Paterson Education Fund

08/27/2026

Register for your GED. It's not too late.

REPOST! GED REGISTRATION IS ALMOST OVER!

Interested in earning your GED? LAST OPPORTUNITY TO SIGN UP IS AUGUST 27th!

Contact: Evelyn Cuciti [email protected] or (973) 881 - 8307 x120

07/15/2026

📢 Important Update: Paterson Summer Meals Program

Since their last post, Paterson Public Schools has made changes to several Summer Meals locations and service times.

Please take a look at the updated flyers here (English and Spanish) before heading to a site this summer!

🍎 Free breakfast + lunch for kids and teens, no registration required

📍 Locations across Paterson (a few in nearby Prospect Park & Woodland Park too)

🗓️ Running now through August 21 — exact dates and times vary by location, so check the flyer for your nearest site

If you saw the original flyers, please use these updated versions instead to avoid any confusion.

Help us spread the word. Share this post with friends, family, and neighbors who could use it!

Thank you to Paterson Public Schools, United Way of Passaic County, and the Passaic County Food Policy Council for their partnership in keeping Paterson’s kids fed all summer long. 💚

07/12/2026

Please share! Silk City Connections City of Paterson - City Hall

Save the date!

07/03/2026

📢 Hey Paterson, your school board needs YOU!

Three seats on the Paterson Board of Education are up for grabs this November, and we want to see passionate, dedicated neighbors step up to run. 🍎

If you care about our kids, our schools, and the future of this city, this could be your moment.

✅ What you need to run:

→ U.S. citizen, 18+
→ Able to read and write
→ A resident of your district for at least a year
→ A registered voter in your district
→ Not disqualified as a voter pursuant to NJSA 19:4-1
→ No disqualifying convictions pursuant to NJSA 18A:12-1

🗓️ Key Dates:

→ Nominating petitions due: Monday, July 27, 2026 by 4:00 PM

→ Election Day: Tuesday, November 3, 2026

📍 Get your nominating petition from the Passaic County Clerk’s Office (401 Grand St, Room 130, Paterson) or online at https://www.passaiccountynj.org/home/showpublisheddocument/2604/637673820312030000

📍 You can also get a “School Board Candidate Kit” at http://www.njsba.org/about/membership/school-
board-candidacy/

Not sure where to start? We offer a “How to Run for School Board” workshop, available upon request. Reach out to us and we’ll walk you through it! 💛

Paterson’s future is shaped by the people who show up for it. Could that be you?

06/25/2026

✨ Throwback Thursday ✨

On May 15, 2026, we had the joy of watching PEF’s board treasurer and one of our most dedicated members be honored at the Paterson Alliance Extra Mile Award Ceremony and he truly deserves it!💙

Errol doesn’t just show up he goes above and beyond, pouring his time, talent, and heart into not only the Paterson Education Fund, but into the entire city of Paterson. That’s what the Extra Mile Award is all about, and Errol fully embodies it.

At PEF, our mission is to champion quality education for every child in Paterson and it’s people like Errol who make that work possible. We are so proud to celebrate him and grateful every single day for his commitment to our kids and our community. 🙌

Here’s to you, Errol, thank you for going the extra mile, every single time. 💫

06/22/2026

New Jersey's kids are learning in schools with leaking roofs, broken heat, and crumbling walls — and right now there's no money left to fix them.
S3382 would authorize $10.5 BILLION in school construction bonds and let VOTERS decide this November. But lawmakers have to pass it before they leave for summer break after the June 30 budget — or we wait another year.
Call your legislators today and tell them: pass S3382 before June 30. Our students deserve safe, modern schools.
Healthy Schools Now

06/19/2026

Happy Juneteenth! 🎉✊🏾

Today we celebrate freedom, resilience, and the ongoing work of building a more just and equitable world — for every child, every family, every community.

At Paterson Education Fund, our work is rooted in the belief that every young person deserves the opportunity to thrive. That fight is personal. That fight is historic. And we're honored to be in it alongside you.

Wishing our whole Paterson community a joyful and meaningful Juneteenth. 🖤❤️💚

06/12/2026

🎷 Last chance to grab your tickets! 🎷

Tomorrow is the day — PEF's 43rd Annual Jazz Party is HERE! Join us Saturday, June 13 from 2–5 PM at Berkeley College (44 Rifle Camp Road, Woodland Park, NJ) for an afternoon of incredible live music, great company, and a celebration of some truly amazing people doing big things for our community.

🎵 Live music by the illustrious Craig Redmond and C-Dreams

🏆 We'll be honoring:

Irene L. Sterling Founders Award:
Paterson Taskforce for Community Action — Darien Allen, Executive Director

Nelly Hidalgo Celi Partnership in Literacy Award:
Camp YDP — Teresa McDermott, Director

Executive Director's Community Partners Award: CUMAC — Jessica Padilla Gonzalez, Chief Executive Officer

President's Appreciation Award:
Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation — Malcolm McClain, Program Director

These are organizations and leaders who show up for Paterson every single day — come help us celebrate them!

🎟️ Tickets: $100 individual | $900 group of 10
Purchase online at: https://bit.ly/PEF-jazz-2026

See you tomorrow! 🎶💚

06/09/2026

📚✨ 50+ books. Record-breaking readers. One unforgettable evening.

Our 50 Book Club Celebration was everything and it happened because of ALL of you. 🙌🏽

To our students: You showed up, you read, and you proved that Paterson kids are unstoppable. We are SO proud of you. 💛

To our parents, caregivers & families: You are your child’s first teacher, and it shows. Thank you for encouraging the late-night reading sessions, making library trips happen, and cheering them on every step of the way. None of this happens without you. 🏠❤️

To our teachers: Thank you for planting the love of reading in your classrooms every single day. This is your win too.

To our volunteers: You are the backbone of everything we do. Thank you for showing up with your whole hearts.

To the PFPL library security and staff: You keep us safe & happy, the pages turning & the doors open. Thank you for being a home for our readers.

To our community partners: Thank you for believing in this work and helping make it possible. Your investment in Paterson’s young readers matters immensely.🤝💛

To everyone from the district who came out, your presence told our students exactly what they needed to hear: you matter, and we see you.

This year we hit a record number of participants AND a record number of educators and district leaders in the room. That’s not a coincidence; that’s a community coming together. 🏙️❤️

Here’s to Paterson’s readers: past, present, and future. 📖

05/27/2026

Join educators, advocates, and community leaders virtually on Tuesday, June 2, at 11 a.m. ET for the official unveiling of the 2026 Education Policy Brief from Our Children/Our Schools!
Register here: https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_8kxhCs_NSf6DMr27j_qjqQ #/registration
Paterson Education Fund, New Jersey Community Schools, Statewide Education Organizing Committee