What’s New?

ACNJ joins forces to eradicate lead poisoning in children

Posted on February 23, 2018

State advocates came together in Trenton on February 14th and presented a $1.1 billion plan to eliminate lead exposure and poisoning in children within the next decade.

Read news stories:
NJ joins forces to eradicate lead poisoning in children
NJ’s 1.1 billion dollar plan to eliminate lead poisoning in children

ACNJ’s recommendations included requiring the state to share data on neighborhoods where lead-exposure risks are high. ACNJ’s Peter Chen stated, “Any successful lead-prevention strategy is going to require a strong data strategy to get information in the hands of the people who can use it best, we’re talking about local health department, nonprofits, community groups, and families themselves.”

Other recommendations consist of the following:

  • Require occupied housing to be certified as lead safe and undergo mandatory inspections
  • Create a New Jersey Lead Hazard Control Assistance Fund as a dedicated source of money for remediation
  • Find funding mechanisms to replace lead service pipes and update water infrastructure
  • Provide services to at-risk families
  • Require state agencies to share data and increase early childhood screening
  • Support Medicaid investment in lead poisoning prevention and removal among other items

NJ failing to make significant progress to serve school breakfast to more low-income students

Posted on February 21, 2018

As a new national report shows New Jersey failed to make significant progress toward serving more low-income students school breakfast, Advocates for Children of New Jersey and the New Jersey Anti-Hunger Coalition are calling on the state Legislature to require high-poverty schools to serve breakfast during the regular school day.

Known as breakfast after the bell, this method is far more effective in ensuring that all children begin their school day with a healthy meal.   Read more

View School Breakfast Scorecard – 2016–2017 School Year

View School Breakfast: Making it Work in Large School Districts

For resources and to learn more about school breakfast in New Jersey visit schoolbreakfastnj.org

 

 

Cradle to Kindergarten Roundtable

Posted on February 12, 2018

Advocates for Children of New Jersey held Cradle To Kindergarten: A New Plan to Combat Inequality book signing and panel discussion on January 29, 2018. The roundtable discussion was informative and thought provoking. View the roundtable discussion. 


View and share video of the Cradle to Kindergarten roundtable discussion.

At this event we also launched the Right From The Start NJ, our new advocacy and public awareness campaign to ensure every child, birth to 3, has the opportunity for the early relationships, environments and experiences they need to support their healthy growth and development.

View the handouts from the event:

View photos of the event.

You can get involved and help to promote Bright Beginnings and Healthy Futures for babies in New Jersey by visiting RightFromTheStartNJ.org.

Please share the link to the roundtable from January 29th with friends and colleagues.

 

ACNJ is hiring!

Posted on February 6, 2018

Are you an advocate? Are you looking for the opportunity to make a difference for children? Advocates for Children of New Jersey (ACNJ) is looking for the right individual to coordinate our new campaign for young children, Right From the Start NJ.

The goal of Right From the Start NJ campaign is to ensure that every young child in New Jersey, from birth to age 3, has the opportunity for the best possible start in life, at a time when his or her development is most rapid. The campaign will advocate for investments in critical policies and programs to expand opportunities for high-quality early education, support parents as their child’s first and best teachers and access to appropriate health care.

The Right from the Start NJ campaign coordinator will be responsible for overall management of the project. This will include developing and implementing the advocacy strategy, building coalitions, mobilizing local advocates, organizing events and communicating with state leaders and the public. The Right from the Start Campaign coordinator will report directly to ACNJ’s president.

Download Right From the Start campaign coordinator job description.

New advocacy guide on school discipline in NJ released

Posted on February 5, 2018

The Education Law Center (ELC) and the Association for Children of New Jersey (ACNJ) released a new advocacy guide, School Discipline in New Jersey: A Toolkit for Students, Families and Advocates. It provides comprehensive and practical information to assist New Jersey students affected by school discipline policies.

The toolkit is designed to help advocates improve their school district’s approach to discipline, connect with other families and organizations working on changing school discipline, and become more informed about protecting student rights. Well-informed students, families, educators and community stakeholders can use this information to advocate for fair disciplinary practices in their schools and districts.

Download the guide.