Oak Ridge, N.J. – February 13, 2023 - Since 2018, the Lakeland Bank Grant Program has been funding specific community-focused initiatives and investing in eligible high-performing nonprofit organizations that make a strong and lasting impact on the communities they serve. Supporting these initiatives has been at the core of Lakeland Bank’s mission for over fifty years. The Bank is proud to announce we have provided $205,000 in Housing and Community Impact Grants for 2022.
Some of those grants included the following:
- Boys and Girls Club of Lower Bergen County – $15,000 to support an out-of-school time program serving students with special needs
- Family Promise of Morris County – $15,000 to support its Rapid Rehousing Program for families facing homelessness
- The GEM Project -- $10,000 to support programming that enforces leadership and community service amongst school-age youth, adolescents and young adults in the greater Newark NJ area
- Morris Habitat for Humanity – $20,000 to build two new homes for low- or moderate-income families in Perth Amboy
- The Scholarship Fund for Inner-City Children – $15,000 to support scholarships for inner-city children in NJ pursuing STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) areas of study
“I am very lucky to have the opportunity to learn first-hand the tremendous impact these organizations have on their community,” said Debra Zimmerly, CRCM, Vice President, CRA and Fair Banking Officer. “In my role, I manage the Lakeland Grant Program and help identify, select and present grants to organizations that have been nominated by our associates. It’s an honor to serve in this role and be a part of helping these neighborhoods throughout the communities we serve.”
The Grant program is non-competitive with no public solicitations for applications. Prospective recipients and their programs are nominated for consideration for a grant based upon an internal nomination process designed specifically for this program. Eligible organizations that provide the following services within the Bank’s assessment areas are considered:
- Financial independence
- Homelessness solutions and affordable housing programs
- Education programs offering financial skill sets
- Youth programs and services including childcare and afterschool programs
- Emergency services including food, shelter and clothing
- Health and well-being services
Lakeland Bank awarded a $20,000 Community Impact Grant to St. Joseph's Health Foundation, and donated new toothbrushes for patients to take home after their cleaning, like Michael Barreto Rodriguez pictured above.