Green Infrastructure Program Receives Environmental Award

The Northern New Jersey Community Foundation’s (NNJCF) Green Infrastructure for Environmental Justice program won a 2024 Environmental Achievement Award from the Association of New Jersey Environmental Commissions (ANJEC). The Foundation received the award at ANJEC’s 51st annual Environmental Congress on Friday, September 27 at Rowan College of Burlington County in Mount Laurel. The award recognized exceptional projects carried out by environmental commissions and nonprofit organizations that benefit the local environment. The award’s criteria examined the project’s impact, originality, educational value, innovation, and response to a need in the community.

Northern New Jersey Community Foundation receives an ANJEC Achievement Award for the Green Infrastructure program.

The Northern New Jersey Community Foundation’s Green Infrastructure program received an ANJEC Achievement Award.

Green Infrastructure for Environmental Justice

The Green Infrastructure for Environmental Justice program seeks to reduce flooding and improve environmental conditions for residents in central Hackensack and other parts of the city affected by flooding through collaboration. The program works to make the City of Hackensack greener, cleaner, and healthier, as well as more beautiful and sustainable for residents, businesses, employees, and visitors.

“The Foundation is very honored to receive an ANJEC Achievement Award. This award recognizes the success of a diverse collaboration with our partners,” said Leonardo Vazquez, Executive Director, NNJCF.

The NNJCF leads the program in partnership with several organizations — Greater Bergen Community Action, Hackensack Public Schools, the City of Hackensack, The Second Reformed Church of Hackensack, Fairleigh Dickinson University, Hackensack Art Club, and Johnson Public Library.

“This award also acknowledges the importance of engaging community members, including Monica Chavarria-Malin, Reverend Carolyn Davis, and Ted Malin in the program’s work. In addition, dozens of volunteers, such as the Hackensack Environmental Justice Alliance’s new co-chairs Pedra Del Vechio and Amrisa Niranjan have been instrumental to the implementation of the program,” explained Vazquez.

Green Infrastructure Programming

Since its inception in March 2023, the program held meetings and workshops on different topics. These include flooding, stormwater flooding and combined sewer overflow. In addition, topics covered the use of green infrastructure to reduce flooding and the no mow lawn. The program also developed and implemented an environmental justice alliance. In addition, it produced and installed a rain garden at Hackensack High School. Another project involved painting a community mural with volunteers.  In addition, professional artists painted rain barrels. The NNJCF displayed them in a temporary exhibition in Hackensack’s Carver Park.  Afterward, community members entered a raffle for the opportunity to take a rain barrel home.

Support for the program comes from a range of donors. These include The Funders Network, AARP, Valley Bank Foundation, M&T Bank Foundation, PSEG Foundation, The Rotary Club of Hackensack, TD Charitable Foundation, and others.

Donations Appreciated

The NNJCF seeks donations to continue the program’s services and projects. Donations of any size are welcome. All the donations received help to create a community rain garden or other environmental projects benefiting the community. Donations may be made online. Contributions may also be sent by check made out to ‘The Northern N.J. Community Foundation’, with ‘Hackensack Green’ written in the memo line. Send checks to the Northern New Jersey Community Foundation, 1 University Plaza, Suite 102, Hackensack, New Jersey 07601. For further information about the NNJCF, call 201-568-5608 or send an e-mail.

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