Photo Courtesy of Columbia Bank Foundation A member of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Newark participates in the Blankets of Hope kindness workshop.
A member of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Newark participates in the Blankets of Hope kindness workshop.
NEWARK, NJ — Columbia Bank Foundation, Boys & Girls Clubs in New Jersey and Blankets of Hope have joined forces to make a difference in the lives of the homeless in New Jersey, by wrapping the less fortunate in the comfort of warm blankets. Together, the organizations have delivered 1,440 “Blankets of Hope” to community members in need.
Purchased by the Columbia Bank Foundation, the blankets were distributed to nine Boys & Girls Clubs in New Jersey chapters, where youths participated in Blankets of Hope’s kindness workshop. Children were led through an empathy exercise to imagine what it’s like to experience homelessness, then created colorful, handwritten notes of hope, love and encouragement to pair with each blanket. The gifts were delivered to local shelters and organizations in need.
The Boys & Girls Clubs of Newark delivered the blankets and notes to Covenant House in Newark.
Currently, approximately 9,000 New Jersey residents are without homes and, due to the pandemic, that number is rising.
“As one of the largest private giving foundations in the state of New Jersey, the Columbia Bank Foundation is consistently looking for ways to maximize our impact,” said Thomas J. Kemly, president and CEO of Columbia Bank and president of the Columbia Bank Foundation. “Through our partnership with Blankets of Hope we are proud to have provided the Boys & Girls Clubs in New Jersey with a free kindness workshop and an opportunity to give back. These Blankets of Hope offer lifesaving warmth, as well as an encouraging mental health boost to those in need.”
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