United Way Of Central Jersey Inc

STRIVING TO ENSURE ALL YOUNG CHILDREN IN OUR COMMUNITIES ATTAIN A MORE SUCCESSFUL FUTURE.

HEALTHNURSE FAMILY PARTNERSHIP THE NATIONALLY ACCLAIMED NURSE FAMILY PARTNERSHIP (NFP) PROGRAM SPECIFICALLY TARGETS LOW INCOME, FIRST TIME PREGNANT WOMEN, PROVIDES COMPREHENSIVE PARENTING TRAINING AND EDUCATION ALONG WITH A RANGE OF OTHER SUPPORTIVE SERVICES FROM THE TWELFTH WEEK OF PREGNANCY THROUGH THE CHILD'S SECOND BIRTHDAY. (ADDITIONAL INFORMATION PROVIDED ON SCHEDULE O)(HEALTH)THE NURSE FAMILY PARTNERSHIP ('NFP') PROGRAM, WHICH CONSISTS OF AN INTENSIVE SCHEDULE OF HOME VISITS BY REGISTERED NURSES, HAS PROVEN SUCCESSFUL IN BOTH THE SHORT AND LONG TERM BY ENSURING THAT BABIES GET A HEALTHIER START EVEN BEFORE BIRTH, BY HELPING MOTHERS TAKE BETTER CARE OF THEMSELVES, AND BY HELPING CHILDREN GROW TO ADOLESCENCE WITH FEWER BEHAVIORAL AND HEALTH PROBLEMS. RECENT PROGRAM OUTCOMES INCLUDE: -67% REDUCTION IN BEHAVIORAL AND INTELLECTUAL PROBLEMS BY AGE 6 -19% INCREASE IN IMMUNIZATION RATES FOR CHILDREN -21% DECREASE IN PRE-TERM BIRTHS A RECENT STUDY OF OVER 30,000 NFP FAMILIES SHOWED THAT PRE-TERM BIRTHS COST AN AVERAGE OF $54,194, WHILE A FULL TIME HEALTHY BIRTH AVERAGES $4,389WE ALSO CONNECTED MOTHERS IN OUR NFP PROGRAM TO; -NEW JERSEY DEPARTMENT OF CHILDREN AND FAMILIES AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN FUNDS FOR FOOD -COLLEGE COACHING -MENTAL HEALTH COUNSELING AND SUPPORTTHE NUMBERS:329 PEOPLE HELPED: 163 MOMS, 166 BABIES 3,200 HOME VISITS

EDUCATIONFOCUSING ON ACADEMIC AND LIFE SUCCESS FOR MIDDLESEX COUNTY CHILDREN AGES 0-5, OUR PRIMARY INITIATIVES ARE 1) A PLACED-BASED INITIATIVE AT JFK ELEMENTARY SCHOOL IN JAMESBURG NJ AND 2) THE PARENTCHILD+ FAMILY CHILD CARE PROGRAM MODEL. (ADDITIONAL INFORMATION PROVIDED ON SCHEDULE O)(EDUCATION)UWCJ'S TWO FOCUSED 'EARLY EDUCATION' INITIATIVES ARE:PLACE-BASED INITIATIVE AT JFK ELEMENTARY SCHOOL IN JAMESBURG NJUNITED WAY OF CENTRAL JERSEY LEADS JOHN F. KENNEDY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL'S EARLY CHILDHOOD COUNCIL'S LONG-TERM STRATEGY TO BEST ADDRESS THE EARLY EDUCATION AND DEVELOPMENT NEEDS OF PRESCHOOL STUDENTS AND THEIR FAMILIES. OUR FAMILY ADVOCATE STATIONED AT JFK HAS AN ACTIVE CASELOAD OF OVER 50 FAMILIES WITH A WIDE RANGE OF EDUCATION, DEVELOPMENT, HEALTH, IMMIGRATION, TRANSPORTATION, AND GOVERNMENT ENTITLEMENT HURDLES. IN 2021, UWCJ'S PLACED-BASED INITIATIVE ALSO CONNECTED FAMILIES TO ESL CLASSES, PROVIDED WARM CHILDREN'S WINTER COATS, HEALTHY LIFESTYLE INFORMATION, AND DENTAL HEALTH PROGRAMS FOR CHILDREN VIA AN OFFICE OF FAITH-BASED INITIATIVES GRANT. PARENTCHILD+ (PC+)PARENTCHILD+ FAMILY CHILD CARE PROGRAM MODEL IS A PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM DESIGNED TO SUPPORT HOME-BASED CHILD CARE PROVIDERS IN THEIR ROLE OF HELPING YOUNG CHILDREN PREPARE FOR SCHOOL AND LIFE SUCCESS. UWCJ'S EDUCATION SPECIALIST VISITS PROVIDERS TWICE A WEEK FOR 24 WEEKS TO INTRODUCE THE PROGRAM MODEL, AND PROVIDES ALL PROGRAM MATERIALS, INCLUDING BOOKS AND EDUCATIONAL TOYS. THE POSITIVE EFFECTS CONTINUE THROUGH CHILDHOOD INTO ADOLESCENCE, WITH PC+ GRADUATES FROM LOW-INCOME FAMILIES HAVING A 20-30% GREATER CHANCE OF GRADUATING HIGH SCHOOL COMPARED WITH THEIR SOCIOECONOMICALLY EQUIVALENT PEERS. THE NUMBERS:960 BOOKS DISTRIBUTED 396 TRAINING HOURS80 CHILDREN / 17 HOME-BASED CHILDCARE PROVIDERS

FINANCIAL STABILITYUWCJ ASSISTS FINANCIALLY FRAGILE HOUSEHOLDS IN MULTIPLE CAPACITIES, INCLUDING OUR YEAR-ROUND IRS-CERTIFIED VOLUNTEER INCOME TAX ASSISTANCE (VITA) PROGRAM, ADMINISTRATION OVERSIGHT OF FEMA EMERGENCY FOOD AND SHELTER FUNDING IN MIDDLESEX COUNTY NJ, SUPPORTING THE NJ211 INFORMATION AND REFERRAL SERVICE, AND IN 2021, DISTRIBUTING COVID-RECOVERY ASSISTANCE. (ADDITIONAL INFORMATION PROVIDED ON SCHEDULE O)(FINANCIAL STABILITY)UWCJ HAS A MULTI-LEVEL FOCUS ON PROVIDING MUCH-NEEDED FINANCIAL STABILITY FOR COMMUNITY RESIDENTS. VITAINDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES MAKING $65,000 OR LESS PER YEAR CAN HAVE THEIR FEDERAL AND STATE INCOME TAX RETURNS PREPARED AND FILED FOR FREE BY IRS-CERTIFIED VOLUNTEERS IN UWCJ'S VOLUNTEER INCOME TAX ASSISTANCE ('VITA') PROGRAM. THE VOLUNTEER-DRIVEN PROGRAM SUPPORTS NEARLY 3,000 INDIVIDUALS IN MIDDLESEX COUNTY AND RETURNS AN AVERAGE OF $2 MILLION DOLLARS IN REFUNDS, INCLUDING EARNED INCOME TAX CREDITS ('EITC'), AND CHILD TAX CREDITS FOR TAXPAYERS. UNLIKE OTHER VITA PROGRAMS, UNITED WAY OF CENTRAL JERSEY PROVIDES VITA SERVICES YEAR-ROUND TO ASSIST LATE FILERS, DELINQUENT FILERS, FILERS RESPONDING TO IRS NOTICES, AND PREPARATION OF ITIN APPLICATIONS AND RENEWALS.THE NUMBERS:123 VOLUNTEERS 2,936 TAX RETURNS FILED$2 MILLION+ REFUNDS & CREDITSFEMA UWCJ PROVIDES ADMINISTRATION SUPPORT TO MIDDLESEX COUNTY'S LOCAL FEMA BOARD WHICH IN 2021 GENERATED $1.625 MILLION IN FEMA AWARDS TO COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS PROVIDING EMERGENCY SHELTER; RENT, MORTGAGE AND UTILITY ASSISTANCE; AND EMERGENCY FOOD, DIAPERS AND INFANT FORMULA.NJ211UWCJ SUPPORTS NJ211 - THE STATE'S MULTI-LINGUAL TELEPHONE AND ONLINE HELPLINE AVAILABLE 24/7/365 PROVIDING INFORMATION ABOUT AVAILABLE SERVICES TO RESIDENTS OF UWCJ'S SERVICE AREA. IN 2021, 6,605 CALLS WERE MADE TO NJ211 FROM RESIDENTS IN UWCJ'S SERVICE AREA.COVID-19 RECOVERY ASSISTANCETHE COVID-19 PANDEMIC-INDUCED ECONOMIC SLOWDOWN ADVERSELY AFFECTED MANY LOW-INCOME RESIDENTS IN MIDDLESEX COUNTY. RECOGNIZING THE NEED FOR HOUSING, UTILITIES, AND FOOD ASSISTANCE, UWCJ CREATED A COVID-19 RECOVERY FUND IN 2020, FUNDED BY A FEMA AWARD, CORPORATE AND INDIVIDUAL DONATIONS. UWCJ CONTINUED DISTRIBUTING ASSISTANCE FUNDS IN 2021, PROVIDING $36.7 THOUSAND IN DIRECT ASSISTANCE TO 53 FAMILIES.

UWCJ IS COMMITTED TO ENSURING THAT CHILDREN IN OUR COMMUNITIES, AGES 0-5, ARE HEALTHY AND READY TO LEARN. FINANCIAL INVESTMENTS, ADVOCACY AND COLLABORATION CONCENTRATE ON THIS PRIORITY WITH FOCUS ON EVIDENCE-BASED PRACTICES IN THE AREAS OF EDUCATION, HEALTHY LIVES AND FINANCIAL STABILITY.GIFTS OF THE SEASON- UWCJ'S GIFTS OF THE SEASON PROGRAM IS DESIGNED TO PROVIDE FOOD, CLOTHING, TOYS AND GIFTS FOR THE END-OF-YEAR HOLIDAYS TO FAMILIES IN NEED IN MIDDLESEX COUNTY AND FRANKLIN TOWNSHIP IN SOMERSET COUNTY. UWCJ'S NON-PROFIT AGENCY PARTNERS PROVIDE INFORMATION ABOUT SPECIFIC FAMILIES RECEIVING SERVICES THAT ARE IN NEED OF ADDITIONAL ASSISTANCE WITH BASIC NECESSITIES IN ORDER TO PRESERVE THEIR INDEPENDENCE AND STABILITY.THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC REQUIRED UWCJ TO SHIFT THE PROGRAM - FROM CORPORATE PARTNER GIFT DONATIONS AND DISTRIBUTIONS OF BAGS FILLED WITH INDIVIDUALIZED GIFTS FOR AGENCY FAMILIES - TO SOLICITING GIFT-CARD DONATIONS AND DISTRIBUTING GIFT CARDS TO AGENCY FAMILIES FOR HOLIDAY PURCHASES. EVEN WITH THIS COVID-RELATED PROGRAM CHANGE, IN 2021, UWCJ - WITH THE HELP OF OUR DONORS WAS ABLE TO PROVIDE GIFT CARDS TO 247 CHILDREN AND 237 ADULTS IDENTIFIED BY 20 LOCAL NON-PROFIT AGENCIES, WITH A TOTAL $12,460 GIFT CARDS DISTRIBUTION. BACK-TO-SCHOOL SUPPLIES AT THE START OF EACH SCHOOL YEAR, UWCJ SOLICITS DONATIONS FROM INDIVIDUAL AND CORPORATE PARTNER DONORS TO PURCHASE BACKPACKS, PRE-PACKAGED 'SCHOOL SUPPLY KITS, AND GENERAL SCHOOL SUPPLIES, WHICH ARE THEN DISTRIBUTED TO LOCAL SCHOOL DISTRICTS WITH LOW-INCOME SCHOOL POPULATIONS. IN 2021, A TOTAL OF 1,056 BACKPACKS AND SCHOOL KITS WERE DISTRIBUTED TO TWENTY-TWO (22) LOCAL SCHOOLS. FOOD, CLOTHING, AND DONATED ITEMS COLLECTIONS AND DISTRIBUTIONS - UWCJ DISTRIBUTES NON-PERISHABLE FOOD ITEMS COLLECTED AT AREA CORPORATIONS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR. THIS FOOD IS DELIVERED TO MIDDLESEX COUNTY'S CENTRALIZED FOOD BANK, REPLENISH (FORMERLY, MCFOODS), WHICH SUPPLIES 120 LOCAL FOOD PANTRIES. CLOTHING, TOILETRIES, AND OTHER NECESSITIES ARE ALSO COLLECTED AT AREA CORPORATIONS, WHICH ARE THEN DISTRIBUTED TO OUR NURSE FAMILY PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM FAMILIES AS WELL AS LOCAL NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS AND SCHOOLS. DIRE - UWCJ HAS MADE A MULTI-YEAR COMMITMENT TO DIRE-SUPPORT SERVICES AND DIRE-LEGAL SERVICES. DIRE ASSISTS IMMIGRANT FAMILIES FACING ISSUES RELATED TO DETENTION, DEPORTATION, AND OTHER IMMIGRATION-RELATED CIRCUMSTANCES. DIRE OPERATES A HOTLINE AVAILABLE 24/7 FOR HELP WITH IMMIGRATION CRISES AND LONG-TERM SUPPORT. IN 2021 DIRE-SUPPORT SERVICES:- RENTED AND SUSTAINED UNITS FOR 10 FAMILIES PROVIDED FOOD ASSISTANCE FOR 12 MONTHS TO DOZENS OF FAMILIES AFTER THE START OF THE PANDEMIC - MADE REGULAR FOOD DELIVERIES TO FAMILIES STRUGGLING WITH ISSUES LIKE DETENTION AND DEPORTATION - DISTRIBUTED NEARLY 2 MILLION DOLLARS IN GIFT CARDS TO WORKERS INELIGIBLE FOR COVID-19 RELIEF DOLLARS - DIRE-LEGAL SERVICES WAS ESTABLISHED 2 YEARS AGO, DUE TO THE DRAMATIC SHORTAGE OF LEGAL SERVICES FOR IMMIGRANTS AND REFUGEES. DIRE-LEGAL FOCUSES ON ASYLUM AND DETENTION CASES, VISAS, AND SPECIAL IMMIGRANT JUVENILE VISAS. THE PROGRAM IS RAPIDLY EXPANDING TO MEET THE NEEDS OF AFGHAN, HAITIAN, AND UKRAINIAN REFUGEES.FACILITIES AND OTHER SERVICES TO LOCAL NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS - UWCJ PROVIDED BELOW MARKET-RATE OFFICE SPACE TO A COMMUNITY PARTNER ORGANIZATION FOR THE INITIAL PART OF 2021. UWCJ CONTINUES TO PROVIDE TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE AND OTHER IN-KIND SERVICES TO LOCAL NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS.DESIGNATED GIFTS TO OTHER NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS - THROUGH THE ANNUAL WORKPLACE CAMPAIGNS, AREA CORPORATIONS ALLOW DONORS TO DIRECT THEIR CONTRIBUTIONS TO ANY NON-PROFIT HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICE ORGANIZATION. UWCJ IS ESSENTIALLY FUNDRAISING ON BEHALF OF COUNTLESS OTHER ORGANIZATIONS VIA THIS "OPEN DESIGNATION" PROCESS. IN 2021, UWCJ'S FUNDRAISING EFFORTS GENERATED $149.0 THOUSAND DOLLARS IN WORKPLACE DESIGNATED-DONOR GIFTS TO OTHER UNITED WAYS, AND OTHER NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS, BOTH LOCALLY AND NATIONALLY.