The Jewish Renaissance Foundation Inc

THE JEWISH RENAISSANCE FOUNDATION, INC., A NON-SECTARIAN AND NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION WHICH RAISES FUNDS TO PROVIDE HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES AND HELP STRENGTHEN FAMILIES REGARDLESS OF BACKGROUND OR ECONOMIC STATUS.

HEALTH CENTERTHE FEDERALLY QUALIFIED HEALTH CENTER OF THE JEWISH RENAISSANCE FOUNDATION OPENED ITS DOORS IN 2015 IN EDISON, NJ WITH THE PURPOSE OF SERVICING THE HOMELESS COMMUNITY. THE HEALTH CENTER PROVIDES COMPREHENSIVE, HIGH QUALITY PRIMARY AND PREVENTATIVE HEALTH CARE SERVICES TO THE UNINSURED AND MEDICALLY UNDERSERVED IN MIDDLESEX COUNTY. SERVICES INCLUDE ANNUAL PHYSICALS, ADULT AND FAMILY MEDICINE, GYNECOLOGY, DENTISTRY, MENTAL HEALTH, AND SUBSTANCE ABUSE.

COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT1. PERTH AMBOY ALLIANCE FOR COMMUNITY (PAAC)PAAC IS A GROWING GROUP OF NEIGHBORS, AGENCIES, EDUCATORS, AND SMALL BUSINESSES WHO HAVE WORKED TOGETHER FOR THE LAST 13 YEARS TO HELP MAKE POSITIVE CHANGES. OUR ORIGINAL PLAN FOR OUR NEIGHBORHOOD WAS COMPLETED IN 2008 AND HAS SERVED AS A BLUEPRINT TO SUPPORT THE RESIDENTS OF THE PAAC NEIGHBORHOOD. SINCE THEN, PAAC HAS MADE A LASTING IMPACT. MUCH HAS BEEN ACHIEVED INLUDING THE CREATION OF THE PAAC NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION, BEAUTIFUL COMMUNITY GARDENS, HOUSING REHABILITATION, SMALL BUSINESS SUPPORT, DOZENS OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS, AND THE TOTALLY TRANSFORMED FRANCIS STREET PARK.

EDUCATION SERVICESSTUDENTS AT PERTH AMBOY HIGH SCHOOL GET HELP DEALING WITH THE CAUSES OF STRESS THAT COULD JEOPARDIZE THEIR ABILITY TO GRADUATE. THE PROGRAM IS AVAILABLE TO ALL STUDENTS, FROM FRESHMAN TO SENIOR. IT ALSO HELPS STUDENTS FIND THEIR WAY TOWARD FURTHER EDUCATION OR POST-HIGH SCHOOL EMPLOYMENT.1. SCHOOL BASED YOUTH SERVICES PROGRAM (SBYSP)EVERY YEAR SBYSP SERVES HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS. SBYSP'S COMPREHENSIVE "ONE-STOP" SHOPPING DESIGN HELPS YOUNG PEOPLE OBTAIN SERVICES AND SUPPORT. SBYSP PROVIDES AN ARRAY OF EMPLOYMENT, PREVENTATIVE HEALTH AND SOCIAL SERVICES, LEARNING SUPPORT, HEALTHY YOUNG DEVELOPMENT, PREGNANCY PREVENTION AND RECREATION. SBYSP ALSO OFFERS SERVICE LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES, AID TO STUDENTS IN COMPLETING THEIR FAFSA, CONFLICT RESOLUTION, COLLEGE PREP, COUNSELING AND LIFE SKILLS.2. AMERICORPSAMERICORPS OFFERS A UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY TO VOLUNTEERS AND SERVICE PROFESSIONALS. JRF HOSTS AMERICORPS MEMBERS AT ALL LOCATIONS. MEMBERS ASSIST IN DAY TO DAY WORK AND FILL IN SERVICE GAPS THAT MAY BE MISSING. AMERICORPS MEMBERS AT JRF BECOME ENGRAINED IN THE CULTURE OF THE NON-PROFIT WORK AND DEVELOP PROFESSIONAL SKILLS TO CARRY ALONG INTO THE FUTURE. MEMBERS WORK ON THE ADMINISTRATIVE LEVEL AS WELL AS DIRECT CLIENT CONTACT. IN CERTAIN INSTANCES, AMERICORPS MEMBERS HAVE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO HELP BUILD AND START-UP THE WORK IN A NEW BRANCH OR LOCATION. THE OPPORTUNITIES AT THE JRF ARE ENDLESS.3. LEAPTHE LEADERSHIP AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP ACHIEVEMENT PROGRAM (LEAP) PROVIDES HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS AND YOUNG ADULTS WITH TWO TYPES OF EXPERIENCES THROUGH WHICH THEY WILL DEVELOP BOTH LEADERSHIP SKILLS AND PRACTICAL, EDUCATION AND TRAINING IN ENTREPRENEURIAL PRACTICE UNDER AN UMBRELLA PROGRAM. LEAP HAS GROWN FROM TWO HIGHLY SUCCESSFUL JRF PROGRAMS: EMERGING CIVIC LEADERS FOR A HEALTHIER COMMUNITY AND THE YOUTH ENTREPRENEURSHIP PROGRAM. AT THE HEART OF BOTH PROGRAMS IS MOTIVATING STUDENTS TO MAKE A POSITIVE DIFFERENCE AND IMPROVING THE COMMUNITIES IN WHICH THEY LIVE; AND, POSITIONING THEM TO DISCOVER AND USE THEIR CREATIVITY TO ACHIEVE CAREER SUCCESS.

YOUTH AND FAMILY SERVICESIN EVERY COUNTY IN NEW JERSEY, THE STATE DESIGNATES OFFICIAL COMMUNITY ACTION AGENCIES (CAA). IN 2009, THE JEWISH RENAISSANCE FOUNDATION, INC. (THE ORGANIZATION") WAS DESIGNATED BY THE STATE AS THE OFFICIAL CAA FOR MIDDLESEX COUNTY EAST. ALTHOUGH MOST ORGANIZATION PROGRAMS CONTINUE TO BENEFIT RESIDENTS THROUGHOUT MIDDLESEX COUNTY, ITS STATE-FUNDED CAA PROGRAMS ARE PROVIDED SPECIFICALLY FOR QUALIFIED RESIDENTS IN EIGHT DESIGNATED COMMUNITIES: CARTERET, EDISON, HIGHLAND PARK, METUCHEN, PERTH AMBOY, SAYREVILLE, SOUTH AMBOY AND WOODBRIDGE.AS A CAA, THE ORGANIZATION HELPS QUALIFIED PEOPLE ATTAIN ECONOMIC SELF-SUFFICIENCY. THE ORGANIZATION ALSO PROVIDES EMERGENCY SERVICES TO MEET IMMEDIATE NEEDS, WHILE FOSTERING INDIVIDUAL GROWTH AND TRANSITION TO HOUSEHOLD STABILITY.1. FAMILY SUCCESS CENTER (FSC)SINCE THE PROGRAM BEGAN IN JULY OF 2012, THE FSC HAS BEEN COMMITTED TO SUPPORTING AND STRENGTHENING FAMILY WELL-BEING WITHIN THE COMMUNITY. IT IS A PLACE FOR ALL RESIDENTS OF MIDDLESEX COUNTY TO RECEIVE SUPPORT INFORMATION AND SERVICES THAT ARE ALL FREE AND CONFIDENTIAL. FAMILY SUCCESS CENTERS (FSC) ARE COMMUNITY-BASED, FAMILY CENTERED NEIGHBORHOOD GATHERING PLACES WHERE ANY RESIDENT OF MIDDLESEX COUNTY CAN GO FOR SUPPORT, INFORMATION, AND SERVICESWITH PARENT LEADERSHIP AT ITS CENTER. ALL SERVICES ARE FREE AND CONFIDENTIAL. THE PURPOSE OF THE FSC IS TO ENRICH THE LIVES OF CHILDREN AND ADULTS BY MAKING FAMILIES AND NEIGHBORHOODS STRONGER. THE GOALS OF THE FAMILY SUCCESS CENTER ARE TO PROMOTE FAMILY WELL-BEING, LINK FAMILIES TO COMMUNITY SERVICES, EMPOWER AND SUPPORT FAMILIES, PROVIDE CULTURALLY SENSITIVE PROGRAMS AND HELP FAMILIES IDENTIFY AND BUILD ON THEIR STRENGTHS.2. STEP UPSTEP UP'S TARGET POPULATION IS HIGH SCOOL YOUTH AT THE ACADEMY FOR URBAN LEADERSHIP SCHOOL IN PERTH AMBOY, NJ. CORE PROGRAMS COMPONENTS INCLUDE CONFLICT PEER MEDIATION, CASE MANAGEMENT, COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, AND LIFE SKILLS WORKSHOPS. ADDITIONALLY DURING THE SUMMER MONTHS WHEN SCHOOL IS NOT IN SESSION, STEP UP CONDUCTS A COUNSELOR IN TRAINING PROGRAM FOR YOUTH. 4. TRAINING AND TESTING CENTERTHE JRF TRAINING & TESTING CENTER OFFERS IN DEMAND EMPLOYMENT TRAINING, SUPPORT AND TESTING. OUR PRIORITY IS TO PROVIDE OUR STUDENTS WITH THE RESOURCES NEEDED TO BE LICENSED AND CERTIFIED IN THE FIELD OF THEIR CHOICE. WE VALUE THE IDEA OF OBTAINING A CERTIFICATION AS IT GENERATES BETTER JOB OPPORTUNITIES TO EARN A LIVING WAGE.4. ALTERNATIVE EDUCATION INSTITUTE (AEI)THE AEI PROGRAM IS A COMPREHENSIVE EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM DELIVERED IN A NON-TRADITIONAL LEARNING ENVIRONMENT TO HELP AT-RISK YOUTH BETWEEN THE AGES OF 16-24 AND ADULTS OVER THE AGE OF 25 EARN THEIR NEW JERSEY STATE HIGH SCHOOL EQUIVALENCY DIPLOMA. UPON COMPLETION, THE AEI PROGRAM WILL CONTINUE TO ASSIST ITS STUDENTS WITH ENTRANCE INTO POST-SECONDARY EDUCATION, TRADE SCHOOL AND/OR EMPLOYMENT. THERE ARE TWO MAJOR COMPONENTS IN THE AEI PROGRAM; ACADEMIC AND LIFE SKILLS. THE ACADEMIC COMPONENT FOCUSES ON PROVIDING STUDENTS THE SKILLS NEEDED IN THE FOLLOWING FOUR SUBJECT AREAS: LANGUAGE ARTS (READING/WRITING), MATH, SCIENCE, AND SOCIAL STUDIES. THE LIFE SKILLS COMPONENT FOCUSES ON EXPOSING AND TEACHING OUR STUDENTS THE SKILLS NECESSARY TO OVERCOME THE CHALLENGES OF EVERYDAY LIFE. THESE SKILLS INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO GOAL SETTING, LEADERSHIP AND CIVICS, PREVENTATIVE HEALTH AND NUTRITION, COMPUTER LITERACY, FINANCIAL LITERACY, WORK READINESS AND COLLEGE READINESS.