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Celebrate Volunteers!

UWCJ would like to take the opportunity to acknowledge all the wonderful volunteers who have participated during the last year in community support activities. Because of your effort, thousands of people have been helped and opportunities have been created for a better life. When you reach out a hand to one, everyone benefits. Thank you.

 

Kitchens for the Homeless

 

United Way has committed to equip 30 kitchens in the new, low-income housing that is being constructed in Camp Kilmer in Edison, NJ. You can be part of this effort. Please consider a donation to help sponsor new kitchen supplies for the apartments reserved for homeless families.

 

Donations from Banana Republic and Paychex 

Donations from Banana Republic and Paychex

 

The following supplies for one kitchen can be sponsored for $250. Donate Now

 

Toaster

Coffee pot

Pots, pans and baking sheets

Dishes

Dish drying rack and drainer

Cups and glasses

Utensils, tableware and drawer organizer

Kitchen garbage can, recycle can

Mop and bucket, broom and dustpan

Paper towel holder

Microwave

Trash Bags

Paper Towels

Cleaning Products

Dish soap

Laundry detergent

Vacuum Cleaner

Phone

Kitchen towels, oven mitts

Can Opener

 

Friends who have contributed to this project to date include: Banana Republic-North Brunswick, Colgate-Palmolive, Paychex and the Board of Trustees and Staff of United Way of Central Jersey. Why not add your support?

 

For more information, please contact, Gloria Aftanski (gaftanski@uwcj.org)

 

St. Peter's Mobile Screening Van

Health Screening/Health Fair

 

In an effort to raise awareness of the need to monitor critical health measures like blood sugar and blood pressure as well as to promote adoption of a "medical home," UWCJ is implementing health screenings and health fairs in Perth Amboy, New Brunswick and Woodbridge. In partnership with Jewish Renaissance Medical Center and St. Peter's Hospital, UWCJ has arranged to offer health services to low income communities.

 

The goal is to change the per centage of low income populations that are overweight, or have abnormal levels of blood sugar and blood pressure. These may be indicators for heart disease and diabetes.

 

For more information on how you can get involved in this health initiative, please contact Gloria Aftanski at gaftanski@uwcj.org.

Pay for Success Initiative Under Way

 

Our objective with the Pay for Success initiative is to document the impact of a child's participation in a continuum of UWCJ's early childhood programming resulting in less reliance on government programs.

 

Success, and projections regarding the accrued savings, will be derived from delivering an array of early childhood programming that offers the promise of positively impacting third grade reading scores and ultimately increasing the high school graduation rates. This initiative will specifically target low income families living within the catchment area of low performing elementary schools.

 

Reading at grade level when transitioning from third to fourth grade has been widely acknowledged as a strong indicator of academic success generally and high school graduation in particular (see especially "Double Jeopardy : How Third Grade Reading Skills and Poverty Influence High School Graduation Rates" report released by the Annie E. Casey Foundation in 2012).

We expect to demonstrate that participation in the full range of services collectively will result in greater long term savings than may be derived from receipt of any single sub-component service or no services at all. Overall, we project that savings will be generated:

  • by improved birth out-comes
  • reductions in the incidence of child abuse
  • decreased reliance upon hospital emergency rooms for treatment of trauma related injuries
  • decreased participation in costly special education and other remedial academic services
  • reduced involvement in the juvenile and adult criminal justice systems
  • and, generally, reduced reliance upon federal and state subsidized benefits and services.

Clearly, and given that this initiative involves delivery of direct early childhood (Zero to Five) services, there will need to be a longitudinal research component tracking both short and long term outcomes and savings. For more information, please contact Gloria Aftanski at gaftanski@uwcj.org.

                 

Affordable Care Act Enrollment Results

 

On February 15th, the second year of Open Enrollment came to a close with about 11.4 million consumers selecting plans or being automatically re-enrolled through the HealthCare.gov platform or State-Based Marketplaces across the country. In New Jersey, over 254,000 enrolled. UWCJ organized enrollment events at North Brunswick Library, First Baptist Church, East Brunswick Library and in Woodridge at St. James Church.

 

Various sources, including New Jersey Policy Perspectives, point out that enrolling low-income populations has benefits for all of us.

  • Health insurance that includes coverage for preventive care can lower costs
  • Health insurance that reduces charity care expenses for hospitals can lower the rate of health care inflation
  • Health insurance can encourage doctor visits that lower the risk of infection at work or school
  • Health insurance can increase health care service which translates into more jobs  

 For more information on UWCJ's work to increase health coverage for low-income residents in Central Jersey, please contact Jag Vasudev at jvasudev@uwcj.org

 

Colgate-Palmolive Donation for Homeless Housing  

Our Thanks

 
During the year, UWCJ receives donations of gifts in kind that are distributed according to donor requests. There is no cost for this service because UWCJ believes that part of its role in the community is to facilitate the investment of resources that can create opportunities for a better life for people who are needy or at risk. Here are some recent examples:

 

The Geek Squad held a book drive and UWCJ distributed children's books to pre-schools


TIAA-CREF had a volunteer event that resulted in 75 pencil cases filled with items to help low-income students. These were distributed to low-income pre-schools.


Johnson & Johnson Health Care Systems Inc held a drive that generated warm gloves, hats and socks. These were distributed to Clothesline, a non-profit that distributes clothes to low-income families.


Best Buy held a clothing drive that yielded bags of gently used clothing for distribution to low-income families via Clothesline.


Colgate-Palmolive donated 19 boxes of soaps and cleaning products for distribution to the Homeless Housing Project at Camp Kilmer


Banana Republic and Paychex donated kitchen equipment for the Homeless Housing Project.


Individual donors also drop by with donations of food, books or clothes in good condition. Alma Luna from North Brunswick is one of those, and others help us during holiday gift drives and particularly during the drive for school supplies.


While we can't list everyone, we want to be sure to thank and recognize you for your generous help and compassion for your neighbors who may be in need. 


 

 
Volunteer Income Tax Assistance

VITA Volunteer

56 volunteers are meeting with low income tax payers in locations around Middlesex County to help insure they receive the credits and refunds they are due.

 

United Ways across the country are collaborating with the IRS to reach low-income workers who would otherwise risk receiving less than they should. Millions of dollars have remained uncollected, and the cost of a paid preparer is significant - especially when income is low and the heating bills are high.

 

Last year, UWCJ helped generate $1.8 million for the local community. That is money that was reinvested in the local community and helps to support the Central Jersey economy.

 

If you would like to volunteer or know someone who needs help, please contact pdesiderio@uwcj.org for more information. 

 

Investment Allocation Process Starts

 

Each year, United Way invites members of the community to help decide where money raised in the last year should be invested. Volunteers review grant requests to support social service programs and then carefully score each request according to criteria such as:

  • identified need and demonstrated strategies
  • effectiveness
  • cost
  • fiscal administration and accountability
  • collaboration

Community volunteers who provide their input into the investment process help to ensure that the United Way's work is representative of the community's needs.

 

"As a first time volunteer, I am excited to be participating in the Investment Allocation process!  I was amazed to see how much time and energy goes into evaluating and discussing each grant in order to ensure that the donor's money is spent wisely! "

 

The focus on programs benefiting low-income children and families reflects research indicating that the return on investment (ROI) is high. For example, the Rand Corporation, an independent research organization, indicates that the ROI is over $4 for every $1 invested in the Nurse-Family Partnership - one of UWCJ's key note initiatives.

 

If you would like to get involved in the investment allocation process, please contact June Launay at jlaunay@uwcj.org.

 

UWCJ HVAC Unit New Windows, Roof

and HVAC

 

New windows installed during the depth of winter?

The sooner the better.

 

United Way's building is over 50 years old and the heating and air conditioning systems had never been upgraded. Rain caused flooding that soaked through the ceiling onto the desks of unsuspecting workers. Sump pumps failed when the lights went out - not infrequently - and backed up to soak the carpeting and walls. The noise of the elevator scared people into taking the stairs and portable heaters appeared like mushrooms on a damp day in the woods.

 

"We were forced to spend money to save money," said Gloria Aftanski, President. "I'd like to thank the staff for accommodating the inconvenience - and cold - while workers replaced their window." The cost of new ventilation, cooling, heating and roofing will be met by the generous contributions of the UWCJ Board of Trustees and the Building Fund for repairs and improvements. For more information, contact gaftanski@uwcj.org. 

 

MLK Day Volunteers MLK Day Volunteers Served in Central Jersey

 

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. believed that acts of service were the great equalizer.  "Everybody can be great," he noted, "because everybody can serve."

 

United Way of Central Jersey's call to service on Martin Luther King Day asked all Central Jersey residents to work together to provide solutions to our most pressing problems caused by financial instability and poor academic performance.

 

United Way offered an opportunity to serve by distributing the tools and information for eligible lower income families to restore Financial Stability. Volunteers stuffed bags and distributed information on tax preparation services and access to low cost health insurance.

 

UWCJ offered volunteers the opportunity to improve literacy among low-income children by creating kits to build literacy. Early childhood brain development and literacy skills can make a measurable difference in a child's ability to succeed in school. These literacy kits help to create an environment at home that promotes brain development.

 

Volunteers also registered to read to low-income children. Because books can stimulate verbal interaction with young children that increases brain development, literacy skills and a love of books, volunteers helped young children develop the skills they need to succeed in school at a variety of non-profit pre-schools.

 

UWCJ would be happy to work with you or your group to arrange volunteer activities. Please contact Gloria Aftanski at gaftanski@uwcj.org for more information.