Posted on December 5, 2018
ACNJ staff and board gives thanks to all our partners and friends that joined us to celebrate #ACNJ40years! Take a look at our journey through the years.
View our 40th anniversary celebration video.
View and tag pictures from our celebration.
Learn about our “40 For 40” sustaining members campaign.
Posted on November 15, 2018
Good afternoon:
This is an important – and exciting – time of year. The Affordable Care Act’s 2019 open enrollment period runs through December 15, and Governor Murphy is leading New Jersey’s first coordinated public awareness campaign to encourage residents to sign up for affordable health care. We have the chance to make a real difference in the lives of many New Jersey residents, and I’m hoping you can help.
The Murphy Administration has created www.GetCovered.NJ.gov to serve as a portal for individuals seeking health coverage. The site includes information about plan options, financial assistance and contact information for New Jerseyans who want help to get covered. Please take a moment to explore the options available and encourage your friends and neighbors to do the same.
As part of this effort, the Department of Human Services is also working with five community organizations to support enrollment efforts. These organizations are providing application assistance and organizing outreach events. Let them know if you need help enrolling. The organizations are:
Please feel free to reach out to these organizations or direct others to them for assistance. They are here to help. New Jerseyans can also call 1- 877-9-NAVIG8 (877-962-8448) to talk about health insurance options and get help enrolling.
By working together, I’m confident we can help improve the lives of so many of our residents who are looking for affordable health care options. We can make a real difference in the weeks ahead. Let’s get covered NJ!
Sincerely,
Carole Johnson
Commissioner
New Jersey Department of Human Services
Posted on November 7, 2018
As we reflect on our most recent victories and the progress made for children over the past four decades we are thankful for the generous support of advocates like you and our many partners that make this possible. With your support:
We listened. ACNJ empowered students and families to share their story, making the case for children still exposed to lead poisoning, students struggling with attendance and families unable to find affordable, quality child care.
We rallied. From engaging our network through e-advocacy to gathering more than 300 babies and advocates to ACNJ’s first-ever rally for babies in Trenton, Strolling Thunder, we gave a voice to New Jersey’s youngest residents.
We delivered. We secured significant wins for children: legislation to address child hunger and student absenteeism, and millions in allocated state and federal funding to support preschool and child care. Read our 2018 Annual Report.
But the fight is not over. With your help, we can make 2019 another year of big wins for kids. On December 5th, join us to celebrate our achievements but also to show your continued commitment to giving every child a chance to grow up safe, healthy and educated. Reserve your seat today!
Consider supporting our efforts as a sponsor. View sponsorship opportunities for this event.
Posted on November 6, 2018
Posted on November 2, 2018
Recently, ACNJ policy counsel Peter Chen and I had the opportunity to speak to the Paterson Alliance—a coalition of non-profits focused on the city of Paterson—about the importance of the upcoming 2020 Census. We were impressed by the enthusiasm and eagerness of the audience to spread the word about the Census and to ensure that all are counted.
Notably, Paterson is taking a proactive approach to this work, forming their own complete count committee this past summer. Complete count committees are state or municipal entities created with the goal of encouraging residents to fully participate in the decennial count.
Paterson is home to a wide range of hard-to-count communities, such as immigrant groups, young children under the age of 5, people of color and non-native English speakers. These groups may not understand the purpose of the Census, may be reluctant to share personal information with the federal government or may live in non-traditional dwelling arrangements—making it difficult for the U.S. Census Bureau to reach them. In Paterson, a complete count committee is crucial in determining the type of outreach needed to ensure full Census participation. Local, municipal complete count committees are useful because they are better able to assess the unique messages and strategies needed to convince residents to complete their Census forms. They are also better equipped to identify who within the community is trusted to relay these messages.
On August 24th, New Jersey passed legislation to establish its own statewide complete count commission, asking a number of elected officials, advocacy organizations, and business representatives to develop outreach strategies regarding the Census. State efforts may be just beginning, but this shouldn’t preclude other localities from creating their own groups dedicated to a complete count. Paterson is a strong example—other cities can and should get involved too. April 1, 2020, Census Day, may feel like ages away, but the sooner planning and outreach begins, the better.
Here are some ways organizations and municipalities can start right now to prepare:
Organizations within Paterson already had ideas about how best to reach hard-to-count groups—such as at places of worship, schools and grocery stores. They inquired about materials in a myriad of foreign languages from Turkish to Spanish. All of this planning and inquiry will have far-reaching effects in bringing Paterson closer to a complete count of its residents in 2020.
