HACKENSACK, N.J. — The Northern New Jersey Community Foundation (NNJCF) announces the award of a $2,000 grant from the NNJCF’s Andrea Tilbian Halejian Memorial Fund to the Center for Peace, Justice and Reconciliation (PJR) at Bergen Community College in Paramus. The NNJCF, a not-for-profit 501(c)3 organization based in Hackensack, concentrates on education, public health, civic engagement, arts, philanthropy, and the environment.
The fund remembers Wyckoff resident Andrea Tilbian Halejian and contributes to qualified charitable organizations she supported. Andrea Tilbian Halejian, her family and many of their friends cared for Armenian efforts on local, national and international levels. Previous grant recipients include the Fund for Armenian Relief and the Armenian General Benevolent Union.
“As a person of Armenian ancestry, Andrea Tilbian Halejian was committed to Armenian genocide awareness and education. The program for high school students offered by the Center for Peace, Justice & Reconciliation at Bergen Community College gives participants the opportunity to learn about identity and genocide, in alignment with Andrea’s dedication to her heritage,” said Christine Badach, a member of the fund’s advisory committee.
Working with local and global communities, PJR develops skills in conflict resolution and ethical decision making to promote social justice and global citizenship. A key part of its mission is a focus on the Armenian genocide, the first one in the 20th century. The grant will support daylong seminars on identity and genocide for area high school students.
During its 20th anniversary year, the Northern New Jersey Community Foundation continues to serve the community and asks, What can we do together that we can’t do alone?. The NNJCF offers a comprehensive menu of philanthropic opportunities. Donor-advised funds, tax-saving annuities, and trust options provide donors with flexible, efficient, and tax-effective ways to ensure their charitable giving has maximum impact.
“The Northern New Jersey Community Foundation helps donors connect with issues they care about. These committed, civic-minded donors and their charitable interests are vital to the region and our communities’ health and well-being,” said Danielle De Laurentis, associate director of the Northern New Jersey Community Foundation.
