Center Raising Funds and Hopes
By HARVY LIPMAN
The Women’s Rights Information Center has never relied too heavily on public donations to stay in business.
Only once in the past 10 years has the organization received less than two-thirds of its budget from government grants. Federal funds distributed through the Bergen County Division of Community Development and state money given out by the Department of Community Affairs’ Division on Women pay for most of the center’s programs job training, employment counseling and other services to help women in financial crisis learn self-sufficiency.
But in an era when the state is facing a long-term fiscal crisis and federal funding is anything but guaranteed, the Englewood group is beginning to explore new sources of money.
Two key grants from the county have both been cut back for the third year in a row based on federal aid cutbacks, said Joan Grzenda, the center’s executive director.
The organization had built up more than $800,000 in reserves over its first three decades of operation, which served as a safety net in hard times. But it’s had to eat into those substantially the past couple of years.
With an operating budget of about $400,000, Grzenda said the group couldn’t afford to hire a development director to oversee fund raising. And its longtime board members weren’t experienced in raising donations.
"We needed to add new people," she said. That’s what the organization has begun to do, bringing in several board members in recent months. One of those is Liz Corsini, who’s on the board of several other charities.
"We’re trying to cultivate and sustain a donor base," said Corsini, who joined the board last month. The key, she added, is convincing residents of one of the nation’s wealthiest counties that they have neighbors in need of help.
"People need to know there are women who live down the street from them who can’t carry $1,000 handbags," Corsini said.
For the first time in its history, the center is planning a fund- raising event. "We’re going to have a luncheon to celebrate our 35th anniversary," Corsini said. "We believe we can attract 200 to 250 guests." The board is also reaching out to local merchants and Bergen County-based corporations to be sponsors of the event.
"You can’t tell me people here aren’t generous," Corsini insisted. "If people know the center exists, they’ll support it."
The organization may be relatively anonymous to potential donors, but its programs attract more than 2,000 clients annually and win near-unanimous praise from government officials and other charities.
"Our experience with them has been nothing but positive," noted Mitch Schoenfeld, CEO of the Bergen Family Center in Hackensack, which contracts with WRIC to provide job training for adolescents. "I don’t know of anybody else in the area who’s as successfully focusing on helping vulnerable women get back into the workforce."
"They’re a wonderful organization," added Janice Kovach, director of the Division on Women. "I’ve sat through some of their programs. They help women build that level of self-confidence they need to go back into the world and do what they need to get done."
Spending on programs: The center spends about two-thirds of its budget on its programs, but that figure is misleadingly low, because it counts nearly all of Grzenda’s salary as a management expense. Most similar organizations allocate a large portion of their executive directors’ compensation to programs, and if the center accounted for her pay in the same manner, it would be in the high range of program spending. Plus
Spending on fund raising: The center spends very little on fund raising. It nets about $7 in donations for every dollar it spends on fund raising, placing it in the top half of North Jersey charities. Plus
Executive compensation: Grzenda’s annual compensation is $70,000, about average for human service charities in North Jersey. Neutral
Financial stability: The center has a cash reserve equal to about 1 times its $415,000 operating budget, although it has been forced to dip into those savings to cover expenses each of the past two years. Neutral
Outcomes: The group found housing for more than 100 women in financial crisis, placed 84 in jobs, trained 45 to use computer software and helped hundreds more put together rsums or learn other workplace skills. Plus
Demand for services: The center is the only non-profit in the county providing such a wide range of programs designed to help women become financially self-sufficient, according to government officials and other charity leaders. Plus
Transparency: The group readily provided all requested financial documents. Plus
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Women’s Rights Information Center
108 W. Palisade Ave.
Englewood, NJ 07631
Phone: 201-568-1166
The center provides job training, employment counseling, housing placement and other services for women who are in financial crisis and want to get back into the workforce.
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Events
New York Sports Club in Westwood will be a host for Spinning Nation, a national fund-raiser on Saturday to benefit Athletes for a Cure/The Prostate Cancer Foundation, the AIDS Research Alliance and the Cancer Schmancer Movement which is working to fight women’s cancers. Supporters may sign up for a 45-minute studio cycling class providing a cardiovascular workout to music. The classes begin at 9, 10 and 11 a.m. and noon. The minimum donation is $50. Participants will receive a shirt, water bottle and entry into a prize drawing. Personal training packages await those who raise the most money. To register, call Roger Anthony at 201-400-4117or visit spinningnation.org.
A motorcycle skills competition by law enforcement motorcycle officers will highlight a vintage car and motorcycle show to benefit the Law Enforcement Torch Run for Special Olympics New Jersey on Sunday in the lot next to the Whiskey Caf in Lyndhurst. Food, music, vendors and a 3 p.m. awards presentation will round out the day. Registration will begin at 10 a.m. for cars from 1980 or before and any motorcycle. The $25 fee includes an event T-shirt. Registration for the skills contest will begin at 8 a.m., with the competition getting under way at 11 a.m. The $15 fee also includes a T-shirt. Spectator admission is free. For information on the event, call 201- 843-6930, ext. 133, or e-mail info@bergenharleydavidson.com. For Special Olympics New Jersey information, call 609-896-8000 or visit sonj.org.
Re/Max of New Jersey will offer rides on the Re/Max Hot Air Balloon to benefit Habitat for Humanity of Bergen County. The balloon will be inflated at 5 p.m. July 3 in Edgewater’s Veterans Park, and tethered rides will be available from 6 to 8:30 p.m. for the first 100 people. Participants must be at least 10 years old and more than 42 inches tall. A ride will cost $5. For more information, call Joan Silver at 201-816-8889. For Habitat for Humanity information, call 201-457-1020 or visit habitatbergen.org.
The Clifton-based St. Peter’s Haven for Homeless Families in Need will hold Summer Sunset Blues Cruise Sails on July 11, 16 and 18 aboard the tall ship A.J. Meerwald. The 2-hour cruises in New York Harbor will board at 5:30 p.m. at Liberty State Park in Jersey City, depart at 6 p.m. and return about 8:30 p.m. Tickets, at $50, include entertainment and refreshments. For reservations, call 973-546- 3406.
DONATIONS/GRANTS
Bank of America branches in Bergen County raised $30,000 for the March of Dimes. About 300 bank associates at 37 sites participated in a number of activities, including the March for Babies at Darlington County Park in Mahwah.
WHAT’S NEW
The Women’s Heart Center of St. Joseph’s Healthcare System has received the Community Service Award from the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses. The center, located at St. Joseph’s Regional Medical Center in Paterson and St. Joseph’s Wayne Hospital, offers women of all ages a coordinated approach to promoting heart health. Through its new Hispanic educational initiative, the center offers culturally specific lectures in Spanish. For more information, call 973-754-2600.
Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey has awarded $111,458 to Chilton Memorial Hospital in Pequannock under its 2007 Hospital Recognition Program. The hospital scored more than 15 percent higher on average than other hospitals in the company’s network.
The Neighbor Academy, a project of the Volunteer Center of Bergen County, will offer "Faith-Based Benchmarking," a workshop to evaluate the effectiveness of efforts by faith-based service groups, from 7 to 9 p.m. July 7 at the center’s offices in Hackensack. There is no charge, but registration is required by next Tuesday. Call 201- 489-9454 or e-mail training@bergenvolunteers.org.
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E-mail: lipman@northjersey.com
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(c) 2008 Record, The; Bergen County, N.J.. Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning. All rights Reserved.