair Foundation, Inc., Friends of the Community Awareness Series, AngelaCARES, Inc., Companion Animal Trust, Educational Arts Team, Friends of Arlington Park, Jersey Art Exchange, New City Kids: Jersey City, Sarah’s Daughters, The Royal Men Foundation, Inc., and the Urban League of Hudson County.

This team was able to leverage additional grant support over the last four years, up to and including funds for the mini-grants through additional support from Wellcare, Firemen Foundation, and RWJF’s National Culture of Health work.

For more information about the 2019 grantees, or any of our HealthierJC partners, please visit the Partnership website at HealthierJC.com.