Charities--Adoption/Women/Children

-- Charities - Adoption/Women/Children

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- Adoption/Family Services

The Children's Home Society of New Jersey (Trenton)
Founded 1894, one of oldest continuously operating NJ charities. Focus on adoption, protection of children from harm, helping parents to keep their children and build healthy families. Origins from national movement begun in 19th century in Chicago called The Children’s Home Society, which opposed then prevailing practice of warehousing children along with adults in almshouses and relocating local children to mid-west for placement with farm families. Founder Reverend Martin Lamb and wife Ermina first foster parents for CHSofNJ, foster children later placed for adoption. Current programs include behavioral health/ mental health, permanency planning, community/ neighborhood based services, school based services, and early childhood and parent education services. Programs address developmental continuum from pre-natal to adult, administers services funded by federal Adoption and Safe Families Act in NJ, provides temporary care services when birth parents unsure about ability to care for their child, need services until they can raise child, and/or are considering placing their child with relatives or with an adoptive family. Range of services before adoption, during state placement process, and after adoption (post-adoption services).

Children’s Aid and Family Services (Paramus)
Child welfare and family services includes adoption and adoption support services, therapeutic foster care for vulnerable children, child care and early education, drug and alcohol abuse education and prevention, eldercare, special needs housing, and educational programs and workshops.Group homes for children in Bogota, Clifton,
Paramus, Ridgewood, and West Orange. Developmental disability community residences in Fair Lawn, Maywood and Park Ridge.

Catholic Charities, Diocese of Camden-Adoption Services (Camden)
Licensed by state of NJ to provide an array of services related to adoption. Helps birth parents select suitable adoptive family; prospective adoptive families consider options; and adult adoptees with questions about your birth parents and family relationships.

Catholic Charities, Diocese of Newark (Newark)
Provides adoption services, counseling and support services for at-risk youth and their families, homeless shelters and support, educational programs for children with special needs, psychological and psychiatric help for those with mental illness. Focus on serving 100,000 individuals in Bergen, Essex, Hudson and Union counties.

Foster and Adoptive Family Services (Monmouth Junction)
Provides support, training and advocacy to meet special needs of foster, adoptive and kinship families. Advocates for positive advances in foster care system. Develops and distributes educational, training and other resource materials to private charities, government agencies and others interested in children's well-being. Programs include free foster adoptive and kinship parent training; educational and vocational scholarships, grants for special projects, summer camps, birthday gifts and wishes.

United Family & Children's Society (Plainfield)
Origins date to first private organized efforts in 1877 to help needy in Plainfield with formation of Plainfield Relief Society, later joined with Organized Aid Association and Charity Organization Society. In 1941, merger of these agencies and United Catholic Aid Society and United Hebrew Charity Organization to form single organization under current name. Focus on mental health services, adoption, foster care, special programming for pregnant and parenting teens and services for 175 de-institutionalized adults in a Plainfield residential healthcare facility. Licensed by NJ Department of Human Services for adoption and mental health outpatient services.

* The Ultimate Guide to Adoption Travel for Expecting Parents, MillionMileSecrets.com

- Youth

Bridge of Books Foundation (Rumson)
Facilitated distribution of over half million books to underserved children across NJ, both directly and through partner agencies. Originally founded 2003 in San Francisco, which ceased operations in 2004, NJ chapter now sole operation, primarily all-volunteer organization. Recipient of 2017 NJ State Library innovative partnership award for partnering with Long Branch Public Library’s project to distribute 1,000 books through five local barbershops to build literacy.

Boy Scouts of America-Northern New Jersey Council (Oakland)
Chartered by National Council, Boy Scouts of America, formed January 1, 1999 through consolidation of former Bergen, Essex, Hudson and Passaic Councils. Operates service center and full service Scout Shop in Oakland; six camps available for day camping, hiking, weekend camping, leader training and summer camps. Comprises troops with some 14,000 Cub and Boy Scouts and 4,600 scoutmasters and other volunteers.

Girl Scouts of Central & Southern New Jersey (Cherry Hill)
Part of international organization founded 1912 in Georgia, now composed of 1.8 million girls and 800,000 adults. NJ Central and Southern council includes over 21,000 girls and nearly 12,000 volunteers. NJ camps include Camp Kettle Run 158-acre Pinelands camp in Burlington County including an 11-acre lake; Camp Inawendiwin 395-acre camp in Burlington County; Camp Oak Spring 120-acre camp on Delaware Raritan Canal in Somerset County; and Camp Sacy 186-acre camp in Pinelands of Gloucester County. Headquarters in Cherry Hill, also service centers in Egg Harbor Township and East Brunswick.

Oasis (Paterson)
Established 1997 by founders Ann Wagner and Christine DeVita Breit to provide meal services to poor women and children. Now serves annually 70,000 meals, including daily breakfast and lunch; distributes over 10,000 food bags, diapers and other baby supplies. Interviews some 500 women annually for issues pertaining to domestic violence, substance abuse, women’s health for referral to relevant programs. Also offers high school equivalency programs; English as a second language; and pre-school and supervised childcare; job search training. Recipient of highest 4-star rating from CharityNavigator.org

Big Brothers Big Sisters State Association of New Jersey
(Asbury Park)
NJ affiliate of national organization founded 1904 in NY City for mentoring of boys, merged 1977 with similar group for girls known as Catholic Big Sisters. Currently operates in all 50 states and in 12 countries around world, NJ has 8 agencies serving every county which collaborate jointly through New Jersey State Association of Big Brothers Big Sisters Agencies to supplement financial and organizational support of local programs. Matches adult volunteers with children--particularly those living in single parent homes, growing up in poverty and coping with parental incarceration--referred by family, houses of worship, social organizations for regular contacts with mentors in community or at school to build and supplement supportive relationships.

Boys & Girls Clubs in New Jersey (Clifton)
Organization representing 21 county-based rape crisis centers and Rutgers University Office of Violence Prevention and Victim Assistance. Advocates for survivor-centered legislation, training allied professionals, and supporting statewide prevention strategies and just treatment of survivors and their loved ones. Promotes collaborative relationships among community systems, sponsors Training Institute and college programs.

GlassRoots (Newark)
Uses training, especially of underserved youth, in glassmaking to broaden interests, develop skills, support life-long learning and creative self-expression. Teaching program develops understanding of scientific principles in chemistry, physics, and math in such applications as viscosity and temperature; creativity in patterns and shapes; study of history and economic role of mosaics; and production skills relevant to manufacturing jobs and entrepreneurship. Students in flameworking studio and hot shop acquire dexterity, timing and safety skills. Sponsors annual business entrepreneurship competition and trade fair at which Newark high school students present business plan proposals and display products for sale. One-third of income derived from sales of student-made products.

New Jersey Partnership for Healthy Kids (Trenton)
Founded 2009, focus on expanding access to affordable healthy foods and increasing opportunities for physical activity that help children achieve a healthy weight. Began effort through community coalitions in Camden, New Brunswick, Newark, Trenton and Vineland, now expanded to over 45 communities across NJ. Advocates for environmental and policy changes to promote healthy eating and physical activity, including development of community and school wellness policies; renovating neighborhood playgrounds; securing commitments for healthier choices in local corner stores; creating bike lanes; co-sponsoring fun and fitness events; and providing regional technical assistance and coaching to neighborhoods.

Anchor House (Trenton)
Founded 1978 by Trenton city officials and concerned citizens as a project to develop shelter for runaway homeless and abused youth. Provides food, emergency housing, clothing, for hundreds of runaway and homeless teens. If family reunification fails, offers shelter and aid in securing longer-term housing, along with skills training to commence stable, independent adult life. Anchor Link program offers crisis intervention, counseling, assistance with job searches, linkages for shelter services or assistance locating safe living arrangements, referrals to community programs, advocacy, life skills education, and transportation. Sponsors annual 'Ride for Runaways' 500-mile 7-day long bike ride in which riders secure pledges from sponsors.

New Jersey SEEDS (Newark)
Founded 1992, raises funds for scholarships, other educational support for highly motivated, low-income students to attend selective preparatory schools and colleges. College Preparatory Program students participate in three-year program that begins summer prior to tenth grade. College Scholars participate in 17-month immersion experience designed to prepare and place top-performing, low-income students from public high schools in highly competitive colleges. Over 2,300 students have participated in programs, with average family incomes under $38,000. Recipient of highest 4-star rating from CharityNavigator.org

- Women

Jersey Battered Women's Service (Morristown)
Domestic violence and domestic abuse prevention agency. Founded 1976, opened first shelter 1978. Services include safe house; transitional living; children's services; 24-hour hotline; counseling; life skills education; vocational counseling; batterers' intervention; legal assistance; teen dating violence services; and professional training, education and youth prevention programs. Recipient of highest 4-star rating from CharityNavigator.org

Womanspace (Lawrenceville)
Incorporated 1976, opened Mercer County Women’s Center, first shelter 1978. Operates Safe House emergency shelter; Barbara’s House short-term residential program; Next Step one- to two-year long-term residential program. First program in Mercer County to provide direct therapeutic care to youth coping with family violence. Also provides victim support services, education and training on domestic abuse and sexual assault.

New Jersey Coalition to End Domestic Violence (Trenton)
Former NJ Coalition for Battered Women founded 1978, adopted current name 2015. Statewide coalition of 30 domestic violence service programs and concerned individuals whose purpose and mission is to end domestic violence in New Jersey. NJCEDV performs its work through advocacy for survivors of domestic violence; collaboration with state agencies and its member programs; education and training; and technical assistance for its members and the community.

New Jersey Coalition Against Sexual Assault (Lawrenceville)
Statewide advocacy and capacity building organization representing 21 county-based rape crisis centers and Rutgers University Office of Violence Prevention and Victim Assistance. Advocates for survivor-centered legislation, training allied professionals, and supporting statewide prevention strategies and just treatment of survivors and their loved ones. Promotes collaborative relationships among community systems, sponsors Training Institute and college programs.

WomenRising (Jersey City)
Origins in 1905 founding of YWCA established by women workers at Colgate Co. plant in Jersey City. Now serves over 9,500 individual clients in 11 programs throughout Hudson County helping women and their families with jobs, safety from domestic violence, freedom from substance abuse and safe homes for children. Programs include supportive counseling, crisis intervention, workforce development and job placement, shelter for victims of domestic violence, outreach, advocacy, and referrals.

Planned Parenthood of Northern, Central and
Southern New Jersey (Morristown)
Affiliate of national Planned Parenthood organization. Provides comprehensive and affordable reproductive and complementary health care services, counseling on birth control and pregnancy, advocates for public policies guaranteeing reproductive rights. Conducts school and community-based health and sex education sessions for age-appropriate audiences. October 2016 merger joined Northern New Jersey and Planned Parenthood of Southern New Jersey to become Planned Parenthood of Northern, Central, and Southern New Jersey serving 18 NJ counties. National organization subject of controversy over alleged role in abortion services.

* NJ Department of Children & Families
* Office of Adoption Operations, NJ Department of Children & Families
* Parent Link, State of NJ

Newark Ethnic 1910 Mug