GreenLight Fund Greater Newark

10/13/2026

GreenLight Fund 2025-26 Impact Report is live! Across 15 cities and 71 portfolio organizations, GreenLight reached 1.6M individuals and families nationwide this past year
with measurable, positive impact. See the full report here! https://greenlightfund.org/report/our-impact/

10/07/2026

Our Executive Director, Tish Johnson-Jones is heading to Phoenix next week for the Independent Sector Conference. She’ll be facilitating two workshops focused on leadership, organizational impact, and sustainability.

The first, Rooted & Rising 2.0: When Values and Power Collide, builds on last year’s conversation with Black women leaders about leading while staying rooted in values, identities, and communities. This year’s session will explore what happens when those values meet the realities of power, leadership, and organizational decision-making.

The second, Scale for Sustainability: Unlocking Capital to Fuel Local Impact, will focus on what it takes for nonprofits to be ready to scale. The conversation will consider organizational infrastructure, leadership, and the development of clear, replicable models. It will also explore how philanthropy can better recognize and invest in organizational readiness.

Tish will be joined by Simone Hardeman-Jones, Executive Director of GreenLight Fund Twin Cities, and Ray Hailey, National Portfolio Manager of GreenLight Fund. Together, they bring deep experience and perspective to these important conversations.

We’re proud to see Tish and GreenLight leaders representing at this year’s conference and contributing to conversations about leadership, sustainability, and building stronger communities.

If you’ll be at the Independent Sector Conference in Phoenix, be sure to join one of these sessions and connect with Tish and fellow leaders in the room!

09/15/2026

Another stop, another opportunity to connect! Our Meet the Orgs Tour continued at La Casa de Don Pedro, bringing Newark residents and community leaders together to hear directly from local organizations and discover more about the resources and opportunities available across the city.

We’re grateful to La Casa de Don Pedro for hosting us and helping create a space for these conversations. Our Selection Advisory Council Member, Jheryn Kenney, led a powerful panel conversation featuring Newark EMS Corps, Reading Partners, Food Connect, and Housing Connector. Each organization shared more about its work, the impact it’s making in Newark, and the resources it has available to our vibrant city.

As we continue this tour, we’re excited to keep opening doors, building relationships, and making connections that can lead to meaningful opportunities for our community.

And we’re not done yet!

Join us for the final Meet the Orgs Tour stop on Thursday, October 1st, hosted by the incredible Community Corporation.

Check out the flyer below for all the details and register here: https://greenlightfund.org/meet-the-orgs-tour/

08/20/2026

Last week, we held the second stop of our Meet the Orgs Tour, hosted by the incredible Clinton Hill Community Action! It was another memorable evening filled with meaningful connections, thoughtful conversations, and opportunities to learn from the organizations working alongside Newark residents.

We were proud to bring together Newark EMS Corps, Reading Partners, Food Connect, and Housing Connector to share more about their work and how they are responding to priorities residents have identified in their communities. Our very own Selection Advisory Council Member and vital partner in our work, Shanell Dunns, moderated a lively panel discussion with leaders from each organization, creating space for them to share insights, resources, and the ways they are partnering with and supporting residents across Greater Newark.

For us, the work doesn’t stop when an investment is made. These organizations reflect what Newark residents have told us they want to see: greater access to opportunity, stronger community resources, and solutions that are responsive to residents’ needs and experiences.

And the tour isn’t over yet! Join us for our third stop on Wednesday, September 2nd, hosted by La Casa de Don Pedro.

Take a look at the flyer below for more details and be sure to register here: https://greenlightfund.org/meet-the-orgs-tour/.

We hope to see you there!

08/13/2026

Thank you Clinton Hill Community Action for hosting us tonight!!

The Concerned Citizens of Clinton Hill is excited to host the GreenLight Fund Greater Newark and their partners they brought to Newark to address the needs identified by the community: Reading Partners 📚, Food Connect 🍛, Housing Connector 🏡, and EMS Corps 🚑.

Tonight we're talking about:

Making sure our young people are reading to learn by 3rd grade

Helping partners get food to neighborhood pantries to families in need

Putting a roof over residents heads and helping landlords find good tenants

Training residents for high demand jobs in emergency transportation services

08/13/2026

Black Philanthropy Month is an opportunity to celebrate the longstanding tradition of investing in one another — and to reflect on what it means to invest in Black leadership, ideas, and solutions today.

Long before philanthropy had a name, the spirit of giving was and continues to be alive in Black communities every day: through churches and faith communities, families, sororities and fraternities, civic organizations, businesses, and neighborhood networks. Through generosity, resource-sharing, mentorship, and collective action, there have always been innovative ways to support one another and create pathways forward.

That legacy continues to shape the future of philanthropy.

This Black Philanthropy Month, we’re celebrating the generosity, leadership, and ingenuity that have long existed within Black communities — while continuing to ask what philanthropy can do differently to help that power thrive.

Our communities have the ideas. Our leaders have the vision. Philanthropy has an opportunity to listen, invest, and help create the conditions for those ideas and solutions to thrive.

07/31/2026

Join us on Thursday, August 13, from 5:00–7:00 p.m. for our second Meet the Org Tour stop!

We're excited to partner with Clinton Hill Community Action for an evening of connection, conversation, and community as we continue highlighting the organizations making an impact across Newark.

Enjoy dinner and an engaging panel discussion moderated by Shanell Dunns, CEO and Founder of Roots and Bridgesand a member of GreenLight Fund Greater Newark's Selection Advisory Council. Together, we'll explore the impact these organizations are making and the partnerships helping to create lasting change throughout Newark.

Please see the updated flyer below for important event details. Be sure to RSVP here: https://greenlightfund.org/meet-the-orgs-tour-august/

We hope to see you there!

07/28/2026

Last week, we had an incredible turnout for the very first stop of our Meet the Orgs Tour, hosted by the wonderful United Community Corporation

The evening was made even more special with our very own Selection Advisory Council member, Dr. Mark Comesañas, moderating a dynamic panel discussion featuring leaders from Newark EMS Corps, Newark Opportunity Youth Network, Reading Partners, Food Connect, and Housing Connector. These leaders shared their organizations’ work, resources, and the impact they are making across the city—highlighting the many ways they are creating opportunities and helping transform lives.

We’re excited to continue this journey and invite you to join us at our next Tour Stop on Thursday August 13th with Clinton Hill Community Action from 5:00 - 7:30 p.m. See more below!

07/13/2026

A career can change a life—and it can start here.

Applications are now open for Newark EMS Corps' fourth cohort. Through rigorous training, hands-on experience, and comprehensive career support, the program equips young Newarkers with the skills to launch careers in Emergency Medical Services, public safety, and allied healthcare.

Led by Newark Opportunity Youth Network (NOYN) in partnership with RWJBarnabas Mobile Health, Newark EMS Corps is expanding opportunity while helping build the next generation of healthcare professionals serving Newark and beyond.

Learn more about the program and apply today: https://newarkemscorps.org/

07/07/2026

Join us for the first stop on GreenLight Fund Greater Newark’s Meet the Orgs Tour!

Enjoy dinner while connecting with the local leaders behind our first four selections, hear an engaging panel discussion on their impact across Newark, access the services they provide, and fellowship with your neighbors.

We look forward to a meaningful evening together, and hope to see you there!

See details below and reserve your seat by July 20th! Register here: https://bit.ly/4vmOQHp