In a remarkable display of collaborative philanthropy, the Northern New Jersey Community Foundation (NNJCF) joined more than 1,000 community foundations nationwide to celebrate National Community Foundation Week from November 12 to November 18, 2025. Simultaneously, the NNJCF continued to invest in our communities by awarding nearly $30,000 in grant and scholarship awards to drive meaningful change. Moreover, these grants and scholarships were carefully recommended by fund advisors, meticulously reviewed by staff, and approved by the NNJCF’s Board of Trustees.
Reflecting on their significant journey, Leonardo Vazquez, Executive Director, highlighted the foundation’s impactful mission: “As we celebrate our 27th year of service in North Jersey, the Northern New Jersey Community Foundation continues to be a beacon of hope, empowering local nonprofits and also educational institutions through strategic grantmaking. Indeed, since our inception in 1998, we have distributed over $1 million in critical funding, supporting organizations that drive meaningful change, as well as address the most pressing needs in our communities. Furthermore, the generosity of our donors and supporters makes these impactful grant and scholarship awards possible, transforming local aspirations into tangible results.”
The grant and scholarship recipients include the following.
Health
- CancerCare®. Grant of $5,000 to benefit Healing Hearts Family Bereavement Camp. CancerCare® provides free, professional support services to anyone affected by cancer. In particular, these services include case management, counseling, support groups, educational workshops, publications, and financial assistance. The DeAnna Stark Pasciuto Memorial Fund.
The Northern New Jersey Community Foundation continued investing in our communities and awarded a grant to CancerCare®.
High School
- Leonia High School to Evelyn Um of the Class of 2025. $3,000 scholarship. The Paul Coopersmith in Memory of Frank DeLorenzo Memorial Fund.
- Leonia High School to Renee Kim of the Class of 2025. $2,000 scholarship. The Class of 1964 Ralph Gregg Memorial Scholarship Fund.
- New Milford High School to Benjamin Del Vecchio of the Class of 2025. $2,000 scholarship. The Darren Drake Memorial Fund.
- Northern Valley Regional High School Demarest to Hannah Cohen of the Class of 2025. $1,000 scholarship. The Johanna Shyong Scholarship Fund.
- Passaic County Technical Institute to Arrian Wynter Scholarship of the Class of 2025. $1,500 scholarship. David Vincent Rasa MD RPH Healthcare Scholarship Fund.
- Teaneck High School to Tia Gadson of the Class of 2025. Scholarship for $1,000. The Jannie Smith Legacy Fund.
- Wayne Hills High School to Laasya Chintala of the Class of 2025. Scholarship for $1,500. David Vincent Rasa MD RPH Healthcare Scholarship Fund.
- Wayne Valley High School to Ayla Homsy of the Class of 2025. Scholarship for $1,500.
Post-Secondary Education
- Stockton University Foundation. Grant of $2,000 to benefit the Stockton University Women’s Soccer Team. The DeAnna Stark Pasciuto Memorial Fund.
- Stockton University Foundation. Grant of $2,000 to support the Stockton University ’01 Memorial Scholarship for the Doctor of Physical Therapy Program that was awarded to Amanda Pietz. The DeAnna Stark Pasciuto Memorial Fund.
Invest in Our Communities. Partner with Us.
To invest in our communities, the Northern New Jersey Community Foundation invites anyone seeking to support a cause or, likewise, a community, to establish their own charitable fund. Furthermore, the NNJCF partners with the donor to identify and select vetted nonprofit organizations to award funding and manages the fund’s account. This enables the donor to provide support over many years.
Anyone interested in establishing a Donor Advised Fund or another type of fund should visit the NNJCF’s Philanthropic Giving webpage. For more information, contact Danielle De Laurentis, NNJCF Associate Director, at danielle@nnjcf.org or 201-568-5608, x1.
National Community Foundation Week
Established in 1989 by former president George H.W. Bush, National Community Foundation Week emerged as a powerful initiative to raise awareness about the critical role philanthropic organizations like the NNJCF play in fostering local collaboration and innovating solutions to address persistent civic and economic challenges. Furthermore, these community foundations are more than just charitable institutions! They are independent, as well as public entities that strategically steward philanthropic resources from institutional and individual donors to local nonprofits. These organizations represent one of the fastest-growing forms of philanthropy. Consequently, as community foundations continue to find innovative solutions for communities, their collective work has a profound and transformative impact.
Following this mission of collaborative problem-solving, the NNJCF asks: “What can we do together that we can’t do alone?” By embracing this collaborative approach, the Foundation’s work strategically concentrates on three key areas of community development: creating more creative and inspiring places, developing greener and healthier environments, and establishing more inclusive spaces of belonging and opportunity.
Support the Northern New Jersey Community Foundation
Invest in our communities! The NNJCF welcomes donations of any size to support its mission. Individuals and also businesses may support the NNJCF’s work with a tax-deductible donation, as permitted by law. Contributions may also be sent by check made out to ‘The Northern N.J. Community Foundation’ specifically entered in the memo line. Furthermore, to facilitate this process, donors mail checks to the Northern New Jersey Community Foundation, 1 University Plaza, Suite 128, Hackensack, New Jersey 07601.
