Advocates for Children of New Jersey

11/09/2026

We are so excited for December's Annual Breakfast Celebration! This year’s panel discussion featuring Newark Mayor Ras Baraka and Assemblyman Andrew Macurdy,(Leg District 21), and moderated by ACNJ board member Erik Estrada, explores the vital role fathers play and the supports they need to help ensure their children have a healthy start in life. Learn more here:

make a gift, donate, celebrate, giving, children, help kids, healthy, educated, safe, protected

11/07/2026

📍 Our Birthing Center in Guttenberg

👩‍🍼 Thank you to Our Birthing Center and ACNJforKids for an important conversation about supporting birth centers and expanding access to midwifery care.

As Republicans cut essential health care, I’ll keep fighting to support mothers, advance birth equity, and pass the Momnibus to address our nation’s maternal mortality crisis.

11/06/2026

ICYMI: Here's a recap of the NJ Child Care Rally held at the state house in Trenton last month. The energy was powerful! Families, providers, educators, and advocates from across New Jersey came together to demand NOW! Thank you to everyone who showed up and lent their voice to this cause.

On October 22, ACNJ, NJAEYC, and the StartStrongNJ affordable child care campaign rallied for families and our economy! Families, providers, educators, and advocates from across New Jersey came together to rally for real solutions that make child care affordable for families and stronger support for...

11/05/2026

🍎 Lunch & Learn: From Pregnancy to the Classroom: The Power of Vaccination and Intergenerational Protection (Registration link in comments)

Vaccines protect more than individuals. They help keep entire families and communities healthy. 💙

With measles outbreaks, rising concerns about whooping cough, and declining childhood vaccination rates in New Jersey, protecting our youngest learners has never been more important.

Join Kimberly Boller, Executive Director of Grandparents for Vaccines, for a conversation on how vaccination across generations, family stories, and grassroots advocacy can strengthen protection in early care and education settings, and inspire trusted voices to make a difference.

👨‍👩‍👧 Parents, grandparents, educators, caregivers, and community partners are all welcome!

📅 Wednesday, November 18
🕐 1:00–2:00 PM EST

11/05/2026

This Monday, Nov 9th: ACNJ and NJ DCF invite you to the 2026 Virtual Forum. Connect with Acting DCF Commissioner Joseph E. Ribsam Jr. and the Department’s leadership team and hear their priorities and vision. Also, get the latest news and programs affecting children and families in the child welfare system.
⏰ 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM ET

11/05/2026

Four grants of up to $25,000 each will be awarded to eligible organizations with annual operating budgets of less than $3 million. Application window ends November 15th! https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/NJCTF-Minigrants-2026

“Through these Community Prevention Mini-Grants, we’re seeking to energize efforts, throughout the state, to proactively prevent child abuse and neglect,” said Advocates for Children of New Jersey (ACNJ) President and CEO Mary Coogan, co-chair of the NJTFCAN. “These grants give community organizations an opportunity to build on what works, test promising ideas, and bring new voices to the child abuse prevention landscape. It’s an opportunity to support creative thinking and innovation to uplift families in order to help them meet their nurturing potential.”

The New Jersey Task Force on Child Abuse and Neglect (NJTFCAN) today announced a new Community Prevention Mini-Grant opportunity through the NJ Children’s Trust Fund that is designed to support innovative child abuse and neglect prevention efforts led by organizations deeply connected to, and attuned to, their community’s needs.

🔗Learn more about these grants, how they work and how to apply with the full press release
https://www.nj.gov/dcf/public-information/media-publications/njtfcan-press/approved/261015_childrens_trust_fund.shtml

11/04/2026

Yes, last night’s results certainly gave me hope!!! I hope this is an opportunity to move our country closer to becoming the more perfect union we all deserve. I truly hope Democrats recognize this moment as an opportunity to reach across the aisle, bridge the divides that have separated us, and work together to heal our country. At the end of the day, I believe we all want the same fundamental things: a country where people feel heard, families can thrive, and every American has a fair opportunity to write their own American Dream story. -Winifred Smith-Jenkins

11/04/2026

Hey residents: Join us for our conversation at A Better Market this Saturday!

Paterson Kids Count 2026 is out. Now it's time to make change.Join us for a community conversation to help improve the lives of children and their families in the City of Paterson.

10/28/2026

is November 3, and the decisions made at the ballot box can have a lasting impact on our families and communities!

10/28/2026

Want to vote early in New Jersey this year? From now until Sunday, November 1 at 6pm, New Jersey voters can vote at any early voting site in their county. Find hours and locations at Vote.NJ.Gov and make a plan to vote early this year!