In 2013, the Westfield Foundation distributed over $261,000 in grants to thirty-eight different agencies, among them: the Westfield Community Band, Youth and Family Counseling, the Cerebral Palsy League, Jewish Family Service of Central NJ, and Furniture Assist.
Grants from the Foundation help individuals and agencies launch promising civic projects so they can become sustainable agencies that meet a specific community need. Imagine Inc., a center for coping with loss, is a past recipient of a $15,000 start up grant and is now on track to serve twenty families and sixty children dealing with loss due to the death of a parent or sibling.
In the fourth quarter, the Foundation distributed over $23,000 to five organizations. Grants were earmarked for such items as a large screen interactive computer, orchestral performances in the Westfield area, and funds for day care, after school care and scholarships for children to attend summer camp. Recipients included the Cerebral Palsy League, Union County College Foundation, the New Jersey Intergenerational Orchestra, Family Promise and the Elizabeth Coalition to House the Homeless.
Currently the Foundation manages 114 funds totaling over $14.8 million. Income from the Foundation’s unrestricted funds enabled the Foundation to distribute grants to such agencies as the Westfield Y to improve handicapped accessibility, computer upgrades to Jewish Family services for their nursing staff, Children’s Specialized Hospital for rehabilitation technology equipment and the New Jersey Festival Orchestra to support their concert series.
During 2014, the Board of Trustees will seek projects that advance new initiatives and will have a substantial impact on the community. The Foundation’s priority will be capital projects and providing seed money to support new programs while continuing to provide smaller grants that assist existing agencies on an annual basis. Meetings with various agencies that have previously received grants from the Foundation are planned for the New Year in the hope to promote future grants that will have an enduring legacy for the community.
The Foundation holds only one annual fundraising per year. If you wish to donate to the Foundation’s current annual appeal, donations can be sent directly to: Westfield Foundation, PO Box 2295, Westfield, NJ 07091.
If you have questions about making a donation or are interested in creating a ‘family legacy’ which would benefit the community for years to come, please contact Betsy Chance, Executive Director, by phone at 908-233-9787 or by email to foundation@westfieldnj.com.