Westfield, NJ – June 2025 — As The Westfield Foundation marks its 50th anniversary, it proudly announces a $225,000 grant from the Bertha E. Bogaert Fund to the Boys & Girls Clubs of Union County (BGCUC) to support a new Teen Center at their recently secured and renovated facility in Plainfield.
This grant continues a decade-long partnership between The Westfield Foundation and BGCUC, with total support now exceeding $625,000. The new Teen Center will offer a safe, inclusive, and empowering environment for teens—providing leadership development, gang prevention programming, mental health resources, and career exploration. A new trade education initiative will feature a professional recording studio and media center, designed and built in collaboration with local tradespeople and BGCUC members, to give youth ages 13–18 hands-on experience and workforce readiness skills.
The Bertha E. Bogaert Fund was established in 2016 through a transformational $7.5 million bequest from long-time Westfield resident and philanthropist Bertha E. (Betty) Bogaert. Created to support large-scale, high-impact projects in Westfield and neighboring communities, the Fund has now invested more than $3.2 million in local organizations advancing equity, opportunity, and long-term community well-being.
“This investment embodies The Westfield Foundation’s ongoing commitment to addressing critical community challenges and expanding opportunity—especially for youth in underserved communities. Through purposeful partnerships like this, the Foundation continues to drive lasting impact across education, community development, and health and social services in Westfield and surrounding areas,” said Katie Curran Darcy, Executive Director of The Westfield Foundation. “As we celebrate 50 years of service, we’re proud to continue investing in the next generation.”
Russ Triolo, CEO of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Union County, added, “We are incredibly grateful to The Westfield Foundation for many years of unwavering support of our mission to inspire and enable all young people, especially those who need us most, to reach their full potential as productive, caring, and responsible citizens. This generous grant will help us provide a safe space for Plainfield teens, guiding them to a successful, fruitful, and exciting future.”