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BJ’s Charitable Foundation Distributes 70 Grants To Support Children & Families Throughout its 15-State Footprint

11/02/2015

Westborough, Mass., November 2, 2015 -- BJ’s Charitable Foundation announced today the donation of 70 grants to nonprofits that will impact the lives of more than two million residents across its 15-state footprint. As part of its quarterly grant cycle, the Foundation contributed $249,900 to benefit the underprivileged in the areas of education and hunger prevention.

“We are very proud to partner with these 70 organizations that support children and families in need that live in the communities surrounding BJ’s Clubs,” said Jessica Newman, Executive Director of the BJ’s Charitable Foundation. “Together, we can feed the people who need it most while also funding essential educational services.”

The following information details grant recipients and amounts by state:

Connecticut
Boys & Girls Club of Hartford, Inc.(Hartford) - $2,500 to purchase supplies for the Power Hour: Making Minutes Count Program. This program provides trained Club professionals and volunteers with resources and strategies to create an engaging tutoring and homework help experience for local youth.

Jewish Family Services of New Haven, Inc. (New Haven) - $2,500 to support the purchase of supplemental food and holiday food for clients served through the Emergency Food Assistance Program. More than 5,000 pounds of nonperishable food are distributed through Jewish Family Services each month. And, every Thanksgiving, the nonprofit helps more than 250 families with food to help celebrate the holiday and each Passover, they help around 200 families with Kosher baskets.

Delaware
Child, Inc. (Wilmington) — $2,500 to help support the cost of food for Sarah's House Domestic Violence Shelter Program. Sarah’s House is one of two shelters operated by Child, Ind. to help provide safety, support and advocacy for battered women and their children.

READ Aloud Delaware(Wilmington) - $5,000 to purchase supplies for the Volunteer Reading Program. This program involves volunteers reading to a child once a week to encourage a love of reading and books during the critical early years of development.

Florida
Catholic Charities Bureau, Inc., Jacksonville Regional Office (Jacksonville) — $5,000 to fund the cost of non-perishable food items, fresh vegetables, fresh fruit and protein for Catholic Charities' Food Pantry. The pantry distributes food to the public on Wednesday and Friday.

Lutheran Social Services of Northeast Florida, Inc. (Jacksonville) — $5,000 to purchase food and to fund a portion of the pantry's occupancy costs, transportation, equipment, and supplies for the Food Pantry Program that will benefit the nearly 20 percent of Duval County residents suffer from food insecurity.

Family Resource Center of South Florida (Miami) - $5,000 to cover the cost of school supplies for the Back-to-School On-Track Program. The nonprofit’s works to prevent and change dysfunctional parent/child interaction patterns, promote positive self-concepts, and build healthy relationships to prevent child abuse and neglect.

Jewish Community Services of South Florida, Inc. (North Miami) - $5,000 to support the purchase of food for the more than 300 families served annually by the Kosher Food Bank Program.

Harry Chapin Food Bank of Southwest Florida (Fort Myers) $5,000 for fuel and maintenance for its warehouse truck. Providing food for 30,000 individuals each month, the Food Bank partners with 150+ agencies for food distribution including church food pantries, soup kitchens, emergency shelters, disaster relief agencies and more.

Hispanic Unity of Florida, Inc. (Hollywood) - $5,000 to provide direct service, program-related salary support for the Preschool Lead Teacher, who creates a positive learning environment and provides English instruction to English language learners in the Unity 4Kids Program.

Seminole County Victims' Rights Coalition Inc.(Lake Monroe) - $2,500 to help cover the cost of food for its Bridging the Gap Program.

Georgia
I Care Atlanta! (formerly My Brothers Keepers Reaching Out) (Doraville) - $2,400 to fund fuel and maintenance for its two delivery trucks used in the Food Distribution Program. The nonprofit’s mission is to help stabilize lives and prevent homelessness by feeding the food insecure in Metro Atlanta through the distribution of groceries, cooked foods, and links to resources that will result in self-sufficiency.

Maine
Southern Maine Agency on Aging (Scarborough) $5,000 to purchase food for the Meals on Wheels Program. Providing up to five meals each week, Southern Maine Agency on Aging delivers nutritious and delicious food to homebound older adults in Cumberland and York counties.

Maryland
Human Services Programs of Carroll County (Westminster) - $5,000 to provide direct service, program-related salary support for a Case Manager, who guides program participants in overcoming barriers to employment in the Opportunity WORKS Program.

Meals on Wheels of Central Maryland, Inc.(Baltimore) - $5,000 to purchase fuel for the cargo delivery vans used to transport bulk and utilized meals daily, to twenty-four distribution locations, in the Home-Delivered Meals Program.

Massachusetts
South Shore Community Action Council, Inc.(Plymouth) - $7,500 to purchase storage, transportation and occupancy costs for the Food Resources Program to help get more nutritious food to more hungry people throughout the South Shore. 

Boys & Girls Clubs of Boston, Inc. (Boston) - $2,000 to help cover the cost of supplies for preparing and serving hot meals for its Food Service Program.

Jeremiah’s Hospice, Inc. (Worcester) - $2,500 to purchase additional fresh and specialty food items (e.g., produce, meat, cheese, milk, low-sugar, and gluten-free foods) for the Nutrition Center/Food Pantry Program.

 A Place to Turn(Natick) $2,500 - To cover the cost of fresh and frozen fruits and vegetables to offer to food pantry clients in the Metrowest community.

Little Brothers-Friends of the Elderly - Boston, Inc. (Jamaica Plain) - $2,500 to purchase fresh food for emergency food packages, food for monthly special events and holiday meals for the Food Pantry/Meals Program.

 Mystic Valley Elder Services, Inc.(Malden) - $5,000 for food and food storage for the Senior Nutrition Outreach Program. The nonprofit partners with elders, adults living with disabilities, and caregivers residing in Chelsea, Everett, Malden, Medford, Melrose, North Reading, Reading, Revere, Stoneham, Wakefield and Winthrop.

Center for New Americans (Northampton) - $2,000 to fund the direct service, program-related portion of salaries for teachers and advisors in the With Literacy for All Program.  As a community-based resource center, the nonprofit teaches English, provides support services, and offers citizenship and immigration services to refugees and immigrants in Western Massachusetts.

 Family Services of the Merrimack Valley, Inc.(Lawrence) - $5,000 to fund the purchase of supplies, food, staff cell phone use, and weekly transport for 100 students for mentoring. The organization helps more than 3,000 people in the Merrimack Valley each year through over 20 high-quality programs focused on youth development, parent education and emotional health.

 The Family Pantry Corp (Harwich) - $2,500 to support the purchase food for the Fish for Families Program, which provides fresh, locally-caught seafood to area families struggling with food insecurity.

 Cape Cod Times Need Fund, Inc.(Hyannis) - $2,000 to provide 20 Cape Cod families with $100 grocery vouchers as part of the Supplemental Groceries for Food Security Program.

The Open Door/Cape Ann Food Pantry Inc.(Gloucester) - $7,500 to purchase food and a cooler for the Making the Healthy Choice Easy Program. The goal of the program is to provide those in need with good food and engage entire households to promote healthy eating and wellness. This is done by removing the transportation barrier by bringing healthy food directly to where people live and learn and through nutrition education and weekly outreach.

Thomas Chew Memorial Boys & Girls Club (Fall River) $2,500 to help cover the cost of  paper goods and meal serving supplies as well as transportation delivery costs for the Kids Cafe Program, which provides free meals and snacks to low-income children.

The United Arc of Franklin and Hampshire Counties (Turner Falls) - $2,000 for food purchases to support The United Arc Food Pantry Program. The organization provides an array of flexible services for individuals of all ages with intellectual and developmental disabilities and Groundwork Lawrence, Inc. their families.       

StandUp for Kids (Worcester) - $2,500 to purchase food for the StandUp For Kids, Worcester Program, which focuses on providing life-saving and outreach services to homeless, street kids and at-risk youth.

Lazarus House Incorporated (Lawrence) - $5,000 to purchase food for a soup kitchen, food pantry, after work bag meals, seasonal soup van, holiday meals, and emergency shelter to assist the 29% of Lawrence residents living in poverty.

Generations Incorporated (Boston) - $5,000 to pay for licensing fees and to purchase books for the American Reading Company Curriculum used in the Reading Coaches Program. The program is intensive one-on-one tutoring provided in school and after-school settings. It follows a structured curriculum, from the American Reading Company, focused on boosting kindergarten through third grade students’ literacy skills where volunteers meet with students twice-weekly to provide individualized, 30-40 minute sessions.

Groundwork Lawrence, Inc. (Lawrence) - $2,500 to cover the cost of food for cooking classes and fresh food coupons to be used at three farmers market. Its mission is to bring about the sustained regeneration, improvement and management of the physical environment by developing community-based partnerships, which empower people, businesses and organizations to promote environmental, economic and social well-being.

Health and Social Services Consortium, Inc. (Sharon) - $5,000 to purchase approximately 1,300 emergency meals with bottled water to serve 325 home delivered meals consumers, four times throughout the year, through the HESSCO Nutrition Program.

New Hampshire 
New Hampshire Catholic Charities(Manchester) - $2,500 to purchase food and fund fuel expenses for the Hunger Relief Program.

Nashua Soup Kitchen and Shelter (Nashua) - $5,000 to be used toward food and supplies for meals and the food pantry, including eggs, milk, meat, and to provide back rent and utility payment assistance in the Food and Assistance Program.

New Jersey
Isaiah House (East Orange) - $5,000 to cover the cost of food to be distributed through the Isaiah House Food Pantry Program. The food pantry serves members of the community with food bags to address an immediate need. Food bags are distributed based on a referral from another community agency such as: churches, health centers, welfare, clinics, etc.

The Community FoodBank of New Jersey Inc. (Hillside) - $2,500 to support transportations costs for the Retail Gleaning Program. The program is an environmentally-friendly program that lets its partners donate unwanted food and groceries to the Community FoodBank, preventing food waste and landfill use.

Senior Citizens United Community Services, Inc. (Audubon) - $2,500 to purchase 1,250 shelf staple emergency foods for the Emergency Food Shelf Program. The nonprofit has a fully stocked food shelf at all times for those seniors 60+ years of age in need of emergency food. Once an individual is identified as being in need of assistance, they may pick up or have delivered two prepared food bags of non-perishable each month.

Family Service Association (Egg Harbor Township) - $2,500 to help cover the cost of food and supplies including utensils and kitchen items, storage equipment, materials for food/nutrition specific workshops and activities, and food items for the Family Success Center Food Pantries Program.

Bridges Outreach, Inc.(Summit) - $2,500 to purchase food for the Street Outreach Program. Bridges reaches out to the homeless in New York City, Newark, Irvington, and Summit, New Jersey every week by delivering brown bag meals, beverages, new socks and underwear, and more.

Children's Aid and Family Services, Inc. (Paramus) - $5,000 to purchase nutritious formula for low-income families served through the Baby Basics Program. The program serves low-income families with children ages newborn through two years by providing free nutritional formula for one year and diapers for two years. A range of other services is available to families including counseling, parental education, a safety-net support system and a wide referral base.

New Jersey Agricultural Society (Bordentown) - $2,000 to fund fuel for the trucks that collect 1.3 million pounds of fresh produce from donors and deliver to over 70 community organizations, including soup kitchens, pantries, and food banks, through the NJ Famers Against Hunger Program.

New York
New York City Coalition Against Hunger (New York) - $5,000 to fund low-income scholarships for the Farm Fresh Initiative Community Supportive Agriculture (CSA) Program. The CSA model makes healthy, organic, fresh vegetables accessible to community members of all income levels by offering a variety of personalized payment options including the ability to purchase vegetable shares using SNAP (Food Stamps) benefits.

Maternity and Early Childhood Foundation (Albany) - $2,000 to purchase children's books for low income parents and computer equipment for staff to prepare materials on literacy development for the Young Parent Program.

Careers for People with Disabilities, Inc. (Valhalla) - $5,000 to fund classroom materials and the direct service, program-related portion of the salaries of Employment Specialists for the Workforce Readiness, Placement and Training Program.

Opportunities for Ostego, Inc. (Oneonta) - $2,500 to purchase grocery store gift cards for the Holiday Basket Program. The nonprofit works strives to alleviate poverty through collaborations that foster economic stability and social justice.

Brookhaven Womens and Youth Services, Inc. (Farmingville) - $2,500 toward food purchases and basic need items for distribution to families through the Sanctuary and Interface Program.

Kingsborough Community College Foundation (Brooklyn) - $2,500 to purchase food and related supplies for its Food for Thought Program. This on-campus food pantry provides free, nutritious non-perishable food for thousands of people in need.

New Alternatives for Children, Inc. (NAC) (New York) - $2,500 to help with the cost of food for for its Emergency Food Bank Program. NAC’s mission is to provide the support and advocacy necessary to help children with chronic medical conditions, their siblings and their families overcome obstacles that deprive them of a loving, permanent home and the chance to thrive.

Women's Housing and Economic Development Corporation (Bronx) - $2,000 to purchase food and supplies for its Food Pantry Program. The nonprofit’s mission is to give the South Bronx access to all the resources that create thriving neighborhoods – from high-quality early education and after-school programs, to fresh, healthy food, cultural programming, and economic opportunity. 

Bailey House, Inc. (New York) - $5,000 to help with the cost of non-perishable, nutritious foods for Bailey House's food pantry in East Harlem. The Bailey House distributes more than 1,000 bags of non-perishable food each month to community members in need. Eligible recipients can obtain one pantry bag per week.

Korean American Family Services (Flushing) - $5,000 to purchase literacy and STEM learning curricular materials, books, art supplies, and physical activity supplies for the Hodori "Little Tiger”Program. This after-school program provides students not only with academic assistance, but also with social and emotional support that will enrich their developmental growth through carefully designed after-school and summer-school programs. 

Center for Youth Services, Inc. (Rochester) - $2,500 to provide meals to homeless youth at The Center for Youth's emergency shelter, The Center House. This 24-hour emergency shelter provides safe housing for more than 300 homeless and runaway youth in Monroe County each year.

North Carolina
Food Bank of Central & Eastern North Carolina (Raleigh) - $2,500 to purchase healthy food for the Kids Cafe, Weekend Power Pack, School Pantry, and Kids Summer Meals child nutrition programs. In the Food Bank’s 34 county service area, nearly 651,000 people struggle to access nutritious and adequate amounts of food necessary for an active and healthy life.

 Ohio
YWCA of Greater Cleveland (Cleveland) - $2,000 toward the purchase of a freezer, child-size dining supplies, and a small refrigerator to support the cultural and dietary restrictions of students in the YWCA Greater Cleveland Early Learning Center, where breakfast, lunch, and snacks are served daily.

Boys & Girls Club of Cleveland (Cleveland) - $2,500 to purchase supplies of books and workbooks for the Academic Success Programs. The programs are designed to increase graduation rates, decrease school absenteeism and encourage kids to create post-secondary goals by teaching basic educational disciplines, technology and the arts.

Pennsylvania
Urban Tree Connection (Philadelphia) - $2,500 to purchase food, seeds, plants, and other garden supplies and volunteer supplies for the Neighborhood Foods Program. The nonprofit works directly with community members to reclaim vacant land and convert it into welcoming public spaces that bring people together.

Junior Achievement of South Central PA (York) - $2,500 - to supply 25 classrooms with an in-class program kit in the York City and Harrisburg City In-Class Programs. The kits allow students (grades 9-12) to learn and experience business fundamentals and the art and hard work of entrepreneurship as they operate a student-led company.

Leg Up Farm (Mount Wolf) - $5,000 to purchase seven laptop computers for use in the vocational education of young adults and adults impacted by special needs in the Able-Services Program. The organization’s mission is to enrich the lives of individuals with special needs and their families through support and customized programs.

Community Action Program of Lancaster County (CAP) (Lancaster) - $2,500 toward the cost of food for cooking demonstrations and recipe tastings for the CAP Family Center’s Nutrition Education Program. Its mission is to champion the achievement of long-term self sufficiency for individuals and families through services and advocacy targeting the elimination of poverty.

Turning Points for Children (Philadelphia) - $2,500 to fund cargo van rental and mileage costs for the Food and Wellness Network (FAWN) Program, which is a community-based food pantry offering food, infant formula, diapers and nutrition education resources.

United Communities (Philadelphia) - $2,000 to purchase educational supplies and books for the Out-of School-Time Youth Literacy Program. The nonprofit strives to improve the quality of life for every generation and member of the multicultural community we serve by providing educational, advocacy, and social programs.

Boys & Girls Club of Lancaster (Lancaster) - $2,500 toward supplies for the Supper Club program, which guarantees a child a hot meal every day. The nonprofit provides 400 dinners daily.

The Stone Garage, INC (Kennett Square) - $7,500 to fund computer lab ink and paper, healthy after-school snacks and to help fund the direct service, program-related portion of one After-School Program Coordinator who is responsible for the facilitation of after-school activities for the After-School Program.

The Pottstown Cluster of Religious Communities (Pottstown) - $2,500 to purchase food and educational materials, and to fund the direct service, program-related portion of the Nutrition Specialist for the Food Pantry/Wise Food Shopper Program.

Rhode Island
Providence Community Library (Providence) - $2,500 to help fund the direct-service, program-related salary of the teacher of Spanish-Language GED Test Preparation Course Program.

Crossroads Rhode Island (Providence) - $5,000 to fund a direct service program-related portion of the salaries of the instructor for the Janitorial Job Training Program and the Coordinator of the Roads to Success intensive workforce readiness program for the Education & Employment Services for Homeless Rhode Islanders.

Virginia
Goochland Free Clinic & Family Services (Goochland) - $5,000 toward the purchase of food from the Central Virginia Food Bank for the approximately 150 families who each week access the Food Pantry Program.

Washington, D.C.
SOME, Inc. (Washington, D.C.) - $2,500 to purchase food for the SOME Food Programs for the Homeless where hot breakfast and lunch are served daily to men, women and children in need.

Urban Alliance Foundation, Inc. (Washington) - $2,000 to fund student wages for the Baltimore High School Internship Program. The nonprofit aims to empower under-resourced youth to aspire, work and succeed through paid internships, formal training, and mentorship. Over 17,000 youth served in D.C., Baltimore, Chicago and Northern Virginia to date with a 100% on-time high school graduation rate from high school.

About BJ’s Charitable Foundation
BJ’s Charitable Foundation was established with the mission to enrich every community BJ’s Wholesale Clubs serve. The Foundation supports nonprofit organizations that primarily benefit the underprivileged in the areas of hunger prevention and education. For more information about BJ’s Charitable Foundation, please visit, www.bjs.com/charity.

 

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