2021 Haddonfield Rotary Foundation Grants

The Rotary Club of Haddonfield Foundation was established to support education and
charitable projects to advance higher and vocational education, to promote health and peace,
and to alleviate poverty and hunger, locally, regionally and internationally.
The Club Foundation’s Grants Program has awarded numerous grant monies to area nonprofits
throughout the years. For further information on the Rotary Club Of Haddonfield grant process, click here.

BATTLESHIP NEW JERSEY STEM PROGRAM

The Battleship New Jersey Museum and Memorial has been awarded a $3,000 grant.  Docked in Camden, its mission is to restore, preserve, and exhibit the continuing history of the USS New Jersey and those who worked and served on her, to educate and inspire future generations. A vital STEM resource for children, classes taught on board meet National Core Curriculum standards in social studies, mathematics, science, language arts, technology, and art.   
 
Our Club's Foundation grant will help support the Battleship’s STEM education programs and the restoration of the ship’s historic teak deck. The ship has 43,000 square feet of teak deck in need of repair in order to create a safer, more handicapped accessible experience for guests.  And our grant is being matched by the New Jersey Historic Trust. For more information about the Battleship New Jersey Museum and Memorial visit their website.  
 
 

CENTER FOR ENVIRONMENTAL TRANSFORMATION

The Youth Urban Farming Program of The Center for Environmental Transformation (CFET) in Camden, New Jersey is  devoted to leadership development for Camden teens and increased food access for the neighborhood. For nearly ten years their youth development program has provided local teenagers with a rich and challenging first employment experience. The youth help manage gardens, run the weekly farm stand, maintain a small fruit orchard, and work in the  beehives."
 
The seven-week program during July and August helps teens develop skills they will need as they transition to college or the working world.  Workshops on resume writing, interviewing skills and conflict resolution are a few of the lessons covered with a focus on leadership training, social awareness and fostering self-confidence.
 
Generosity of Haddonfield Rotary members helped fund a $3,200 grant to provide a stipend for two students participants of 2020 program.
 
For more information on The Center for Environmental Transformation,  check out their website.

HADDONFIELD COUNCIL OF CHURCHES

This Ecumenical group of various Haddonfield Churches shares spiritual and social aspects of their faiths through meetings, service projects and prayer opportunities.
 
The Haddonfield Council of Churches established a Social Worker position to combine their resources with the goal of meeting the needs of the needy in the local and regional area. The mission of the Social Worker is to assist Camden County residents struggling to find food and housing, make utility payments, and secure employment by providing them with financial assistance, referrals to appropriate social service agencies and general guidance.
 
The grant will be used to aid those experiencing food insecurity and financial hardship.  Grant funds will be used to purchase Shoprite and Acme cards.  Financial assistance will be provided for rent and utilities when clients are faced with shut-off notices and threats of eviction.
 
Those served by the Haddonfield Council of Churches include church congregants as well as residents of Camden County seeking support and assistance.               
 

INTERFAITH CAREGIVERS

Rotary member contributions supported a $1,000 grant to Interfaith Caregivers, a nonprofit providing services to seniors in Haddonfield and Haddon Heights and surrounding communities. (This year's volunteer of the year, Peter Hurd, is pictured with wife, Lisa.)
 
Interfaith Caregivers was started in 1990 by Dr. Joan Gault to meet the needs of isolated senior citizens. Dr. Gault elicited support from Haddonfield churches and community groups. In its first year of operation, Interfaith Caregivers served 80 clients with the help of 62 volunteers. From the beginning, Interfaith Caregivers has relied on community support and volunteers to provide basic free-of-charge services; transportation, shopping, and companionship, that enable residents who are aging or disabled to remain independent. For more information visit their website at www.ifchaddons.org.
TATEM ELEMENTARY SCHOOL PTA
 
J. Fithian Tatem Elementary School PTA will apply the $2,000 Rotary Club of Haddonfield Foundation Grant towards a new pre-k/kindergarten playground.   The current playground poses a safety issue due to age, and the students are often not allowed to use it. 
 
While the playground primarily serves the 400+ students (ages 3-12) of the school, the PTA hosts annual community wide events that attract upwards of 2,000 people while engaging local business. Also, the school’s close proximity to Hopkins Pond  county park, makes their playground is often used by the general public. The PTA is continuing to fundraise for the playground and will be developing the design with the feedback from the school community as well as district therapists to make it more inclusive. 
BOOKSMILES
BookSmiles, a Cherry Hill based 501(c) says “We are “Literacy Warriors” who irrigate book deserts by providing new and gently-used books to underserved children throughout New Jersey and in Greater Philadelphia to improve literacy skills and foster a lifelong joy of reading.”
 
A $2,000 Rotary Club of Haddonfield Foundation 2021 grant will be used to purchase books to provide a home library for low-income students as well as students in the children’s system of care.  The books purchased have multicultural characters in order to highlight the value of everyone in the community.  For more information about BookSmiles and ways you can help, visit their website.