Tag Archives: NonProfit

#HipNJ Cares, Charity, Community, Fundraiser, Garden State Living, Philanthropy

#MakeADifferenceDay Jersey Cares

USA Weekend Magazine created Make A Difference Day back in 1992. Since then, many organizations have supported, developing campaigns centered around the holiday. Now, USA Today is its primary sponsor and organizer. It is the #1 location to find ways in which you can make a difference. Ways to celebrate are limitless. 

There are numerous organizations across the globe that focus on making a difference daily. #HipNJ would like to highlight Jersey Cares, a program filled with hundreds of volunteer opportunities, open to everyone! The make volunteering super simple! First you register, and then you can choose a volunteer opportunity, participate in an annual event, start a collection drive, or even get your company involved in their Corporate Service Program. 

Volunteer Opportunities 

Jersey Cares has volunteer opportunities available  every single day. For the remainder of the month, they have opportunities such as Marketplace, Tutoring and Mentoring, Pet Therapy, Halloween Costume Drives, Earth Keepers, Mobile Meals, Caring Closet, Care of the Park, Hunger Helpers, and so much more!

Annual Events 

Jersey Cares holds their Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service event annually in order to embody Dr. King’s vision, bringing people of all ages and backgrounds together. The goal is to strengthen their communities and build a stronger New Jersey. This year, 1700 volunteers in 20 service projects, across 10 counties, honored the legacy of Dr. MLK Jr. by serving hot meals to those who needed them, creating blankets for the homeless, painting murals in schools, sending time with seniors, and more! 

They also hold their September 11th National Day of Service and Remembrance event annually. In 2017, they gathered 500 volunteers at a Jersey City high school. Volunteers honored those who were affected by 9/11 through projects such as creating thank-you kits for first responders, landscaping the schools 9/11 memorial, and painting inspirational murals in the hallway. 

Customized Corporate Service Programs

Becoming a Jersey Cares Partner means getting your company involved in a non-profit partnership that will benefit the community. Your company will receive customized volunteer project planning services for your employees, clients, vendors, family members and anyone else you choose. So far, Jersey Care Partners have participated in interactive workshops, financial literacy and resume building workshops, greenhouse building and more!

In addition, apart of the Customized Corporate Service Program is The Jersey Cares On the Go Program. It provides employees the opportunity to contribute to their communities through team-based projects that are implemented right in their offices or on-site at a conference!

As you can see, making a difference is made simple by Jersey Cares. Let’s join them today!

As they say, “Be the change. Volunteer.”

#HipNJ Cares, Charity, Fabulous Females, Fundraiser, Garden State Living, Philanthropy

International Day of the Girl: Girls Helping Girls and Unstoppable Girls!

Children are like blank canvases. We, the people around them, are responsible for who they become. Like sponges, they soak up what they see and hear, and those things are embedded into their memories. There’s a difference though, between little girls and little boys. Little girls are faced with issues and hardship before they even understand it, but they see it, they hear it, and the older they get, the more apparent it becomes. There are issues like gender roles, male privilege, rape culture, just to name a few, that little girls cannot escape.

#DayoftheGirl was created to bring awareness and put an end to this dilemma. It’s mission is “to help galvanize worldwide enthusiasm for goals to better girls’ lives, providing an opportunity for them to show leadership, and reach their full potential”. Since 2011, The United Nations has dedicated October 11th to fighting for rights and opportunities for all girls everywhere. 

“October 11 is not just a day; it’s a movement. A worldwide revolution.” 

In light of International Day of the Girl,  #HipNJ would like to highlight two phenomenal programs created by two different generations of “girls”. These programs are the embodiment of the meaning behind #DayoftheGirl. Their missions revolve around ensuring that girls have the proper tools to be the best that they can be, despite the trials brought on by society. 

The first program is “Girls Helping Girls. Period.”, based right in South Orange, NJ. This program was founded by 17 year old Emma Joy and 13 year old Quinn Joy, teenage sisters who wanted to provide women and girls in need with feminine hygiene products. Because these products are not covered by food stamps, some females are forced to miss work or school because they can’t afford the proper items. Emma and Quinn could not believe this and therefore started this non-profit organization. Today, they donate a year’s supply of products to every client they help.  

“At Girls Helping Girls. Period. we believe feminine hygiene is a matter of basic health. And human dignity. We’re dedicated to educating people on the need, and collecting/distributing products. We give our clients a full year’s supply of products.”

“This problem needs recognition from anyone. It’s not just about girls helping girls, it’s everyone helping each other.” -Quinn Joy

The next program is “Unstoppable Girls Foundation“, founded by Caryl R Lucas, located in Clifton, NJ. In addition to being the founder of Unstoppable Girls, Caryl is also a girl’s activist and motivational speaker. This non-profit organization is dedicated to bully prevention and the health and wellness girls. She founded the Unstoppable Girls Empowerment Summer Retreat in 2013 to provide girls, ages 11-21 with workshops that touch on cyber safety, body image, bully prevention, self-esteem, healthy relationships, and social media. Today, the mission is the same. Unstoppable Girls offers workshops, events, and the summer retreat, in an attempt to produce confident female leaders. 

“The core of our work is affirming that our girls are smart, unique respectful, creative, beautiful, fearless and comfortable in their own skin. When girls are inspired & educated, they are Unstoppable!”

On this year’s #InternationalDayoftheGirl, #HipNJ just wanted to shed some light on a few New Jersey based #GirlHeroes who are working towards the ultimate goal of this international holiday. With girls and women being the underdogs of society, we all need to stick together to ensure that no female gets lost in this image. Because I am a woman myself, this day is very special to me. Today we celebrate us, girls EVERYWHERE. We speak up. We help one another. We take control. 

Happy #DayoftheGirl! 

  

One-on-One with Steve Adubato

Michele Gannon on Mary’s Place By the Sea

Michele Gannon, President of Mary’s Place By the Sea, sat down with Steve Adubato on “One-on-One,” to explain how they help women with cancer heal from the inside out.

Mary’s Place by the Sea is a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting women who are receiving treatment for cancer.  They provide services that complement their medical treatment, including oncology massages, nutrition education, individual counseling, and yoga…all free of charge.

Gannon says that once diagnosed, sometimes the soul of the person is lost through the medication and screens. “We connect that person again and let them really feel,” Gannon says.

It is an emotional journey, taken with over 100 different volunteers, many of which are survivors. These volunteers can sit with the guests and discuss what they went through, creating a sense of mutual understanding.  “The emotional connection that starts to happen is where the healing begins,” she says.

To learn more about Mary’s Place By the Sea, check out their website.