Healthcare Foundation surpasses $150 million in granting

THE HEALTHCARE FOUNDATION of New Jersey (HFNJ) was created in 1996, with proceeds from the sale of Newark Beth Israel Medical Center; on Sept. 16, with new awards totaling just over $2.1 million, HFNJ surpassed the $150 million mark in its granting operations.

Beth Levithan of Short Hills is HFNJ chair; Marsha Atkind of Roseland is executive director and CEO.

HFNJ was established as an independent foundation informed by Jewish values, with a mission to foster wellness among low-income, underserved populations in greater Newark and vulnerable populations in the Jewish community.

The foundation’s support of the Jewish community includes funding to Jewish Federation of Greater MetroWest NJ and to local Jewish agencies, synagogues, and day schools. Among recent significant grants: a capital award of $1 million to Jewish Service for the Developmentally Disabled for new headquarters being constructed in Livingston, $500,000 to the Friendship Circle’s LifeTown to build the HFNJ Sensory Playground in its new Livingston facility, and $400,000-plus to JESPY House in South Orange for aging-in-place initiatives for physically and mentally challenged adults.

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Among other grants, Daughters of Israel senior care in West Orange received over $250,000 to upgrade its computerized physician entry system. Jewish Family Service of MetroWest and JFS of Central NJ have received numerous awards over the years, including $445,000-plus to seed and support Café Europa for Holocaust survivors and another $120,000 for home care for survivors; $257,000 to the Rachel Coalition to assist victims of domestic violence; $500,000-plus for enhanced case management services; and $300,000 to support caregivers of loved ones with Alzheimer’s disease or other forms of dementia.

Jewish Vocational Service of MetroWest received three grants totaling $233,000 to provide medical case management for veterans. Funding for new and expanded nursing stations was awarded to the Gottesman RTW Academy in Randolph and Joseph Kushner Hebrew Academy in Livingston.

HFNJ also awarded a grant to JCC MetroWest in West Orange to embed social workers in its summer camps to identify and support campers with mental health issues and help counselors deal with issues that arise.