WESTFIELD — The Westfield Service League (WSL) membership recently voted to approve $92,613 in grants to 45 civic and service organizations serving the residents of Westfield and Union County. The funds are raised from the thrift and consignment shop that the WSL operates in Westfield and donations from the community.
“I’m thrilled that because of the devotion of our shoppers, consignors and donors, and the wonderful work of our staff and volunteers, we were able to award the largest amount in several years to local nonprofit organizations,” said Grants Committee Co-Chair Gigi Tilocca.
“It is always great to fund tried-andtrue nonprofit and service organizations doing good work in our communities, as well as new organizations, all vetted by our dedicated grants committee members,” she added.
This year’s grant recipients included organizations assisting children with cancer and their families, senior citizens with Alzheimer’s disease, after-school and summer programs for underserved children, arts organizations, a suicide-prevention hotline and other important community services. “We are grateful for the ongoing support of the WSL Thrift and Consignment Shop customers and the more than 175 volunteers who work tirelessly in our shops processing the clothing that is donated or consigned, maintaining our house where the shops are housed, vetting the organizations which receive funding and all of the other activities that go into running our organization,” said Grants Committee Co-Chair Jane Francz.
Every year, members of the Grants Committee are each assigned a number of organizations to vet. Vetting includes a meeting with a representative of the organization, usually on site, and a review of the organization’s financial statements and its application. The committee then meets to discuss each organization and a recommendation is made to the full membership and voted on. “We want to thank all of the members of the committee for their hard work in making sure that the money we raise goes to the best possible programs in deserving organizations,” said Susan McClelland and Karen Salemme, co-presidents of the WSL in a statement.
Grants were given to two new organizations this year: The Westfield Arts Collective (Rialto) and the Union County College Foundation. The complete list of organizations receiving grants is as follows: The Adult School; Caring Contact; CASA of Passaic and Union Counties; Children’s Specialized Hospital Foundation; Covenant House New Jersey/ Raphael’s Life House; El Centro Hispanoamericano; Elizabeth Coalition to House the Homeless; Elizabethport Presbyterian Center; Emmanuel Cancer Foundation; Flintlocks, BSA, Inc.; The Friends of Brightwood Park; Girls on the Run; Homesharing; Imagine; Inroads to Opportunities; The Institute of Music for Children; Jewish Family Service of Central New Jersey; Josephine’s Place; Mobile Meals of Westfield; Moms Helping Moms; New Jersey Festival Orchestra; New Jersey Workshop for theArts; Newark Bait and Fly Casting Club; Petty Love Productions; Preserve Shady Rest Clubhouse; Refugee Assistance Partners of New Jersey; Restore Ministries Inc.; Roots & Wings; St. Joseph Social Service Center; St. Mary’s Sunday Dinner; Trinitas Foundation; Union County College Foundation; Union County Connects; The Valerie Fund; Valerie’s Soup Kitchen; Westfield Area YMCA; Westfield Arts Collective (Rialto); Westfield Community Band;Westfield Food Pantry; Westfield Historical Society; Westfield Neighborhood Council; Westlake School; Whiskers Rescue; Youth and Family Counseling Service.
The Westfield Service League Thrift and Consignment Shop is located at 114 Elmer Street, Westfield. It is open Tuesday through Friday, 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Saturday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. For more information about donations or volunteering, call (908) 233-2530 for the Thrift Shop or (908) 232-1223 for the Consignment Shop.
Interested persons also are invited to follow the shop on Facebook and Instagram for notice of sales and special items.
