RELEASE: December 15, 2004

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Commissioner Launches Corporate and Foundation Consortium;
Announces Major Contributions to Safe Child Fund

TRENTON – Commissioner James M. Davy today announced corporate contributions of $700,000 to help reform the state's child welfare system and launched a new fund and consortium to promote community collaboratives and support programs that prevent child abuse and neglect.

Davy announced the formation of the Safe Child Fund and the Safe Child Consortium of New Jersey and thanked executives from New Jersey Resources (NJR) and the Prudential Foundation for their “generous” contributions.

“These civic-minded corporations should be praised for their contributions to making children safe,” said Acting Governor Richard J. Codey. “This system has been broken for a long time and we need all of the help we can get to fix it so that it better protects and serves our children and families.”

“Other reform efforts in New Jersey have failed, but the thing that distinguishes this one is that everyone has a chance to “buy in” to increase resources for our neediest citizens and children instead of relying only on government and tax dollars,” Commissioner Davy said. “Individuals, providers and businesses can buy-in by promoting the neighborhood collaboratives aimed at linking and enhancing prevention services.”

The reform plan calls for the development of a consortium of at least five corporate and foundation leaders to identify and promote steps businesses and foundations can take to help the Department of Human Services prevent child abuse and neglect. Representatives from more than 20 corporations and foundations have joined together as a working group, chaired by NJR Chairman and CEO Laurence M. Downes.

“The whole idea is to involve everybody, because they are not just DYFS' children, they are society's children,” Davy said. “The future of our children is entwined with the future of New Jersey , its neighborhoods, workforce, and business community.”

“The security and welfare of our children is or should be of primary concern to every New Jersey citizen. The business community and people from all walks of life need to be involved,” NJR's Downes said. “We believe in being there for our communities and are proud to advance this plan to help secure the futures of the children and families in our state.”

NJR pledged a total of $500,000 - $380,000 to the Safe Child Fund, and $120,000 for Leadership Development within the Department.

Commissioner Davy also announced a gift of $200,000 from the Prudential Foundation to the Safe Child Fund.

“We are pleased to be part of the Safe Child Consortium and to contribute to the Safe Child Fund of New Jersey to provide the State's vulnerable children with resources for prevention services,” said Sharon C. Taylor, chair of The Prudential Foundation and senior vice president of Human Resources at Prudential Financial, Inc. “Prudential has a long-standing concern for children in our communities, and we look forward to the integrated network of services that The Fund will help support on their behalf.”

The Safe Child Consortium, initiated in September, is a growing group of leaders from the corporate, business, foundation, and labor communities, who, along with individuals, are partnering with DHS and the Office of Children's Services.

The Safe Child Fund of New Jersey, which will be held and administered by the nonprofit Princeton Area Community Foundation, will not replace government funds dedicated to child welfare reform implementation. This is an opportunity for “value-added endeavors” for groups and agencies committed to stronger communities, secure families and safe children.

“We are running a marathon here, not a sprint,” Commissioner Davy said. “A lot of hard work is ahead of us and we need many partners for this noble purpose.”

Commissioner Davy thanked New Jersey Resources and Prudential and also praised Downes for the time he has spent during the last several months with the consortium.

“New Jersey Resources has truly been a Godsend for us. Larry's heart is in the right place,” Commissioner Davy said. "He knows that stronger communities and stronger families mean healthier and safer children.”

The Safe Child Fund of NJ will be managed by the Princeton Area Community Foundation. All donations are tax deductible and should be made payable to Safe Child Fund/PACF and mailed to the Princeton Area Community Foundation, 15 Princess Road , Lawrenceville , NJ 08648 ; call 609-219-1800 or visit www.pacf.org .

Grantmaking will begin once the Fund's procedures and criteria for soliciting and reviewing grant applications are established by its Advisory Committee, which will be established in early 2005.

How companies can help ( DHS will provide interested corporations with “tool kits” with promotional materials and suggestions)

• Make financial contributions to the Safe Child Fund or to agencies that conduct prevention programs

• Include information about reform efforts on corporate web sites and in newsletters
• Include information about the new central hotline for allegations of child abuse, 1-800- NJABUSE, and the hotline number 1-877- NJ-FOSTER for people interested in becoming resource families in mailings or billings
• Volunteer time with programs that address abuse and neglect

• Offer individual or company in-kind professional and support services
• Provide employee benefits to foster parents as well as adoptive parents commensurate to those provided to parents of newborn biological children
• Encourage employees and customers who are foster parents to share their success stories

• Help establish Community Collaboratives in customer areas throughout the state
• Provide space for meetings or events

List of companies and organizations already helping

New Jersey Resources

Prudential Foundation

Princeton Area Community Foundation

Verizon

Comcast

Conectiv

Council of New Jersey Grantmakers

The Healthcare Foundation of New Jersey

MWW Group

New Jersey Business and Industry Association

New Jersey Chamber of Commerce

New Jersey Manufacturers Insurance Group

NJ League of Municipalities

NJ State AFL-CIO

The Nicholson Foundation

PSE& G

The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation

St. Barnabus Health Care System

Schering-Plough

The Schumann Fund for New Jersey

South Jersey Industries

Sun Bancorp

Victoria Foundation

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