Each New Jersey Organization Will Receive
$200,000 in Flexible Funding and
Leadership Training
PATERSON, N.J. and TRENTON, N.J., Dec. 4, 2023
/PRNewswire/ -- Two nonprofits addressing New Jersey's economic mobility and underserved
neighborhoods will expand their impact footprint with help from a
multi-year $200,000 grant from Bank
of America. Anchor House and CUMAC Echo Inc. have been named as the
2023 Neighborhood Builders® awardees for their work toward
decreasing food insecurity and youth homelessness in New Jersey.
Anchor House helps to prevent and end youth homelessness while
preparing youth to live productive and independent lives.
Responding to critical needs in the community, Anchor House
provides the only youth shelter, transitional living, and street
outreach program targeting youth in Mercer County, and one of two supportive
housing programs in the county for young adults. In addition, they
offer a trauma informed care approach in all their programs.
The new grant funding will assist in hiring staff and opening a
clinical department to increase mental and behavioral health
services in Mercer County, expand
the Rapid Rehousing Program and explore direct leasing through
building acquisition/ownership, purchase a programmatic database
and more.
"This year, Anchor House is celebrating 45 years of service to
prevent and end youth homelessness in Mercer County," said Kim McNear, executive director, Anchor House. "A
recent report shows that there was a 34% increase in homelessness
in Mercer County between 2022 and
2023 and that in 2023, 28% of those experiencing homelessness in
this community were youth under 18, demonstrating the need for
Anchor House's programs. This impactful grant from Bank of America
will help us continue to provide hope and life-changing programs to
hundreds of youth, while also executing our three-year strategic
plan."
CUMAC is the largest anti-hunger organization in Passaic County, serving families in
Paterson for more than 38 years.
At CUMAC, ending hunger is about addressing the root cause, trauma.
Their mission is to fight hunger and its root causes through a
holistic, trauma-informed strategy that provides groceries and
necessities to those in need. CUMAC's long term vision to address
trauma is to give power and resources to residents and to create a
self-healing community in Passaic
County.
Funds awarded to CUMAC will go towards their ability to provide
individuals and families with secure vital resources such as
fresh and healthy foods, a cost that has doubled over the last
year. In addition, CUMAC will use the grant to build on their
supportive services to create a one-stop comprehensive social
services agency.
"Being named a Bank of America Neighborhood Builder is such an
honor," said Jessica Padilla
Gonzalez, chief executive officer, CUMAC. "Our nonprofit is
always appreciative of partners who believe in our approach to
anti-hunger work and trauma-informed programming. We look forward
to building our services and portfolio with this funding – it is
surely going to make an impact in Paterson."
In addition to the grant, each organization will receive
comprehensive leadership training for their executive director and
additional training for an emerging leader at the organization. The
training will include topics ranging from increasing financial
sustainability, human capital management and strategic
storytelling.
McNear and Alashia Mays, case
manager for the Connect to Home Program, will represent Anchor
House during leadership training. Gonzalez and Program Manager,
Katherine Guerrero will represent
CUMAC.
"Anchor House and CUMAC address significant needs in our
New Jersey communities," said
Alberto Garofalo, president, Bank of
America New Jersey. "Providing these
nonprofits with flexible funding and leadership training not only
positions them for sustainable, long-term success, but also
demonstrates our commitment to creating real change in the places
where we live and work."
Bank of America's Neighborhood Builders® is an invitation-only
highly competitive program and one of the largest philanthropic
investments into nonprofit leadership development in the nation.
Nonprofits are selected by a committee comprised of community
leaders and past Builders awardees.
Since 2004, Bank of America has invested more than $300 million in nearly 100 communities across the
U.S., partnered with more than 1,600 nonprofits, and helped more
than 3,000 nonprofit leaders strengthen their leadership skills
through the Neighborhood Builders and Champions program.
Bank of America
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and middle-market businesses and large corporations with a full
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States, serving approximately 69 million consumer and small
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Reporters May Contact:
AnnMarie McDonald, Bank of America
Phone: 1.332-234-8635
annmarie.mcdonald@bofa.com
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SOURCE Bank of America Corporation