Wintertime photo of cardinal by Michele Datello
Dear Friend of MCF,

In this season of thanksgiving and holiday celebration, we at MCF are so grateful for our many friends who’ve stood by us through the past two years as the pandemic swept over our nation and world in waves.

While we were pleased to safely restart our in-person event schedule last Spring, we fully understand that some may not yet be comfortable gathering in large groups, even outdoors.

We pledge to explore other ways to keep you informed and engaged with MCF’s important work as we continue to preserve and protect the natural spaces in our County that have been, especially since March of 2020, so vital to our individual and collective physical and mental health. Meanwhile, please enjoy this month’s newsletter and know how much we appreciate your ongoing loyalty. 

My very best to you and yours for a Happy and Healthy New Year,

William D. Kastning, AICP
Executive Director

Your donation supports Monmouth Conservation Foundation’s mission of
Creating Parks . Saving Open Space . Preserving Farmland .
Safeguarding Waterways . Teaching Environmental Sustainability .
Protecting Wildlife
Farming for a Sustainable Future

One of MCF’s highest priorities is working collaboratively with County farmers and their families to educate them on potential alternatives to selling to developers. Our goal is to help ensure that family farms in Monmouth County can be productive and environmentally sustainable now and can continue to be successful under the stewardship of future generations.
In-person Holiday Style Luncheon & Shopping Spree returns!

Several hundred of MCF’s faithful gathered at Shadowbrook in Shrewsbury on December 1st for our annual Holiday Style Luncheon and Shopping Spree.

Reconvening after a one-year hiatus, the event was made even more special thanks to a spectacular expansion and renovation of Shadowbrook, which enabled guests to gather and reconnect while maintaining a safe and comfortable social distance in the Grand Ballroom. Please click here for full article.
Nilson Legacy Society

Longtime MCF Board member Gloria Nilson and her husband Len have made a spectacular provision in their estate plans to advance MCF’s highest priorities.

Gloria, for decades one of New Jersey’s leading real estate professionals and Len, a Microwave Engineer, are hopeful their seven-figure planned gift will serve as inspiration for others in the County who want to memorialize their own philanthropic contributions to MCF. “We’re so pleased to able to recognize our long and rewarding relationship with Monmouth Conservation Foundation in such an exciting way. MCF is an organization we’ve respected since its founding in 1977 so we were thrilled to be able to provide our name to MCF’s planned giving society.” The Nilson Society will celebrate those individuals and families that have remembered MCF with bequest intentions and other planned gifts. An initial gathering for all those who have already included Monmouth Conservation Foundation in their estate plans is being planned for Spring of 2022.

For questions about how you can provide for MCF in your estate plans, or to alert us to your existing intent, please contact Jonathan Meer, Director of Development at jmeer@monmouthconservation.org.
Annual Appeal/Giving Tuesday (renamed this year as “Giving Threesday”) Update:

Monmouth Conservation Foundation’s Annual Appeal kicked off our 2021-22 campaign with a rousing start around “Giving Tuesday,” the National philanthropic movement launched in 2012 on the Tuesday after Thanksgiving.

Giving Tuesday encourages donors to give back to organizations aligned with their individual priorities. Only this year, we renamed our Day of Giving “Giving Threesday” thanks to the wonderfully generous 3-to-1 match from the Montecalvo Family Foundation. As a result of the match and the response to it, MCF was able to raise a total of $211,150 in gifts on “Giving Threesday,” providing a huge boost to our 2021-22 Annual Appeal, which has an overall goal of $350,000. All dollars contributed to the Annual Appeal directly support the preservation projects, programs and operations of MCF.
The Theme of this year’s Annual Appeal is “FOREVER” since the parks we help create and the land we preserve are protected forever. Look for your “FOREVER” collateral in both your physical and virtual mailboxes and please consider taking advantage of another match, this one a 2-for-1 grant from an anonymous donor, to bolster the important work of Monmouth Conservation Foundation.
Movin’ On

It’s with decidedly mixed feelings that we announce that Amanda Brockwell, Deputy Executive Director of MCF, has left the organization to become Director of Development and Donor Relations at ANJEC (Association of New Jersey Environmental Commissions).

Amanda, who’d been with MCF for more than six and a half years, made substantial contributions in the areas of Project Management, Educational Program Coordination, Strategic Planning and Marketing/Social Media. She will be missed.
(732) 671-7000
www.monmouthconservation.org