October 16, 2020
As your partner in building healthy communities, NJHCN curates the most useful and current resources to help you and your organization build capacity, raise funds, network and learn.

All resources will also be posted on our website for ongoing reference. Please forward to colleagues, partners and friends who may benefit from this information. Subscribe.

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Grantee Spotlight
City of Englewood Health Department
Funder: Russell Berrie Foundation
Along with a healthy communities audit, the City of Englewood is distributing food and other essentials to provide COVID-19 relief. They also hosted a drive-through flu shot clinic and are making plans to begin focus groups as the next step in their Community Needs Assessment.

“We are currently are scheduled to begin the 3-4 focus groups in late October and begin phase 3 – surveys before the holidays and finish by February 2021.”

Partners include: Asian Women Christian Association, Englewood’s City Council Members, The Bloustein Team at Rutgers University, Englewood Health, Englewood’s Recreation Department, Women’s Rights and Information Center, Center for Food Action, Englewood Municipal Alliance, Bergen Family Center and Vantage Health System.

Funder Highlight
In the nearly seven months since COVID-19 arose throughout communities in New Jersey, many survivors of the virus are now finding recovery to be elusive. For many of these patients, informally known among the medical community as “long-haulers,” the challenge of figuring out how to manage these conditions has introduced yet another confounding dimension to this pandemic. In an effort to help this growing patient population, Atlantic Health System launched the Atlantic COVID Recovery Center, a multidisciplinary program based in Cedar Knolls and Summit.

Grants and Funding
Inclusive Healthy Communities Grant Program
Mandatory Applicant Webinar: October 19
Funder: Department of Human Services-Division of Disability Services
The Inclusive Healthy Communities (IHC) Grant Program is an initiative designed to provide funding opportunities to communities and organizations in New Jersey to promote inclusive practices that support the health and well-being of individuals with disabilities in the communities where they live. At least one member of your team must participate in one of three identical virtual workshops being hosted by the Rutgers University Bloustein School.  The last of the three workshops is Monday, October 19 at 10 am ET. 

Community Change Grant
Deadline: November 9
Funder: America Walks
America Walks and generous Active People, Health Nations partners are excited to announce another round of our popular Community Change Grant program. This program will award grantees $1,500.00 in community stipends for projects related to creating healthy, active, and engaged places to live, work, and play.  

Tools and Resources
Unprecedented and Unequal: Racial Inequities in the COVID-19 Pandemic
Published: October 14, 2020
Source: New Jersey Policy Perspective
Health disparities in the COVID-19 pandemic spotlight the long-standing inequities that permeate the health care system. Though the pandemic has been undeniably devastating throughout the country, the impact on Black and Latinx communities outpaces that on other populations. This report examines racial disparities in New Jersey throughout the COVID-19 pandemic and suggests policy solutions to alleviate these problems and build more equitable conditions for the future.


COVID-19 Resources for Healthy Schools (Alliance for a Healthier Generation)

See More on our Resource Page
Have a resource to share? Let us know!
News and Media
Making New Jersey More Inclusive: NJ Human Services Launches $1.4M Grant Program to Create Inclusive and Healthy Communities for Individuals with Disabilities
Published: October 7, 2020
Source: Insider NJ
New Jersey Human Services Commissioner Carole Johnson announced that the Department’s Division of Disability Services is launching a $1.4 million grant program to help communities across the state promote inclusive approaches to supporting the health and well-being of individuals with disabilities where they live, work, learn and play.

New Jersey's COVID-19 Storytelling Project
Sponsor: NJ Department of Health, NJYMCA, HealthyNJ 2030
Community Conversations: New Jersey’s COVID-19 Storytelling Project is a statewide project to gather and transform the personal accounts of New Jersey residents, especially those who have faced increased marginalization or greater risk as a result of the pandemic, into the building blocks of a more resilient, compassionate and Healthy New Jersey. We're asking New Jersey residents, essential workers, public servants and volunteers to tell us how they’ve struggled, how they’ve survived, and how we scan improve.

Training, Collaborations and Networking
Healthy New Jersey 2020 Healthy Communities Conversations
October 16, 23, 30, November 6, 13 (different topic each week)
Host: Healthy New Jersey 2020
The Healthy NJ 2030 Healthy Communities Action Team will convene a series of focused conversations regarding the defining characteristics of a Healthy Community. The Team will use what they learn from these sessions to set goals and strategies for Healthy NJ 2030. Topics include:

  • Racial Justice; Civic Engagement; Public Education
  • Community Services & Preparedness
  • Fair Wage & Supportive Employment
  • Healthy, Clean, Safe & Secure Physical Environment; Transportation Access & Mobility; Safe, Resilient & Affordable Housing
  • Recreation & Opportunities to Socialize; Arts & Culture

Building Equity into Your Network of Partners
October 20 - 3pm ET
Host: County Health Rankings and Roadmaps
How can you create intentional partnerships that uphold the values, practices and systems that support equity?

  • Learn about the networked way of working and identify strategies to ensure that your network operates with an equity lens.
  • Learn how to engage others in collaborative experiences that are diverse, inclusive, engaged, and committed to equity.
  • Get tools to help your partners begin takings steps with this critical process.

Meeting the Moment: Opportunities for Comprehensive Healthy Housing & Health Equity During COVID-19
October 29 - 10 am ET
Host: ChangeLab Solutions
The session will examine how local governments can respond to the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and ongoing structural racism on housing quality, affordability, and stability. Participants will:
  • Learn about the racial inequities of the pre-existing housing crisis and how COVID-19 is changing the scale and complexity of this crisis
  • Gain new insights and frameworks on how to pursue and present health equity and racial justice in their housing work
  • Learn how cities are centering health equity and racial justice in developing local housing solutions to respond to the needs of their communities