South Jersey BIZ - Issue #4 (April 2025)

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SJBiz_Community Awards_0425FINAL.qxp_Layout 1 4 / 4 / 25 2 : 27 PM Page 1 Giving Back We shine a light on local organizations going above and beyond for their communities by improving their quality of life , empowering growth and creating a better tomorrow . B Y C H E L S E A V A L C O U R T riven by increased humanization of companies online , an ever - evolving political landscape and a growing list Dof community ailments , consumers look toward their business neighbors anticipating a strong corporate social re - sponsibility : Today , it’s as important to be a good neighbor as it is to be a good business . The organizations highlighted by our Community Impact Awards understand their charitable responsibilities and con - tribute to their communities with commendable passion and dedication . From philanthropic endeavors and motivational programs to impressive volunteer hours and beyond , these in - stitutions give back to the community that has allowed them to succeed , growing both business and community together . Women , Words , First Harvest Credit Union and Wisdom omen , Words , and Wisdom’s ( WWW’s ) mission is to s a low - income designated not - for - profit credit union , First “ inform women of current issues affecting them so Harvest is dedicated to providing inclusive financial solu - Wthey can make informed , beneficial life choices ” and Ations while upholding its deep - rooted commitment to so - to “ provide scholarships to college students in financial need to cial responsibility . be used toward their college education . ” In 2024 , First Harvest co - sponsored the New Jersey Credit Union To accomplish this mission , each year the charitable group Food Cooperative , an initiative created to combat the growing hunger focuses its programming around a central motif . Echoing the crisis throughout the state . Through this effort , the cooperative raised theme of Women’s History Month , this year’s focus is “ Moving $ 10,670 and collected 10,299 pounds of essential food items , benefit - Forward Together ! Women Educating & Inspiring Generations . ” ing 47 food pantries and organizations across New Jersey . WWW also holds a luncheon every year called the “ Panel of First Harvest’s Charitable Journey program continues to make Power ” where issues of the day are discussed by experts in the meaningful impacts through fundraising and community support ef - field , scholarships are awarded and various women are honored forts . From the annual Adopt - A - Family initiative and Pink Ribbon for the work they do for their communities . In the past , keynote program for breast cancer awareness , to aiding countless local fami - speakers have included Congressman Andy Kim , Gloucester lies and organizations in need , the program has raised over $ 56,000 County NAACP president Loretta Winters , and COO of Acenda to date . Health and author of No Weapon Formed Melissa Fox . As First Harvest celebrates its 85th anniversary , it is marking this Last month , the nonprofit awarded two $ 8,000 scholarships milestone by committing over $ 85,000 in endowments to support and is currently raising funds for its October 2025 Dr . Marianne local health care and education partners over the next several years . Moore Scholarship . In total , since 2021 , WWW has awarded Additionally , First Harvest will spearhead dozens of acts of kindness , $ 30,000 in scholarships in an effort to empower students to including tree - planting and neighborhood cleanup events , health earn a college degree and ease that financial burden so they care and education appreciation week celebrations , Habitat for Hu - can focus on their education . manity build projects and numerous volunteer opportunities for em - ployees to support causes that matter to them . 24 | SOUTH JERSEY BIZ | VOLUME 15 ISSUE 4 | SouthJerseyBiz.net

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SJBiz_Community Awards_0425FINAL.qxp_Layout 1 4 / 4 / 25 2 : 27 PM Page 2 PSEG Foundation iming to do what’s right , PSEG and the PSEG Founda - tion focus on social responsibility and corporate citizen - Aship in the communities they serve — and where their employees live and work . PSEG supports nonprofits and other community organizations such as NJ SHARES , the Food Bank of South Jersey and the Community Food Bank of New Jersey . In 2024 , through corporate giving , they distributed more than $ 4.4 million to organizations across the state . The PSEG Foundation , a Samaritan Thrift separate 501 ( c ) ( 3 ) , supports ini - tiatives driving tangible , lasting eeding medical care can often be a costly and anxiety - results . In 2024 , it awarded over inducing experience and it can be hard to focus on re - $ 7.7 million to community or - Ncovery when you’re worried about how you’re going to ganizations and nearly $ 130 mil - pay off your medical bills . Samaritan understands that and has lion across the past 25 years . It created a thrift store where every purchase made goes toward also funds strategic partner - supporting Samaritan patients and families — helping to ease ships , charitable giving and in - the stress of an already difficult time . kind donations . In December In addition to giving back to Samaritan patients , donation - 2024 , the PSEG Foundation cel - run thrift stores have a secondary benefit of promoting sustain - ebrated 10 years of its Neigh - ability , combating fast fashion by giving new life to clothes that borhoodPartners Program would otherwise end up in landfills . Furthermore , because these ( NPP ) , which has distributed nearly $ 8 million . NPP set records items are donated , they don’t need to be marked up to retain a with an 11 % rise in applications and $ 1.2 million in grants — a profit , allowing Samaritan Thrift to offer otherwise costly items 20 % increase from 2023 . like jewelry , household items , houseware and gifts at a more af - The PSEG Foundation also runs an employee - giving pro - fordable and accessible price . It’s a win - win - win scenario . gram . Last year , 900 nonprofits benefited from $ 1.8 million in For 13 years , Samaritan Thrift has been home to great deals employee giving and matches . Employees contributed 24,000 on clothing , jewelry , collectibles , accessories and so much volunteer hours , supporting initiatives from mentoring to envi - more . A neighborhood favorite , the store boasts a loyal follow - ronmental clean - ups . This further demonstrates PSEG’s core be - ing of donors , volunteers and patrons , and is a treasure trove for lief in the power of partnerships and the impact of giving back . bargain hunters and shoppers looking for unique finds . The Thomas Fulton Forward Edison State Foundation University ulton Bank puts its money where its mouth is through its Foundation charitable outreach , the Fulton Forward Foundation . The Ffoundation focuses on four pillars — afforable housing and he foundation operates exclu - homeownership ; job training and workforce development ; finan - Tsively to benefit , support and promote Thomas Edison State cial education and economic empowerment ; and diversity , equi - University ( TESU ) . Its donors — in - ty and inclusion — in an effort to both uplift its communities and Parker McCay cluding alumni , students , individu - empowerthem to create a als , corporations , foundations and bright future for them - erving South Jersey for over 100 university staff — share a commit - selves and their families . In Syears , community involvement ment to paying it forward , creating addition to volunteer hours and activism is important to Parker life - changing opportunities for stu - and financial education , McCay . The firm is active with the dents and their families . the foundation distributes Red Cross of Southern New Jersey , The foundation’s annual Im - regularly donating to its food pantry grants to local community pact Awards honor individuals who drives and participating in blood embody TESU’s mission of provid - partners and nonprofit or - drives ; furthermore , firm shareholder ing innovative and accessible ganizations . George Morris takes on an active pathways to education . The event Fulton Forward Foun - role on its board of directors . Parker also serves as a vital fundraiser , dation provided the McCay works closely with Habitat for generating more than $ 100,000 Greater Philadelphia Humanity of Gloucester County and annually to support TESU’s pro - YMCA with a $ 300,000 grant to support the programs and serv - is anticipating a build this spring . Ad - grams and initiatives . ices that impact 180,000 members and 240,000 individuals a ditionally , the firm’s Sustainability Last October , Bonny Simi , a year across the Delaware Valley . Last month , the foundation Committee has organized a team of 2019 TESU graduate and presi - volunteers for several local town - awarded a $ 150,000 grant to New Jersey Community Capital , dent of operations at Joby Avia - ships ’ cleanup events , and this past tion , received the Distinguished bolstering its Address Yourself program . Since its start , this pro - holiday season , the firm donated Alumna Award , recognizing her gram has provided $ 6,300,000 in down - payment assistance and more than 200 items to the Burling - leadership in expanding educa - housing counseling for 3,192 households . ton County Toys For Tots . Labor and tional and career opportunities In February , the Foundation donated $ 500,000 to 21 non - Employmentcounsel Amy Guerin within the aviation industry . Found - profits across Pennsylvania , New Jersey , Maryland , Delaware and has also focused her practice on ing the JetBlue Scholars program , Virgina — including a $ 20,000 grant to Bestwork Industries for the nonprofits and hosts a free monthly Simi has helped nearly 500 Jet - Blind , Inc . in Cherry Hill and a $ 25,000 grant to the LUCY Out - webinar to help those organizations Blue employees to date achieve reach in Camden . These donations were distributed to organiza - navigate difficult labor and employ - their dream of earning a college ment issues . tions sharing Fulton Banks commitment to advancing economic degree . empowerment . SouthJerseyBiz.net | VOLUME 15 ISSUE 4 | SOUTH JERSEY BIZ | 25

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