Advocacy in an Hour
Unlimited Passion and Limited Time. No Problem.
Healing the world can seem overwhelming. There are so many important issues facing women, children and families, reproductive rights, voting rights, menstrual equity, gun violence prevention, human trafficking to name just a few.
Where do you start? When is it time to march? How do you fight for every important piece of legislation?
We know we cannot fix the world’s problems all at once, all day, every day. But as the saying goes: “Even if we can’t do everything, we choose to do something.”
That is why NCJW/Essex launched Advocacy-in-an-Hour.
For more information on Advocacy in an Hour programs, please visit our Events page, call (973) 740-0588 or email sabrahams@ncjwessex.org.
Advocacy in an Hour Events
After Abortion Care Kits
Reproductive rights and abortion care are always top-of-mind. We have packed more than 1,000After Abortion Care Kits filled with comfort items and notes of support that will be delivered to people seeking abortions in New Jersey by wonderful partners including Planned Parenthood, the Cherry Hill Women's Center and others.
Get Out the Vote
Each fall, we gather to raise awareness of voting rights, remind all eligible voters to register, and write thousands of postcards to voters in states around the country encouraging voter turnout.
We are collecting gently-used handbags and totes and will fill them with treats both practical and pampering for our clients who are seeking work. Dig deep in your closet as you are spring cleaning and drop off any bags at the NCJW/Essex office by May 3. Patty Kremen, Director of the Center for Women, will join us to share more about the work she and her team do in support of women who are entering or re-entering the workforce. The CFW has served a record number of clients this year, and continues to provide career counseling, empowerment training and more.
The Covenant House Newark Shelter provides immediate housing and care for more than 800 youths ages 18-21 every year. Homeless and trafficked youth suffer disproportionately from trauma, sexual and physical abuse, involvement in the foster care system, domestic violence, mental health challenges, and life on the street. Our March Mitzvah-in-a-Minute is an opportunity to provide much needed bath, grooming, clothing and other items for residents at the Newark Shelter. We will also be providing small gift bags to residents with our hand-written notes of encouragement and support. Click here to read more about the event.
Food insecurity affects approximately 40 percent of college students. Our January Mitzvah-in-a-Minute hosted a collection for the Red Hawk Food Pantry on the campus of Montclair State University. Our volunteers sorted, counted and weighed donations before delivering them to the pantry. Thanks to the generosity of NCJW/Essex members and friends, we were able to provide nearly 2000 individual food items and almost 800 personal care and household items. Together it was 800 pounds of donations! Read more here.
Read more about our 2022 Diaper Drive in support of National Diaper Need Awareness Week, with donations going to the Community FoodBank of NJ and the Interfaith Food Pantry of the Oranges.
Read more about our Fall Food Drive and how we put together lunch bags for Christine’s Kitchen in West Orange and our own CFW clients.
Read more about our Holiday Toy Drive and Gift Wrap for clients of the Focus Hispanic Center for Community Development and our own Center for Women. NCJW/Essex was happy to partner with LTownCares and Coldwell Banker Realty to provide holiday gifts.
The recent Mitzvah-in-a-Minute Book Drive was a big success! We collected over 300 books for Alex’s Book Club Cart, an annual book drive that collects new books for Cooperman Barnabas Medical Center’s Pediatric floors.
Alex’s Book Cart was established to honor the memory and legacy of Alex who passed away in 2018 at age 11. Alex “was an amazing boy who was filled with joy and happiness” and one of his favorite things was books. The new books will be added to the book cart in the Pediatric Unit and the Pediatric ICU of the Cooperman Barnabas Medical Center. During their hospital stay, children and teens will receive books that they can use during their stay and then take home. It is the hope that this will provide some comfort during their hospital stay.
Thank you to everyone who participated for your generous support.
Mitzvah-in-a-Minute Book Drive
MIM Book Drive Co-Chairs Justin Hirschtritt and Tara Heyderman