April 30, 2008 With the sale of Mountainside Hospital from Atlantic Health to Merit Health System, a for-profit owner, the Foundation became an independent public charity known as the Mountainside Health Foundation. On April 30, 2008, a court decision officially designates the charitable funds held by the Foundation for our new mission to strengthen health and wellness.
June 1, 2008 The Foundation’s first grants for “Team Health” projects are awarded to six schools in Bloomfield, Caldwell, Cedar Grove, Glen Ridge, Montclair and West Orange to encourage healthy eating and opportunities for children to be more active.
April 6, 2009 The Foundation’s first grants for the purchasing of produce are distributed, as part of a larger strategy to address local hunger. More than $1,200,000 has been awarded since this fresh produce program began in 2009.
April 22, 2009 Emergency food providers, social service agencies and representatives from other key sectors of the local food system gathered for a three-part Food Security Colloquium. This series provided a forum to confront the challenges of hunger through the formation of new partnerships, creative problem solving and enhanced communication.
October 1, 2010 The Foundation’s name is changed to Partners for Health, enhancing our ability to communicate our distinct mission and unique approach to grantmaking.
March 1, 2011 A multi-year campaign to promote concussion guidelines for student athletes is funded through a partnership with the Brain Injury Alliance of New Jersey. An educational luncheon held in March 2011 empowered parents to be advocates for their children following a sports-related concussion.
March 15, 2011 Eat. Play. Live… Better, a community health initiative designed to make the healthy choice the easy choice, is launched at Bike and Walk Montclair’s Tour de Montclair. This multi-partner, multi-sector initiative is driven by evidence that a lack of physical activity and unhealthy eating habits contribute to many chronic diseases that are otherwise preventable.
November 5, 2011 TEDx Montclair held at Montclair State University to promote a dialogue about how we as individuals and as a community can “eat, play and live” better lives.
March 23, 2012 An employee wellness breakfast featured a keynote address on the benefits of promoting a healthy workforce, followed by a presentation of a toolkit to promote use of stairs at the workplace.
July 2, 2012 Funding is approved to renovate Montclair’s Edgemont Park House, to provide a space for programming and services for older adults.
October 23, 2013 The Fight Hunger the Healthy Way campaign is launched on October 23, 2013 at the Montclair Art Museum. The goals of the campaign include raising awareness about the rising problem of hunger, and inspiring action to donate healthy foods to emergency food programs.
February 1, 2014 Lifelong Montclair is launched to enrich the lives of area seniors as part of the Township’s initiative to support Montclair as an age-friendly community. This project addresses key findings of the 2012 community assessment conducted by the Department of Eldercare Services at UJC MetroWest NJ, and results of a survey of nearly 800 local residents over the age of 55.
October 1, 2014 Pedestrian safety advocacy efforts include Drive with Care Montclair, a campaign which focuses on making streets safe, so all users of the road feel safe whether they are traveling by foot, bike, car, or school bus.
December 1, 2014 The Foundation announces the first year-end Matching Grants campaign to benefit local soup kitchens, food pantries and agencies that provide services to those who are homeless, or at risk of becoming homeless. Nearly $3 million has been awarded since the program began in 2014.
May 1, 2015 The Montclair Institute for Lifelong Learning (MILL) offers the first semester of classes in March 2015. MILL classes foster opportunities for lifelong learning and socialization for adults aged 55+. It is a collaborative effort of the Montclair Public Library and its Adult School of Montclair Department, the Montclair Art Museum, the Montclair History Center, and Montclair State University.
May 2, 2015 A conversation on Hunger & Homelessness in Montclair was presented as part of the 2015 Montclair Film Festival. The panel discussion, moderated by Steve Adubato (WNET/NJTV), used the festival’s screening of TIME OUT OF MIND, a film starring Richard Gere, as a platform for dialogue to explore local issues and potential solutions.
March 1, 2016 Funding is approved to support the KinderSmile Community Oral Health Center, located in Bloomfield, creating a dental home for low-income children in our service area. The Center increases access to oral care and oral health education while collecting vital statistics that can be used to assist the state of New Jersey with mandating oral health policy and advocacy.
October 13, 2017 To celebrate the 10-Year Anniversary of Partners for Health, the Foundation announces it is seeking nominations for Community Impact Awards. Ten award recipients, or their designated non-profit organization, will receive grants of up to $10,000 each in November 2018.
January 1, 2018 New Jersey Healthy Community Network grants were awarded to seven grantees to prevent chronic disease and obesity by enhancing the built environment and developing policies to support healthy eating and active living. Partners for Health have been awarding these grants since 2010.
June 28, 2018 The Board of Trustees of Partners for Health Foundation announced that it is presenting its 10-Year Anniversary Founder’s Award to longtime Board member Paul A. Lisovicz, who served as a Trustee from 2005-2015 and Board Chair from 2009-2013.
November 29, 2018 To celebrate our 10th anniversary, Partners for Health Foundation awarded 10 Community Impact Awards, and grants totaling $100,000, to recognize nonprofit organizations and individuals making a significant difference in the health and well-being of local communities. Learn about the awardees at partnersfdn.org/2018-community-impact-awards/
May 3, 2019 Partners for Health Foundation is humbled to have been chosen as this year’s honoree at the Montclair Art Museum Art Party Luncheon on May 16, 2019. The luncheon was co-chaired by Susann Connors and Janice Linaugh.
January 10, 2020 PFH welcomed Clifford B. Finkle IV as Board Chair for the 2020-2021 term. Prior to this role, Cliff served as Finance Chair and First Vice Chair and was an active member of the Foundation’s Nominating and Strategic Planning Committees.
June 12, 2020 In late April, three local funders joined the Township of Montclair to address the escalating food need during the COVID-19 pandemic. Partners for Health Foundation, The Schumann Fund for New Jersey, the Montclair Fund for Women and the Township contributed a total of $80,000 to establish a pooled Matching Fund for Toni’s Kitchen. Donations made directly to Toni’s Kitchen by May 31, 2020 were to be matched dollar for dollar up to $80,000 and used to strengthen the availability of food in the local community.
August 26, 2021 Following an in-depth Strategic Planning process, Partners for Health updated its Mission and Vision to be more closely aligned with its commitment to invest in programs, policies and organizations that lead to healthy communities. Vision: Thriving communities that ensure health for all. Mission: Partnering to advance health equity through learning, grant making, and advocating.
January 1, 2022 Doug Bauer was elected as Board Chair for the 2022-2023 term. He previously served as Second Vice Chair and Nominating Chair.
January 1, 2023 Effective January 1, 2023, Partners for Health began operating as a Private Foundation, and will no longer be a Public Charity that raises money from the community. This shift has allowed us to focus more resources on activities that includes our ongoing grantmaking as well as convening local partners, educating the public on important health topics, and informing policy and practice.
October 21, 2023 Partners for Health Foundation co-sponsored KinderSmile’s documentary, which highlights the gaps in access to oral health care and presents innovative solutions for a healthier future. Since its premiere, the film has earned several awards, including the Best Home Grown Documentary Feature Award at the 2024 Garden State Film Festival, and Best Medical Subject Winner at the 2024 Global Nonviolent Film Festival. The documentary is helping make oral health a priority through statewide efforts.
December 14, 2023 Partners for Health funded Zufall Health’s new, state-of-the-art facility at 49 Mount Pleasant Avenue in West Orange. The 15,000-square-foot building features eight medical exam rooms, six dental operatories, a demonstration kitchen, and lab space, all designed to enhance care and support for the community.
January 1, 2024 Partners for Health welcomed Sara Elnakib, PhD, MPH, RDN, as the Chair of the Board of Trustees for 2024 and 2025. Dr. Elnakib had served as a Trustee since 2019 and previously held the position of Second Vice Chair of the Board.
May 30, 2024 The Foundation hosted a screening of the documentary Power to Heal, followed by a panel discussion. The film highlights a pivotal chapter in the historic struggle for equal and adequate healthcare access for all Americans. The event featured Barbara Berney, PhD, MPH, Project Creator-Producer of Power to Heal; Gloria Essoka, PhD, RN, a former Partners for Health Trustee; Katherine Hempstead, PhD, Senior Policy Adviser at the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation; and Denise V. Rodgers, MD, Vice Chancellor for Interprofessional Programs at Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences.
September 12, 2024 Co-sponsored with the Montclair Public Library, Partners for Health held a conversation featuring Matthew Desmond and Andrea Elliott. The event highlighted the urgent need to address poverty in America and inspired new ways to think about solutions.
October 24, 2024 Gloria C. Essoka, PhD, RN was elected Trustee Emerita of the Partners for Health Board in recognition of her significant and continued service to the Foundation.
November 8, 2024 Partners for Health was honored as one of the winners of the national “I Partner with My Public Library” award. Nominated by the Montclair Public Library Foundation, we were recognized for our dedication to improving the well-being of our community through impactful partnerships and collaborations.
An Independent Public Charity
Team Health
Produce Grants
Food Security Colloquium
New name, same mission
Safe Return to Play
Eat. Play. Live… Better
TEDx Montclair
Employee Wellness
Edgemont Park House
Fight Hunger the Healthy Way
Aging in our communities
Pedestrian Safety
Matching Grants Fight Hunger
The MILL
Film Festival panel on Hunger & Homelessness
Addressing Oral Health
10 Years!
Healthier Communities
Partners For Health Foundation Announces Founder’s Award
Community Impact Awards Presentation
Honoree at MAM Art Party Luncheon
Cliff Finkle Elected PfH Board Chair
$80K in Contributions Reached for Toni’s Kitchen!
A New Vision and Mission
Doug Bauer Elected Foundation Board Chair
Partners for Health becomes Private Foundation
Toothache: The Painful Truth about Oral Health Care Inequity
Zufall Health’s new home in West Orange
Sara Elnakib named Chair of the Board of Trustees
Screening and Panel Discussion of Power to Heal Documentary
Conversation on Poverty, by America
Gloria C. Essoka, PhD, RN, elected Trustee Emerita
Partners for Health wins national “I Partner with My Public Library” Award
