Understanding foundation
As executive director/CEO of the Healthcare Foundation of New Jersey, I want to express our dismay at the tone and implication of “Healthcare Foundation makes up agencies’ shortfalls” (Oct. 20).
The article, through its title, text, and construction, gives the false impression that the HFNJ is critical of the Jewish Federation of Greater MetroWest NJ for cutting budget allocations to its beneficiary agencies, and that the foundation sets out to rescue the agencies by awarding grants to fill those budget gaps.
Nothing could be further from the truth. HFNJ understands that in times of tight budgets, challenging fund-raising, and increased need, hard decisions have to be made about how and where to allocate dollars. We would never presume to judge the decisions made by the federation or the relationship it has with its agencies.
HFNJ exists to improve the health and wellness of the most vulnerable people in our Jewish community and the people served by our local Jewish agencies, as well as the most vulnerable residents of greater Newark. We judge each proposal on its merits, assessing its relevance to our mission, the need it seeks to address, the likelihood of success, and the capacity of the applicant to keep that work going beyond HFNJ funding.
All of us who work in the Jewish community are striving in our own way to make the community as strong and vibrant as possible. The Healthcare Foundation of NJ is proud to be counted as part of that dedicated and important group.
Marsha I. Atkind
Executive director/CEO, The Healthcare Foundation of New Jersey
Millburn
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