Montclair Foundation Grants Assist Local Pre-School, Food Pantry

The Human Needs Food Pantry, Interfaith Hospitality Network and six other local non-profit organizations received nearly $50,000 in grant money this spring from The Montclair Foundation, the organization announced recently.

The Human Needs Pantry will use a $10,000 grant to support a new protein project, an initiative to purchase and distribute a more diverse selection of protein, including ground beef. The goal is to enhance the nutrition level of more than 3,000 bags of groceries distributed each month by the pantry.

In response to the grant, Mike Bruno, Executive Director of the Human Needs Food Pantry, stated. "Such support is essential to our core mission of providing food and other services to people in need."

Interfaith Hospitality Network was awarded $10,000 to fund programs and services provided to Montclair families utilizing the emergency shelter program.

Watchung Cooperative Nursery School was awarded $8,400 to assist with unplanned relocation expenses which arose when the building they were leasing from was sold.

"With the sale of the Montclair Reformed Church, our school was forced to look for a new home," explained Christi Porter-Johnson, Director. "This grant will allow Montclair’s oldest-running preschool to continue in a new location and we are very grateful to the Montclair Foundation for giving us this opportunity.”

Urban Healthcare Initative Program was given $6,000 to expand the Community-Wellness Program, which helps increase patient literacy, and patient and provider ownership and accountability around seven “health pillars” -- diabetes, COPD, hypertension/cardiovascular diseases, chronic kidney disease, aging related health issues, HIV/AIDS, and cancer screenings, in the Montclair/Bloomfield communities. 

Montclair Fund for Educational Excellence and the Montclair Shared Housing Association each received $4,500 grants. The MFEE will put the grant money toward the Equity and Diversity Fund for Montclair Public Schools programming. The Montclair Shared Housing Association will pay for repairs and improvements to the common areas and residential quarters of the Montclair Inn.

The  Montclair Community Pre-K will use its $4,000 grant to support the Related Arts Program, a comprehensive arts program which utilizes local artists, movement, music, Spanish and environmental science educators.

The National Council of Jewish Women, Essex County will put a $2,000 grant toward supporting the Back2School Store, which enables economically disadvantaged children to “shop” for brand-new clothing, sneakers and school supplies in a one-day store set-up for them.

The Montclair Foundation is a tax-exempt community foundation founded in 1979, which has provided almost $2 million to 67 local non-profits.

Fred H. Langbein, Montclair Foundation's Chairman, said, "In conjunction with the Foundation's oversight of Van Vleck House & Gardens, the Foundation has also fostered collaborations between VVH&G and non-profit organizations, including a music concert series with Montclair State University, outdoor films with The Montclair Film, and summer camp program with the Montclair Art Museum." 

The Foundation is now accepting applications for its fall 2014 grant cycle.  The Foundation considers grant proposals from not-for-profit organizations that meet health, educational, cultural, social service, and quality of life needs in the greater Montclair community. 

Awards are generally in the $1,000 to $10,000 range. Those interested in applying for consideration in the fall grant cycle must submit their proposals by September 1, 2014.  

Forms and funding guidelines can be found at www.montclairfoundation.org.