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 Paterson Alliance Grant     Think Success/Think PreK     Census 2020   Creative Paterson   Apprenticeship Program    Diversity Workshop Series

 

 

 

Think Pre-K Think Success

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Studies show that 90% of a child's brain development occurs before the age of five.  Studies have shown that kids who attend preschool are less likely to drop out of high school or commit a felony and more likely to attend college and own a home. The benefits of attending preschool are evident in all socio-economic groups and greatly improve a child's chances of academic and social success when they enter school.

Paterson Alliance is committed to ensuring that every child receives high-quality child care and the opportunity to attend preschool.  Through the Paterson Early Childhood Coalition (PECC) Paterson Alliance partners with more than 20 organizations that serve the Paterson community and share our commitment to improving the lives of  Paterson's youngest residents. The PECC's Think Success and Think Pre-K programs provide the public with information that stresses the importance of early learning and the benefits that young children receive from attending preschool.

Specially trained Early Childhood Education Navigators provide community outreach at special events throughout the City of Paterson. Our Navigators share information with parents and offer free assistance and support on the path to obtaining high-quality childcare and preschool enrollment for their young children.

 

 Paterson Kids Count 2022

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 Paterson Kids Count 2022 is a compilation of data collected by Advocates for Children of New Jersey (ACNJ) that provides a snapshot of the various statistics that may affect the general well-being of kids in the city of Paterson. 

Please follow the link to view this important data View Data or scan the QR Code below

 

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 Paterson Alliance Grant

Paterson Alliance wants to propel our mission by supporting the missions of our member organizations. Thanks to the generosity of an anonymous donor, Paterson Alliance is privileged to provide grants of $1,000 and $5,000 to member organizations to help fund projects that will directly impact Paterson residents. Congratulations to our 2023 grant recipients listed below.

 

2023 Paterson Alliance Grant Recipients

CAMP Youth Development Program Corp -  Camp YDP is located in Paterson's first ward. CAMP YDP's afterschool program, STEM program, and summer camp provide a safe and loving space for kids from 6-12 to learn and grow. Funds from grant award will used to host Workforce Resource Fairs that will provide multiple useful resources for jobseekers.

Green Acre Community Garden - Green Acre Community Garden is an urban farm in Paterson's fourth ward founded by long-time Paterson resident Deacon Willie Davis in 2014 with the mission of growing culturally relevant fresh vegetables, fruits, and herbs for the community.  The grant funds will be used to purchase supplies to fulfill the production strategy,  improve outreach efforts, and develop youth programs.

RENEW Life Center - RENEW Life Center provides programs that help families overcome generational poverty.  Proceeds from the Paterson Alliance Grant will be used to support RENEW'S GA(Getting Ahead) Program for women. 

SOLID Foundation Youth Outreach - Provides community building and youth mentorship through skateboarding and art. In addition to two skateboarding sessions a week, Solid provides workshops in resume building and job readiness, art classes, and conflict resolution. Grant funds will be used to train and certify all volunteers in first aid and safety education. 

St. Luke Community Development Center -Works diligently to bolster the academic, social and cultural development of Paterson's children and young people. This grant will help fund the St. Luke Freedom School 6-week summer enrichment program for Paterson students from 5-13 years old.

 

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 Paterson Alliance Apprenticeship Program

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                                                                                 2023 Paterson Alliance Apprentices

                                                                                                                                                                                

 

Each summer the Paterson Alliance hosts the Paterson Alliance Apprenticeship Program (PAAP). The PAAP is a summer youth employment program that is open to Paterson students who are entering their junior or senior year of high school. Ten students are chosen each year to participate in the paid 7-week program that includes a one-week orientation and a 6-week paid summer internship at a nonprofit agency that serves the Paterson community and is also a member of the Paterson Alliance.

The main focus of week one is orientation and preparing the apprentices for what is often their very first job.  They receive training in dress codes and appropriate workplace behavior. In addition to job readiness skills, the students receive information on college preparedness and participate in exercises to improve their financial literacy. Paterson Alliance also invites guests to speak to the apprentices about some of the many career choices that are available to them.

Once they successfully complete orientation the kids are off to complete their 6-week summer apprenticeship with one of Paterson Alliance’s nonprofit member organizations. During their apprenticeship, they are mentored given meaningful tasks to perform by their host organizations. They not only gain valuable work experience, but they also learn about giving back to their community and the important role that the nonprofit sector plays in providing services to the residents of Paterson. At the end of the program, the apprentices share details of their summer work experiences with Paterson Alliance members at our August membership meeting. The names and faces may change but year in and year out our Paterson Alliance members find the poise, humor,  talent, and enthusiasm displayed by these young Patersonians to be truly inspirational!

 

This program is made possible by an anonymous donor through the Community Foundation of New Jersey and the Paterson Children's Foundation

 

 PAST PROGRAMS:

 

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Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Workshop Series

Paterson Alliance is committed to diversity and inclusion. The Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in the Workplace Workshop Series 2023 is slated to begin in February 2023. During these workshops, cohorts of nonprofit organizational leaders will explore inclusion efforts as they relate to their own organizational challenges. Participants will be led through structured workgroup processes where they, as a collective, will explore diversity, equity and inclusion efforts. And thanks to the generous funding from the Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation, this series is offered to Paterson Alliance members at no cost!

The program is designed to build greater self-awareness on how identity impacts the dynamics of power and privilege and examine core elements of the organization to help each take steps to foster a more inclusive organization. The overall aim of these efforts is to unearth critical issues and build upon the strengths and diverse backgrounds, experiences and skill sets of the organization’s workforce creating a sustainable diverse, and inclusive organization. The proposed schedule for the workshops is as follows:

Thursday, February 23, 2023 (9 am-3 pm)

  • Session I - Part I – An Open Examination of the Influence of Power and Privilege - All participants;
  • Session I - Part II – Diverse and Inclusive Boards - Board members; Executive Leadership only

Thursday, March 23, 2023 (9 am -3 pm)

  • Session II – Strategic Planning: The Diversity Audit – Up to three from each organization based on role relevance

Thursday, April 27,  2023 (9 am - 3 pm)

  • Session III – Fiscal Equity/Human Resources – Up to three from each organization based on role relevance

Thursday May 18, 2023 (9 am - 3 pm)

  • Session IV – Fund Development / Communication and Outreach: Is it a true reflection?  – Up to three from each organization based on role relevance

The five sessions will be held virtually, beginning February 2023.  Each session was up to six (6) hours with time allotment for lunch, questions and continued participant project development.

Creative Paterson

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On June 18 and June 19, 2018 approximately 150 people gathered in Passaic County Community College's gym to answer the Creative Paterson "Call to Collaboration." The two-day event was organized by the host team of Creative Paterson with the help and guidance of Creative New Jersey. In 2022 Creative NJ became Gathering Ground. Gathering Ground is an organization that is dedicated to helping communities find solutions to difficult problems through collaboration between different sectors within the target community. Participants in Paterson's event included government representatives, community and religious leaders, city residents, and other stakeholders who came together for the purpose of finding creative answers to the "Call to Collaboration's" central question which was: It's Paterson's time!  How do we inspire Paterson to connect and empower all of our people, reinvigorate our economy, foster healthy neighborhoods, celebrate our achievements, and become a model city of hope and opportunity?

More than 60 breakout sessions on many topics were held during the two-day events. The breakout sessions were conversations led by various participants and were built around questions such as: How do we change the word "Ward" into community? How can cultural organizations help address social issues? How does the community work together to improve education outcomes for all children? and many more. 

Paterson Alliance is committed to keeping these important conversations going. The first Paterson Alliance membership meeting of 2019 was dedicated to continuing the conversations brought forth at the 2018 Creative Paterson "Call to Collaboration" convening.  Are you involved in a project that is for the betterment of Paterson? Are you interested in becoming a part of the existing conversations or if you would like to start a new one? If you answered yes to any of the questions we invite you to join the Gathering Ground Facebook Group and join others who are dedicated to creating a Vibrant Paterson. 

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Census 2020 - #Paterson Counts 2020 

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Census 2020 ended on October 15, 2020. The United States Census Bureau conducts a census of the nation’s population every 10 years as required by the United States Constitution.  For the first time, many people had the option to submit their census forms electronically. The Census Bureau estimates that 99.9% of United States households were accounted for in the 2020 Census.

It is believed that Paterson’s population was undercounted in the 2010 Census. Currently, 84% of Paterson residents live in neighborhoods that have been designated “hard to count” by the Census Bureau. A complete and accurate count of Paterson’s population in Census 2020 will help ensure that the city of Paterson will receive every dollar of state and federal funding for programs and services that it is entitled to.

Paterson Alliance collaborated with our members, the State of New Jersey, the Mayor’s office, and community leaders in the city of Paterson to help make Census 2020 a success. Paterson Alliance Executive Director Inge Spungen served as co-chair of the Paterson Complete Count Committee. The Complete Count Committee was formed in 2018 by Mayor Andre Sayegh to provide the public with information about the census and to encourage residents to be counted in Census 2020.

Like all of our Census 2020 partners, Paterson Alliance was forced to make major adjustments to our planned census outreach projects due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Still, the Paterson Alliance was able to provide Census Ambassador training to more than 100 trusted community leaders, We were also able to set up Census Kiosks at various outdoor socially distanced events. and we made it possible for Paterson residents to share their census experience on social media with our  Census Selfies program. The final results for Census 2020 were released in the summer of 2021.

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UPDATE: The results are in! According to the US Census Bureau Paterson's official Population is 159,732 far exceeding our expectations of at least 150,000 residents. Thank you to Mayor Andre Sayegh, the Paterson Complete Count Committee and all the community partners who helped to make this project a success.  Last but certainly not least a big shout out to all Patersonsonians who participated in Census 2020. Thanks to our combined efforts Paterson will be eligible for additional goverment funding that we are confident will help improve the quality of life for all Patersonians.