Monthly Archives: January 2021

Zoe’s Place Helps Change the Trajectory for Teen Moms

Children’s Aid and Family Services of New Jersey (CAFSNJ) shared some inspiring words from Mo’Nique last month in a video posted to their YouTube account. She addressed young mothers who were receiving a lifeline through Zoe’s Place, a CAFSNJ effort.

“Anything you think you wanna do, you can. Take this moment to rethink your process and your steps. And when you leave, put them to work. Everybody deserves a second chance. So take your second chance and make it work for you.

Mo’Nique

Zoe’s Place is run by CAFSNJ and helps pregnant and parenting teens with a lifeline to the resources, housing, and advocacy they need to build a brighter future. They provide safe, 24-hour supervised housing to young mothers and pregnant young women in northern New Jersey.

Pregnant and parenting teens are, statistically, the most vulnerable population of youth in the country according to Zoe’s Place. And while some young moms have the support of family and friends, others have no one in their support circle.

That’s why Zoe’s Place exists. “Zoe’s Place is the lifeline that so many young women need during this life-changing experience,” says CAFSNJ.

And hopefully, as Mo’Nique says, this lifeline helps young moms pay it forward. 

“I would only hope that when y’all get up on your own feet, and you see the next sister down, because of what’s happened to you at Zoe’s Place, you make it your business to become your own personal Zoe, and make sure you put a hand out for another sister,”

Mo’nique

Last year, Zoe’s Place supported 14 teen moms and their families. We are so proud to support the work of CAFS serving this vulnerable population.

5 Ways to Incorporate Generosity Into Your New Year’s Resolutions

The new year has arrived, and if you’re like many Americans, you’ve got some resolutions written down for the year. 

Many resolutions about things to try, do, achieve, better, etc, and there are ways to work in a core strategy of generosity into many of them. 

Below are five tips for incorporating generosity into your New Year’s resolutions!

Organize your belongings
Take stock of your things and keep only what you need. Consider donating your surplus to Thriftworks, a social enterprise run by the Urban League that employs individuals looking to gain skills for retail and customer service jobs.

Spend more time with your family
One great way to spend time with each other is to read (Check out our 10 Books About Generosity PDF). Or try these 10 activities that help teach your kids about generosity and kindness (Check out our 10 Ways to Raise Kids Who Give PDF).

Launch a new enterprise
If you’ve been sitting on a business idea, now might be the time to act! Consider donating a portion of your proceeds to charity on certain holidays that are meaningful to you. Here are a few coming up:

  • January: Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service
  • February: World Cancer Day
  • March: International Women’s Day

Eat healthier
Healthy meals start with healthy ingredients. As you shop for your own meal prep, why not help someone else with their meals too? The Catholic Charities needs volunteers to help seniors do grocery shopping for homebound seniors with no primary caregivers: http://www.ccannj.com/food_shopping.php

Foster new community
Whether you’re new in town or have been in Jersey since you were born, there’s always room for more relationships and connections. Meet like-minded people of all ages when you volunteer with one of our agencies, who are always in need of someone with an extra hand and a big heart —

Have more ideas? Let us know in the comments below!