This Week in Philanthropy News: Kletzky Memorial Fund, a Gift for the Sierra Club and a Call for New Jersey Volunteers
- Just a week after 8-year-old Leiby Kletzky was murdered, his family has established a fund in his memory to help those in need. “Your gift to the Leiby Kletzky Memorial Fund will mean that all the hope and promise that was lost through Leiby’s death will be revived through all the kindness and generosity that will be done in his memory,” the website says.
Leiby Kletzky's family has already raised over $100,000 for charitable memorial fund. AP/NYPD
- New Jersey Gov. Christopher Christie announced this week that Wynona’s House, a treatment center for child abuse victims, will remain open due to a federal grant of more than $500,000. The Newark facility served more than 600 children last year.
- A new credit card has been designed to help Operation Homefront. The group, which has offices in New York and New Jersey, helps soldiers and their families with financial assistance.
- Mayor Michael Bloomberg has announced he’s giving the Sierra Club $50 million to help with their efforts to fight coal-fired power plants. The gift will be spread out over four years.
And an upcoming opportunity to do a good deed…
Date & Time: Weekends
How you can help: Volunteers are needed to staff a new program for 4-hour weekend shifts between 8:30 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. Volunteers can call Jane Bellis at 201-833-8009.
Family Promise of Bergen County needs volunteers for a new weekend program at a shelter in Ridgewood. “Our program is for working families who are temporarily homeless. They are working during the day and have dinner and sleep at local congregations in the evening,” Executive Director Kate Duggan says.
“The Weekend Program provides staffing for the Day Center so that families have a place to be on Saturday and Sunday. This is an opportunity to play with our children and interact with their parents. Families are welcome to volunteer together!”
If you have philanthropy news to share or you need volunteers, please email pitchmetrofocus@wnet.org with “Philanthropy News Roundup” in the subject line.
Jessica Abo is a television journalist who covers philanthropy in the Tri-State region.
