BlueClaws Charities Hands Out End-Of-Year Grants

JERSEY SHORE, NJ - BlueClaws Charities announced a list of 43 organizations that received a grant through their annual distribution.

BlueClaws Charities, the official non-profit organization of the Jersey Shore BlueClaws, raises money throughout the year with a series of initiatives. These include a 50/50 raffle at BlueClaws home games, specialty fundraising events, their annual Luxury Suite raffle, select merchandise sales, and more. Grant money will once again be kept within Ocean & Monmouth Counties.

"We are very grateful to distribute funds to these amazing organizations that benefit residents of Ocean & Monmouth Counties," said Jim McNamara, Executive Director of BlueClaws Charities.

"BlueClaws Charities would also like to thank the many fans and supporters that contributed throughout the year. Whether that was buying a jersey from a jersey auction, buying a 50/50 ticket at a game, donating to BlueClaws Charities Karaoke Night, or contributing in some other way, every contribution counts. We could not do this without the tremendous support we've received."

The following organizations received grants for the projects listed:

21 Plus - “Main Street Greens” hydroponic farm is a Social Enterprise of 21 Plus, Inc. designed to benefit individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities and the community they live and work in. The goals of the project are to create a social enterprise that is a sustainable farming system for individuals to sell as curb side pickup or delivery for Community Shared Agriculture members and restaurants.

ALS United Mid-Atlantic - The Care Services program of ALS United Mid-Atlantic is a model of care delivery. The team provides services such as support groups and education for patients and caregivers; home modification assessments; assistive technology assessments; and delivery of loaned durable medical equipment. ALS United Mid-Atlantic also provides transportation, connections with specialized clinics, and access to services within their areas.

American Cancer Society - Gold Together is the American Cancer Society initiative dedicated to increasing awareness
of childhood cancer, supporting families facing a diagnosis, and raising funds to end childhood cancer. Funds raised directly support childhood cancer research, education, advocacy, and service, as well as promote cancer prevention efforts targeting children to help them reduce their risk for cancer later in life.

American Heart Association - This funding will provide two standard blood pressure cuffs at a Jersey Shore community organization. Our Community Impact team will work closely with a local partner (such as a library, church, or school) based in either the Ocean or Monmouth County area, and (the 2 blood pressure cuffs) to ensure the placement and proper use. The benefit of this (placement) will assist individuals with hypertension control within a community setting.

Boy Scouts of America, Jersey Shore Council - This funding will help provide scouting to kids in need. Jersey Shore Council believes that every child should have the opportunity to participate in Scouting, regardless of circumstance. They provide financial assistance to Scouts in need in several forms: registration costs, uniforms and handbooks and even summer camp scholarships.

Brody's Crew - Every year, they fulfill their warriors' Christmas wish list, for patients that are on active treatment. This grant will go towards funding those Christmas wishes.

Caregiver Volunteers of Central Jersey - Healthy Hop is a free transportation service designed to help seniors aged 60 years and older in Monmouth County get to their medical appointments without any stress or worry. With this service, seniors can simply call when they are ready to go, and a ride is arranged to pick them up and take them to their appointment.

Child Care Resources of Monmouth County - The Diaper Bank at Child Care Resources is a unique program that provides diapers and wipes to needy families throughout Monmouth County. Clients receive approximately one weeks’ worth of diapers in the size requested, as well as one package of wipes per child once per calendar month. Our program depends totally on the generous support of individual, organizations and grant requests like this one.

Christopher J. Morrissey Scholarship Foundation - The On Angels Wings weekend retreats are designed to provide intentional and loving care for mothers that have lost children. Mothers know that when they share their grief it will be understood on a visceral level by a community of women offering support and empathy. Mothers participate in multiple facilitated grief group sessions. Using skilled facilitation, grief counselors guide the women through sharing.

Dottie's House - The mission at Dottie’s House is to provide safe housing for women and their children through a program that empowers them to become self-sufficient and free from violence. Their transitional housing facility for survivors of domestic violence, located in Northern Ocean County, allows 17 families to reside in fully furnished apartments. This grant will go towards repair and replacement of household equipment in these facilities.

Easterseals New Jersey - With your generous support, we aim to revolutionize local houses, establishing nurturing residences that shine as symbols of hope and rejuvenation for hundreds of individuals. These homes will act as vital support systems for those maneuvering the complexities of mental illness, offering a sanctuary that promotes wellness, solace, and a supportive atmosphere on their journey toward increased stability and recovery. This contribution will play a key role in ensuring each home meets ADA standards, fostering a completely inclusive physical environment. Additionally, this will enable the organization to implement intelligent home enhancements using technology to elevate comfort, safety, and convenience, empowering residents towards self-sufficiency and personal growth.

Family Promise of the Jersey Shore - This grant will fund the purchase of brand new pillows, stuffed animals, blankets, books and bags that will be put together for families experiencing homelessness to have when they enter the shelter program. These help them feel safe and cared about in a scary situation. Having a clean pillow to lay their heads on with a cozy blanket gives that essential need but the stuffed animal provides that ongoing comfort.

Fighting HARD Foundation - Their Hospital Care Packages for Rare Kids Project are one of the main programs at Fighting HARD Foundation, where they help children with rare diseases and chronic illnesses to not feel alone. Care Packages for these kids and their families include things to help bring smiles to them during a long hospital stay, helps to provide gas and meals for families while traveling to and from both local and distant hospitals, gift cards for teens to enjoy while Fighting HARD, and will even cover hospital copays and treatments not covered by insurance.

Girl Scouts of the Jersey Shore - Keeping Girls Together is a collaborative program between Girl Scouts of the Jersey Shore and service organizations to provide traditional Girl Scout programming to girls who are experiencing homelessness or transitional housing with the goal of providing participants with enrichment experiences and a peer community so they may thrive despite their uncertain circumstances.

Homes Now, Inc. - Homes Now, Inc. takes pride in assisting those in our community with affordable housing. We provide services for veterans, seniors, developmentally, physically and mentally disabled, and income restricted individuals and families. These services include housing itself, assistance with rent, utilities, home repairs, drives for food, cleaning supplies and school supplies, to name a few.

Interfaith Family Services - Interfaith Family Services (formerly Interfaith Hospitality Network of Ocean County ) will use this grant to help combat the homeless crisis currently taking place in Ocean County, New Jersey. The agency can continue to provide emergency shelter and a multitude of other urgently needed services to homeless families with children.

Interfaith Health & Support Services of Southern Ocean County - Interfaith Health & Support Services (IHSS) is a coalition of faith communities, social service, and health care organizations that provides support to those living at home who are vulnerable because of age or disability. This grant will help fund additional staff van drivers to bring seniors to and from medical appointments in Southern Ocean County.

Jackson Youth Football & Cheerleading - This grant will update some of our football and cheer equipment to ensure we are keeping the children of our league safe and provide them the best equipment possible. Equipment needed includes cheer mats and helmets.

Jake's Got This- This grant will contribute towards children receiving service dogs, as well as four new families to send to intensive therapy programs. We have a huge fundraising hill to climb and and help is greatly appreciated to chip away at the total costs for these families. 100% of all grants and donations will go directly towards these families.

JF Party Dragon - The grant money is spent between two upcoming projects - delivering both food and toys to families in need this fall/winter. Every penny that comes into us, as with every other project, goes back into the community.

Kids Need More - This grant will help fund delivering toys, gifts, and holiday cheer to children suffering from a cancer diagnosis and other life threatening illnesses and their families throughout Ocean County.

LADACIN Network - To support the Give and Take Child Care and Preschool Center, which addresses a critical need in our community. More than half of the children in the program come from low-income working families, and subsidies are available for eligible families throughout the county. Children from low-income households often arrive at kindergarten substantially behind children from higher-income households. Having the benefit of a quality childcare program that accepts subsidies makes it more affordable for parents. Offering low-income children access to high-quality early childhood programs could dramatically improve their opportunities for a better future.

Lt. Dennis W. Zilinski II Memorial Fund - To provide support to improve the morale and welfare of the members of the United States Armed Forces and their families, this grant will provide boxes of goodies and support to the more than 1,800 National Guardsmen deploying from New Jersey.

Ma Deuce Deuce - Operation Ruck it is a 22k ruck march raising awareness of the 22 daily veteran suicides. These funds are used to not only provide funds for the many outlets we provide, but they also help veterans with unmet needs, such as paying for vehicle repairs, rent/mortgage assistance, groceries, hotel stays for homeless veterans awaiting placement in a home via larger homeless organizations.

Middletown Chapter NSDAR - This project is to provide holiday food baskets for local veterans and active military as well holiday toys for their children. The majority of recipients reside in Monmouth County although some live in Ocean County. Our organization is currently a year round supporter of the food pantry at Earle Naval Weapons Base and has several programs to appreciate local veterans. Support is provided through donations from members as well as members of the community, as well as other fundraising. With food costs escalating, many of these veterans and active military members are especially squeezed and we want to help them have a secure holiday without having to worry about where food is coming or whether they can purchase toys for their children.

New Jersey Fire Engine Museum & Fallen Firefighters Memorial - The fallen firefighters section of the New Jersey Fire Museum has an annual memorial service. During that service, they display a 16x20 foam board photo depicting the firefighters name, Company, date of service, and date of death with the contributing factors. All the firefighters killed in the line of duty are displayed at the memorial and will be used in the museum for future exhibit's. Those killed as a result of 9-11 related illnesses may be used in a September Exhibit. This grant will help ensure those firefighters are remembered fore their service in future years.

Northern Ocean Habitat for Humanity - To support critical home repairs or modifications for aging or disabled members of the community. Many homeowners we serve live on a fixed income such as social security to pay their daily bills, but are unable to make repairs or modifications needed to prevent health hazards. This program is free, and the homeowner is encouraged to paying-it-forward with simple acts of kindness. This encourages our homeowners to engage with our volunteers, staff, and community partners. By the time we complete our repair jobs, trust develops, stories are shared, new friendships are made, and ultimately a healthier community has emerged.

O'Brian-Major Veterans of Foreign Wars Post #2639 - Operation Hope and Care is their community service program. Due to the incoming change of the season, they provide socks to the those that are unhoused. Those socks are delivered to people that are living in the shelter at the Jersey Shore Rescue Mission in Asbury Park, NJ.

Ocean County Family Support Organization - To help fund the cost of a weekend camping trip in June of 2024 to Fairview Lakes in Newton, New Jersey. The weekend focus is social and leadership skill as well as outdoor experiences.

Ocean Inc*.* - To fund the purchase of marketing materials including table covers w/logo, branded banners, promo items, etc. allowing the agency to showcase/advertise the agency reaching more disadvantaged residents who are in need of assistance through the programs they provide. The services include Direct Services - Rental Assistance, Case Management, First Time Homebuyer Assistance, Head Start Assistance, Home Energy and Weatherization Services to resident who are at or below 200% of poverty guidelines.

Ocean Partnership for Children - Ocean Partnership for Children, Ocean County's Care Management Organization, provides four Special Groups for Special Youth. The first group, Your Authentic Self, provides support for LGBTQ+ youth. The second group is the Girls Empowerment Group, providing support and education for girls who are struggling with low self-esteem and mental health challenges. The third group, Game Changers, is for boys struggling with peer relationships, bullying, and school challenges. The fourth group, Birds of a Feather, is for youth and their parents to strengthen their relationships through birdwatching and nature trips. These groups are highly successful in helping the youth involved and are meeting a tremendous community need right here at the Jersey Shore. The BlueClaws Charities grant will fund the needed supplies, curriculum, and transportation for youth in these four groups.

POAC Autism Services - To help support our Ocean/Monmouth County Challenger Sports League. POAC has been providing free recreational events for special needs students for over a decade including our Challenger Sports League. This league has become a program that special education and regular education students in Ocean and Monmouth counties have come to rely on.
We already know the many benefits of sports for both special needs students and their typical peers, but the Challenger League takes it a step further by including socialization opportunities for students who might not typically have access to them.

Raising Hope for Others - Raising Hope for Others Annual Golf Outing raises money for a yearly recipient in order to help pay medical bills as well as support charities such as Mary’s Place by the Sea, NJ Cancer Institute and Lustgarten Foundation. This grant helps offset the cost by paying for materials for the gift auctions, items for dinner favors and items for golf bags.

Seabrook by Erickson Senior Living - This grant money would help improve their computer screen readers, screen magnifiers, and other tools to enlarge text as part of the new library being built on campus. It would also provide accessible audio books, large print, and braille titles for residents who are vision impaired.

Society for the Prevention of Teen Suicide - The SPTS Youth Wellness Summit is a full day event, centered on holistic wellness, offered to all public and private high schools in Ocean County. The schools are welcome to attend, at no cost, with 8 students and 2 staff members viewed as Trusted Adults. The attendees begin their day with breakfast and a panel named "Strings of Hope" that features young adults who discuss challenges that have come their way and their coping skills, stress management techniques, and support system that helped them overcome.

Special Olympics New Jersey - The Special Olympics New Jersey (SONJ) mission is to provide year-round sports training and athletic competition in a variety of Olympic-type sports for children and adults with intellectual disabilities, giving them continuing opportunities to develop physical fitness, demonstrate courage, experience joy and participate in a sharing of gifts, skills and friendship with their families, other Special Olympics athletes and the community. The money granted to this organization will be utilized to help fund local training and competitions in bowling, swimming and track & field, as well as help provide necessary equipment or uniforms to athletes in need to coincide with their training.

Starve Poverty International - This grant will support Starve Poverty’s food pantry and home repair program in Barnegat Township. Starve Poverty serves individuals, families, older adults and veterans who are in need of food, home repairs and other necessities. In collaboration with local volunteers, Starve Poverty reduces food insecurity through the food pantry, improves physical accessibility for older adults by completing urgent home repairs and addresses the burdens of poverty by connecting families to other community resources in Ocean County.

The Arc, Ocean County Chapter - To support the launch of a meal plan service pilot program for 170 residents with intellectual and developmental disabilities living in group homes and apartments. My25 is an established company who caters to human services non-profits with healthy and nutritious choice based menus, grocery shopping through Walmart, and recipe prep steps. This program will focus on launching My25 at six residential programs in Ocean County for one year. This new and innovative opportunity will further expand The Arc's Healthy Lifestyles for People with Disabilities initiative promoting health and wellness.

The Mya Lin Terry Foundation - To provide resources (i.e. mortgage/rent/utility payments, medical co-pays, wish trips, etc.) directly to families battling pediatric cancer in the community.

The Salvation Army of Ocean County - The Salvation Army Ocean County has been administering the NJ licensed Summer Day Camp for 18 years, focusing on working parent families who need safe, educational, and fun services for their children during the summer months when school is not in session. Trips include BlueClaws baseball games, the ocean, educational institutions, zoos, and other recreational outings.

Toms River Education Foundation - In the face of declining state aid, the Toms River School District has been working hard to maintain extra-curricular activities. The Toms River Education Foundation aims to fill the gap so that the children don't feel those cuts. This grant helps provide athletic supplies high school athletic programs.

RWJBarnabas Health Toms River Field of Dreams - To support a monthly Movie Night at the Field of Dreams Park for special needs members. The Grant would help cover the cost of the projector, projector screen and movie rights.

We Are Loved - We Are Loved is dedicated to empowering and supporting foster youth by providing a safe and loving space where every foster child has the opportunity to flourish as we create an environment based on empathy, education, new experience, and LOVE! This grant will be used to welcome children to their new families and to lessen the anxiety of each transition and contribute to providing a safe and loving space filled with empathy, belonging, education, new experience, and most importantly, love.

Fans can currently support BlueClaws Charities through the purchase of a Suite Raffle ticket. Only 300 raffle tickets are sold, for just $100 each. Eight winners will be selected and each earns a 10-game share of a 2023 BlueClaws Luxury Suite. Raffle purchasers also receive four tickets to BlueClaws Opening Night on April 5th plus a 25% off coupon for the Claws Cove. Proceeds from the raffle benefit BlueClaws Charities and their grant program.

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