When Maggi Downham, Dave Jacobs and Janet Goehner-Jacobs founded the Saddler’s Woods Conservation Association in 2004, they knew from the start that it was a major undertaking, especially for a board consisting of volunteers who worked full-time jobs elsewhere. Still, armed with a passion for protecting the native biodiversity of the 25-acre urban forest in Haddon Township, they forged ahead with the hope of establishing a nonprofit that would stand the test of time and make a difference in their community.
“At our first cleanup, four people showed up,” recalls Goehner-Jacobs, the executive director. “Now we have them monthly and we have hundreds and hundreds of volunteers and over 10,000 visitors every year, so we’ve really built it up. But there were growing pains: You have to build the organization so it can be sustainable, but that also takes a lot of resources.”
Fortunately for the Saddler’s Woods Conservation Association and other area nonprofits, South Jersey has a proud history of supporting charitable causes, from individuals to small businesses and corporate partners. Their generosity is especially seen during the months of November and December, which fits with national statistics showing an uptick in donations at that time of year.
“A part of that comes from people feeling warm and fuzzy during the holidays and the spirit of giving,” says Eileen Wirth, the president and CEO of MEND, Inc., which develops, builds, owns and manages affordable housing units in South Jersey. “But it also ties in to when most organizations, even us at MEND, send out an annual appeal. That is a common time of year for those types of communications to be sent out because you’re trying to be the organization that benefits from that year-end giving for tax purposes, when people are trying to get that donation in before the Dec. 31 deadline. That absolutely is a trend.”
For nonprofits striving to uphold their mission and to provide critical services, those donations are appreciated, but often they are forced to stretch the dollars and make them last until the following holiday season.
“We are tremendously grateful for any and all support that we receive, but it is nice and would mean a great deal if there were contributions and donations made throughout the year, particularly in the business that we’re in—providing affordable housing and maintaining the properties,” Wirth says. “A time of year when support is needed is actually the spring. That’s when many of our capital improvement projects get underway because the weather has broken, so if we need to do sidewalks or paving or outside work like exterior painting, a lot of that gets done in the spring. The funds raised during the holiday season or through our events get tapped during the spring to help cover those costs that maybe are a bit beyond what our day-to-day operating budget can support.”
Richard Stagliano is the president and CEO of Center for Family Services, which provides a wide range of social services to individuals and families in the area. He notes that volunteering efforts are steady throughout the year, but the “holidays inspire people to give back in big ways.” His organization relies on donations from individuals, corporate and foundation gifts, particularly to offer enhanced services to children and teens who have experienced trauma in their lives.
“Year-round giving is critical,” he says. “There are more than 100 children waking up in our care every day, and there is an ongoing need for donations to meet the needs. For instance, there is an urgent need to increase enrichment and therapeutic services for the children living in our care. Both individual giving and corporate sponsorships make a big impact and help to meet these ongoing needs.”
Food drives during the holidays are a popular way for businesses to support the Food Bank of South Jersey, but with one in 10 people and one in seven children in South Jersey experiencing food insecurity, the nonprofit could use additional assistance.
“Corporations and individuals can always help throughout the year,” President and CEO Fred Wasiak says. “Our doors are always open for corporate groups to volunteer at our facility. We also accept both food donations and monetary contributions. With our purchasing power, we can stretch every donation to purchase more food. With every dollar we receive, we can purchase two meals.”
MEND is under contract to acquire a building in Moorestown that will eventually become its new headquarters, allowing the organization to expand its offerings to such services as helping local people navigate the affordable housing process. Financial contributions throughout this year can aid in those plans, Wirth says, and a good way to give support is by sponsoring or attending its MEND With Music gala in April at The Community House, where The Abe Speller Jazz Trio will perform. Its annual golf outing will also return in the fall.
The Saddler’s Woods Conservation Association has been faced with unexpected expenses due to drought conditions from last year, so ongoing financial support will go a long way. Goehner-Jacobs explains that one of the nonprofit’s business sponsors is now giving monthly instead of all at once at the end of the year, which has served both sides well. In addition to monetary donations, her organization also welcomes volunteers at all times, and has seen several businesses bring their employees to the woods for a day of service.
“That’s really popular,” she says. “We’ve done that, and I think it helps on both sides, because [the employees are] delighted to get the day off from work … and corporate volunteers have done a variety of projects—anything from helping us weed out invasive plants to helping maintain a little footbridge that we have going over one of the trails. They’ve also helped plant trees and they’ve helped with our Operation Goat Munch, where we hire a team of goats to munch out the [poison ivy and English ivy]. That’s a lot of work because goats are hard to herd.”
Operation Goat Munch returns in April and volunteers are again encouraged to give any time they can to the round-the-clock event.
Getting the word out about those types of fundraisers and events, as well as the mission in general, is another key piece of running a nonprofit, and local organizations find creative ways to do so, whether participating in school programs, speaking in front of community groups or leading social media campaigns.
OTC Services, which aims to empower individuals with disabilities through high-quality employment, day and residential services, looks to develop those programs through partnerships with business leaders, policymakers and community stakeholders, according to public relations specialist Lauren Goldner. Therefore, sharing the organization’s successes and goals is always a priority.
“At OTC Services, we are constantly exploring innovative ways to engage our audience and share our mission,” Goldner says. “Through dynamic social media campaigns, we highlight the stories of our program participants and staff, demonstrating the real impact of our services on their careers and lives. We also participate in resource fairs and community events, ensuring that individuals, families and businesses understand the opportunities available through OTC. These efforts help us strengthen connections, educate stakeholders and advocate for greater inclusion and employment opportunities for individuals with disabilities. We’re excited to continue evolving our strategies to reach and inspire even more people.”
No matter how businesses or individuals learn about a particular organization, any help they can lend—financial gifts, volunteer hours or simply showing up at an event—is what sustains nonprofits and allows them to focus on what they do best.
“MEND was created in the late 1960s and we’re still going strong and looking to grow and do more,” Wirth says. “A big piece of being able to do more is the support and generosity of donors, sponsors for events and attendees of events. The generosity of others helps nonprofits like MEND and so many others to continue successfully doing what we do.”
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Published (and copyrighted) in South Jersey Biz, Volume 15, Issue 2 (February 2025).
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