Recognizing organizations that have received grant awards through the Department of State’s Office of Faith Based Initiatives (OFBI), Acting New Jersey Governor Kim Guadagno today visited Jewish Vocational Services of MetroWest (JVS) in East Orange to meet with staff and tour several of its programs.
OFBI awarded a $50,000 grant to JVS that will support its Caregiving Companions program. The program provides non-medical home care and companionship for seniors living independently in their own homes. Simultaneously, that care is provided by caregivers who are expanding their skill set and achieving financial security.
“OFBI supports innovative entrepreneurship, and JVS is a prime example,” said Acting Governor Guadagno. “With the help of this grant, the Caregiving Companions program can thrive as a dual-benefit program – giving seniors the care they need while providing on-the-job experience to those who serve them.”
JVS offers employment services to nearly 20,000 individuals each year and provides business-to-business services, including recruitment and customized skills training, to hundreds of companies across the State. Its Skill Development Center provides individuals with significant disabilities with the opportunity to work in the agency’s contract packaging unit.
“JVS is grateful to the State and OFBI for providing us with an opportunity to grow our Caregiving Companions program,” said Caren Ford and Nancy Fisher, Interim Co-Executive Directors of JVS. “This program allows seniors to stay safely in their own homes while providing professional development and employment to low-skilled healthcare workers. JVS has also worked with grants from the Office of Faith Based Initiatives successfully in the past, helping immigrants and refugees attain skills to enter the workforce and become economically self-sufficient.”
JVS also offers post-secondary scholarships, ESL and literacy classes and émigré services. JVS has previously partnered with the Department of Labor and Workforce Development to provide opportunities to displaced as well as incumbent workers in a variety of spheres. More information on JVS and its programs can be found on its website at: http://www.jvsnj.org/.
OFBI’s mission is to eliminate barriers to funding and other resource opportunities, create greater access for partnership, and enhance the capacity of faith- and community-based organizations to effectively design and implement successful programs and efficiently manage the day to day operations of their organization. In September 2014, OFBI awarded a total of $1.15 million in grants to 32 organizations.
A full list of OFBI grantees is available here: http://www.nj.gov/state/programs/pdf/ofbi-fy15-grant-awards-by-category-and-county.pdf.
More information on OFBI is available on its website at: http://www.nj.gov/state/programs/dos_program_faith_based.html.
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