June Hackensack Environmental Justice Alliance Meeting
2025-06-09 18:30 - 20:00 (America/New_York) | Second Reformed Church, 436 Union, Hackensack, 436 Union Street, Hackensack, NJ, 07601, United States
Join us for the next meeting of the Hackensack Environmental Justice Alliance. HEJA is a resident-led group working to address environmental issues in Hackensack, such as flooding, and make Hackensack greener, cleaner and healthier for everyone. Everyone is welcome to join.
Agenda:
With a new city administration starting in July, what would you like the new Mayor and Council to do to support environmental justice, green infrastructure, or environmental protection in Hackensack. Share your ideas at the meeting, and we’ll share them with the new City leadership.
You can join us in person at the Hackensack Second Reformed Church or online via Zoom. (The link will be in the receipt email.)
If you are joining in person, please bring a non-perishable food item for the church’s social services program.
Questions? Please reach out to the co-chairs at Contactheja@gmail.com

Dedication of Hackensack Community Rain Garden
2025-06-10 13:00 - 14:00 | Hackensack High School, 135 First Street, Hackensack, NJ, 07601, United States
In June 2024, more than 50 people came together to install a rain garden at Hackensack High School. The garden is meant to help reduce flooding, bring more beauty to the neighborhood, and help students learn more about sustainability. Please join us June 10 at 1 pm for the dedication of the Hackensack Community Rain Garden at Hackensack High School, 135 First Street, Hackensack. No RSVP is necessary for this free event.
Hackensack Community Rain Garden at Hackensack High School.

Making Life Better through Creative Placemaking
2025-06-12 14:00 - 15:00 | online
According to psychiatrists, all people have a similar set of needs to make their lives happy. In this webinar, learn how creative placemaking can help directly address most human needs, and indirectly support others.
Don’t know much about creative placemaking? No problem. This webinar will introduce you to this concept, which is about leveraging the power of arts and culture to address social issues in communities.
About the speaker: Leonardo Vazquez, AICP/PP, is the Executive Director of the Northern New Jersey Community Foundation. Prior to joining the Foundation in 2023, he helped build the emerging field of creative placemaking through conferences, educational programs, thought leadership, and community planning. His work has engaged and inspired thousands of artists, urban planners, community development professionals and more.
The event is free, but we request a $20 donation. This will to help support scholarships for artists to participate in the New Jersey Creative Communities Conference

September Hackensack Environmental Justice Alliance meeting
2025-09-08 18:30 - 20:00 | Second Reformed Church, 436 Union, Hackensack, 436 Union Street, Hackensack, NJ, 07601, United States
Join us for the next meeting of the Hackensack Environmental Justice Alliance. HEJA is a resident-led group working to address environmental issues in Hackensack, such as flooding, and make Hackensack greener, cleaner and healthier for everyone. Everyone is welcome to join.
​You can join in person at Second Reformed Church or online through a zoom link provided after you RSVP.
If you are joining in person, please bring a non-perishable food item for the church’s social services program.
If you haven’t been to a HEJA meeting in a while, this is a good meeting to go to.
Agenda:

Welcome and introductions
Summer updates (reports from Pedra and Leo)
Pathways to the River project – introduction and discussion
Ideas for use of seed funding – discussion and selection
(If time allows) HEJA as an environmental hub for Hackensack – discussion
(If time allows) Call for HEJA co-chairs

Questions? Please reach out to the co-chairs at Contactheja@gmail.com

Making Life Better Through Creative Placemaking
2025-09-10 14:00 - 15:00 | online
According to psychologists, all people have a similar set of needs to make their lives happy. In this webinar, learn how creative placemaking can help directly address most human needs, and indirectly support others.
Don’t know much about creative placemaking? No problem. This webinar will introduce you to this concept, which is about leveraging the power of arts and culture to address social issues in communities.
About the speaker: Leonardo Vazquez, AICP/PP, is the Executive Director of the Northern New Jersey Community Foundation. Prior to joining the Foundation in 2023, he helped build the emerging field of creative placemaking through conferences, educational programs, thought leadership, and community planning. His work has engaged and inspired thousands of artists, urban planners, community development professionals and more.
The event is free, but we request a $20 donation. This will to help support scholarships for artists to participate in the New Jersey Creative Communities Conference
You can find the link to the webinar in your thank you email.
Image: Community members working to beautify an area of Bogota, NJ by placing art in a chain link fence.

Hackensack Environmental Justice Alliance October meeting
2025-10-20 18:30 - 20:00 | Second Reformed Church, 436 Union, Hackensack, 436 Union Street, Hackensack, NJ, 07601, United States
Hackensack Environmental Justice Alliance logo
Join us for the next meeting of the Hackensack Environmental Justice Alliance. HEJA is a resident-led group working to address environmental issues in Hackensack, such as flooding, and make Hackensack greener, cleaner and healthier for everyone. Everyone is welcome to join.
You can join in person at Second Reformed Church or online through a zoom link provided after you RSVP.
If you are joining in person, please bring a non-perishable food item for the church’s social services program.
Agenda:

Welcome and introductions
Tactical Team update
Pathways to the River project – introduction and discussion
Green infrastructure plan update
Planning for Tree and Environmental Fair, Spring, 2026
Call for HEJA co-chairs

Questions? Please reach out to the co-chairs at Contactheja@gmail.com

Pathways to the River Community Meeting
2025-10-29 18:00 - 20:00
Learn more and share your ideas about how to create paths that encourage more people in Hackensack to walk, bike or otherwise travel to the Hackensack River. Also share your ideas about how to enhance the experience of people when they are at the river.
The session will be led by the New York – New Jersey Trail Conference, one of the leading organizations in building trails around the area. It is produced by the Northern New Jersey Community Foundation and the Hackensack Environmental Justice Alliance.
Note: Only the October session is at the Johnson Public Library. The November session will be in a location in Hackensack to be determined.
There will be Spanish translation at this event.

New Jersey Creative Communities Conference: The Art of Community Well-Being
2025-11-06 08:45 - 17:00 | Hudson County Community College Culinary Conference Center, 161 Newkirk Street, Jersey City, NJ, 07306, United States
A gathering of leaders, doers, thinkers, and artists throughout New Jersey. Together, we will explore innovative ways to make places better for everyone through art and creative placemaking. You can make connections; get inspired for new and better projects; meet prospective partners, and more.
The conference will explore four themes:

Art and Community Health – How art and artful environments benefit mental and physical health and well-being.
Community Economic Development – How arts and placemaking boost local economies, create jobs and support cultural entrepreneurship.
Empowering and Supporting Public and Social Practice Artists – Training and supporting artists and emerging artists wanting to help communities.
Inclusive and Accessible Communities – How the arts can help make places more welcoming and comfortable for everyone.

Learn more and register at https://www.nnjcf.org/njcc25/

Pathways to the River Community Meeting
2025-11-22 10:30 - 12:30
Learn more and share your ideas about how to create paths that encourage more people in Hackensack to walk, bike or otherwise travel to the Hackensack River. Also share your ideas about how to enhance the experience of people when they are at the river.
The session will be led by the New York – New Jersey Trail Conference, one of the leading organizations in building trails around the area. It is produced by the Northern New Jersey Community Foundation and the Hackensack Environmental Justice Alliance.
Note: The November session will be in a location in Hackensack to be determined.
There will be Spanish translation at this event.
