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The Alfred N. Sanzari Family Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to improving communities across the northeast, is proud to announce it has awarded 12 grants totaling $50,000 for its Fall 2023 grant program. Grant recipients include Eva’s Village, Emmanuel Cancer Foundation, Northern NJ Community Foundation, Moms Helping Moms, Alliance for Morris County Parks, Girl Scouts of Northern NJ, Main Street Business Alliance, Jewish Family & Children’s Services of Northern NJ, Christian Health Care Center, Center for Food Action, Young Life and the Teaneck Junior Football.     

The Alfred N. Sanzari (ANS) Family Foundation was established in 2006 to carry on the legacy of Alfred N. Sanzari, founder of Alfred Sanzari Enterprises, through the promotion and support of a wide range of causes throughout northern New Jersey. Reflecting the values of Alfred and his family, the ANS Family Foundation supports the promotion of healthcare with a special focus on patient care and Parkinson’s disease, local education programs, and programs that assist disadvantaged populations such as shelters/housing, and services for women and children in need. Since its founding, the ANS Family Foundation has donated over $2 million to organizations throughout northern New Jersey and surrounding communities.

 We are deeply inspired by the unwavering commitment displayed by the staff and volunteers in the numerous non-profit organizations across northern New Jersey,” said Dana Jareck, member of the Alfred N. Sanzari Family Foundation Board of Trustees. “It is with immense pride that we help empower these 12 organizations in their pursuit of achieving their vital missions in the upcoming year.”

Founded in 1982 in Paterson, N.J., Eva’s Village is a non-profit, comprehensive behavioral health and social service organization with a mission to provide care and support for people struggling with poverty, hunger, homelessness and addiction. The funds will be used to support Eva’s Village’s Hope Residence. The Hope Residence provides mothers with opioid and substance use disorder treatment programs, workforce development, and supportive housing programs, which removes a significant barrier to treatment, employment and employment training.

The mission of the Emmanuel Cancer Foundation is to provide New Jersey families faced with children with cancer a place to turn for comfort and relief through free supportive services uniquely tailored to each family. Their grant will contribute to their Family Financial Assistance Fund that helps families in northern NJ facing urgent needs due to the financial strain caused by a cancer diagnosis. The fund helps pay household bills, covers the cost of meals while families spend time at their child’s bedside in the hospital, helps with costly transportation to treatment facilities, provides funding for medical expenses and medical equipment and aid to families who cannot meet the high cost of burial and funeral expenses for a child who has lost his or her battle to cancer.

The Northern NJ Community Foundation is a regional resource that seeks to improve community life through its work in the environment, arts and culture, public health, education, civic engagement, and philanthropy. Their grant will support the Northern NJ Community Foundation’s partnership with the City of Hackensack to create a community-driven green infrastructure plan to protect areas of Hackensack most vulnerable to flooding. The grant will also help facilitate the work of a team of residents and representatives from Hackensack-based organizations who are focused on advocating for environmental justice.

Headquartered in Warren, N.J., Moms Helping Moms provides underserved families in New Jersey with equitable access to the essentials their children need to have a safe and healthy start. The grant will aid its Healthy Start for Babies Program which distributes critical supplies such as diapers, wipes, clothes, shoes, blankets, hygiene items, pack-n-plays, strollers, and more to over 100,000+ individuals per year.

Working closely with the Morris County Park Commission, the Alliance for Morris County Parks ensures residents have continued access to green open spaces, enrichment programs and educational resources that foster personal and community wellness, environmental sustainability and economic growth. The organization will use its grant to support its Kids2Kids (K2K) and Garden to Table (GtoT) programs. K2K is a program that works with differently abled older teens and young adults to provide the opportunity to learn gardening skills, develop independence, see the garden change through the season, and eat the “fruits” of their labors. GtoT is a similar program offered in cooperation with the Department of Family Medicine at Atlantic Health/Morristown Medical Center, where children referred by social workers are given the same opportunities.

Girl Scouts of Northern New Jersey serves girls ages 5-18 in Bergen, Morris, Passaic, Sussex, and northern Warren counties, bringing the Girl Scout Leadership Experience to more than 18,500 girls and over 10,200 adult members. The grant from the ANSFF will help fund the Girl Scouts Lead Program. Girl Scouts Lead initiative supports girls from under-resourced communities, giving them the opportunity to participate in the Girl Scout Leadership Experience (GSLE). It will serve 1,603 girls in the communities of Paterson, Passaic, Hackensack, Englewood and Morristown in 2023-2024.

Established as a public/private partnership between Hackensack’s business community and the city, Main Street Business Alliance is focused on improving the local economy and the overall business climate in Hackensack. The funding will help implement an interactive art project titled “Wild Birds” which will project images of birds completing a full cycle of flight onto the sidewalk of 210 Main Street in downtown Hackensack. The project will highlight the City’s natural surroundings and beautify the downtown area for residents.

Based on Jewish tradition and values, Jewish Family & Children’s Services (JFCS) of Northern NJ’s mission is to strengthen and enhance the well-being of all who call upon us by providing professional and compassionate human services to effectively meet life’s many challenges. JFCS funds will support its Children’s Mental Health Program which provides comprehensive emotional and behavioral health services for children. Program services include therapy, psychiatric care, parent/family education, and wrap-around collaborative care.

For over 100 years, Christian Health has been proud to foster health, healing, and wellness in northern New Jersey through a full continuum of senior life, mental health, and short-term rehabilitation services. The grant from the ANSFF will help the organization expand and develop programming to support those with Parkinson’s disease. The organization’s LSVT BIG and LOUD Training & Certification courses will teach physical/occupational/speech therapy professionals an evidence-based, intensive treatment program for people with Parkinsons. Additionally, the caregivers’ support group is an invaluable resource and wellness program for families who struggle with how to manage their loved ones who live with Parkinson’s.

Founded in 1976, the Center for Food Action (CFA) provides emergency services to northern New Jersey’s poorest and most vulnerable residents. The ANSFF’s support will help CFA create an inviting, inclusive, and innovative first-choice pantry in its Mahwah location that gives guests the dignity to select the food items that best suit their individual and cultural preferences.

Young Life is an international, non-profit, non-denominational organization that offers a range of community-focused programs for teenagers. YoungLives is an outreach arm of Young Life specifically focused on teen parents. The ANSFF’s donation will help provide Thanksgiving Slow Cooker Gift Baskets to teen moms to encourage family time and nutritious eating.

Teaneck Junior Football provides children from ages 7-14 with a safe and secure football experience for the youth and parents of Teaneck, N.J. ANSFF’s grant will allow the organization to purchase 50 brand-new Schutt F7 football helmets that are designed to limit concussions in young athletes.

The ANS Family Foundation has two grant cycles per year with grant amounts ranging from $500 to $10,000. The Foundation is currently in its second grant application period for 2023. All grant applications are due by February 28th, 2024. For more information on the grant application process and to apply, please visit the ANS Family Foundation at https://sanzarifoundation.com/how-to-apply.