Prep’s Gardening and Environmental Club recently was awarded a $2,000 Sustainable Jersey grant funded by the PSEG Foundation.
Seven $20,000-grants, 11 $10,000-grants and 28 $2,000-grants were distributed to recipients across 17 New Jersey counties. The grant awards were to fund a range of projects, including green infrastructure and tree planting, sustainable landscaping and pollinator gardens, Environmental Resource Inventories and Watershed Improvement Plans, waste reduction and recycling, community and school gardens, sustainability and STEAM education, outdoor classrooms and social emotional learning programs, green team support, and more.
“It was an incredible experience creating a rain garden with Rutgers University and one of the biggest projects undertaken by our small but growing club!” said Ms. Zanabria, who runs the club along with Ms. Montoya and Mr. Ford.
“The work was a bit tough, but it was definitely worth all the work we put into it,” said Prep student Justin Garcia.
“Loved being able to create something beautiful with my own hands,” added Shanelsy Duverge.
“The rain garden was a lot of hard work but worth it,” said student Ruth Hernandez-Mitre. “We got a lot of fresh air and had a good experience building it.”
“When it comes to implementing solutions to key sustainability challenges, we must keep raising our collective ambitions,” said Randall Solomon, executive director for Sustainable Jersey. “Sustainable Jersey grants funded by the PSE&G Foundation give our municipalities and schools the chance to dream big and implement projects that help New Jersey become more livable, environmentally friendly, and prosperous.”
The PSEG Foundation has contributed $3.4 million dollars in funding to the Sustainable Jersey grants program for municipalities and schools over the past 13 years. “PSEG’s commitment to people and the planet shines through our strong support for Sustainable Jersey,” shared Calvin Ledford, president of the PSEG Foundation and director of PSEG Corporate Social Responsibility. “A sustainable New Jersey begins with our young generation, fostering roles for everyone that exemplify ingenuity, environmental stewardship, and community spirit — priorities that PSEG has cherished for over 120 years.”
Proposals were evaluated by an independent Blue-Ribbon Selection Committee. The Sustainable Jersey grants are intended to help municipalities and schools make progress toward a sustainable future, and more specifically, toward Sustainable Jersey and Sustainable Jersey for Schools certification.
About Sustainable Jersey
Sustainable Jersey provides tools, training, and financial incentives to support communities as they pursue sustainability programs. As New Jersey faces issues such as the climate crisis, a growing equity divide, and environmental pollution, municipalities want to be a part of the solution to these challenges. Sustainable Jersey participants (municipalities and schools) have successfully implemented and documented over 25,569 sustainability actions. Sustainable Jersey has provided over $7.9 million in grants to municipalities, school districts, and schools for community-based projects that create healthy and sustainable communities in New Jersey.
