The BLOC Foundation

03/16/2026

Happy Birthday to our incredible Board Member, Aeisha Hayward! 🎉✨

Wishing you a beautiful day and a year ahead filled with continued success, new opportunities, and abundant blessings. Your leadership, dedication, and commitment to uplifting our community does not go unnoticed, and we are grateful to have you on this journey with us.

Cheers to another year of impact, growth, and greatness. Enjoy your special day! 🎂🥂

02/21/2026

Happy Birthday to our Board Member, Alana Miles, Esq.! 🎉

Wishing you a wonderful birthday filled with joy, celebration, and all the things that make you smile. Your brilliance, professionalism, and presence are truly inspiring, and we’re so excited to have you on the team. May this year bring continued success, new opportunities, and abundant blessings in every area of your life.

Enjoy your special day — you deserve it! 🎂✨

02/09/2026

Donna Ennis made history as one of the highest-ranking Black women executives at Turner Construction, one of the largest construction companies in the world. Throughout her career, she championed inclusive leadership and talent development in an industry where representation at the top has long been limited.

Her story reflects why access to training, mentorship, and opportunity matters, because leadership should look like the communities building our cities.

02/06/2026

This work is bigger than a job. Training can mean steady income, renewed confidence, and a clearer path forward for individuals who have faced barriers to employment.

Click the link for more information. https://theblocfoundation.org/

02/04/2026

Our construction training program blends classroom learning with hands-on practice, industry-recognized certifications, and job-readiness coaching, so participants are prepared for real job sites and real opportunities.

02/03/2026

Norma Merrick Sklarek broke barriers long before “diversity” became an industry goal. She was the first Black woman licensed as an architect in both New York and California and helped lead the design and construction of major landmarks like airports, embassies, and civic buildings across the country.

Her career proved that Black women belong not only in the built environment, but in leadership roles shaping it.

At The Bloc Foundation, we honor pioneers like Norma by creating real pathways into construction, architecture, and the skilled trades for the next generation.

01/22/2026

We’re proud to share that The BLOC Foundation has received a $5,000 renewal grant from the Union County Savings Bank Charitable Foundation to support our NJ BUILDS Construction Pre-Apprenticeship Program.

This funding helps unemployed and underemployed residents, including women, Black and Latino individuals, veterans, single parents, and formerly incarcerated citizens, gain hands-on training, industry credentials, and access to living-wage careers in the construction trades.

In 2025, we trained over 100 students, achieved an 85% graduation rate, and placed 70% of graduates into permanent jobs, proof of what’s possible when community partners invest in people.

Thank you for believing in second chances and stronger communities.

Read the full story on our website: https://theblocfoundation.org/news/f/the-bloc-foundation-receives-grant-from-union-county-savings-bank

a redevelopment-focused nonprofit organization dedicated to fostering sustainable and inclusive economic growth in urban communities.

01/19/2026

MLK Day is a reminder that service is a powerful tool for change. At The Bloc Foundation, volunteers, mentors, and supporters help open doors to careers in construction and skilled trades, creating real pathways to stability and opportunity. Today, we honor Dr. King by continuing the work of building stronger communities through service, training, and second chances.

12/29/2025

The BLOC Foundation’s 12‑week training program provides more than tools, it builds confidence, resilience, and job-ready ability. Trainees gain practical experience across multiple trades and earn the certifications needed for long-term employment.

Give today to fuel life-changing workforce training and open doors to economic independence. https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/peer-to-peer/build-hope-this-holiday-season?donate=true

12/27/2025

Young adults of are the future of the construction workforce. The BLOC Foundation ensures they receive paid, hands-on training that employers need now from tool handling to foundational carpentry and HVAC basics.

Your support trains the next generation of skilled trades leaders.

Donate now to help our cause and uplift the next generation! https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/peer-to-peer/build-hope-this-holiday-season?donate=true

12/25/2025

Merry Christmas from The Bloc Foundation!
We’re grateful for our students, families, and supporters who make our work possible. Wishing you a season filled with peace, joy, and hope.