Westfield Service League Announces Grants to Local Nonprofits

Grants given to 45 civic and service organizations of Westfield and Union County

(Westfield, NJ, April, 2025)

The Westfield Service League (WSL) membership voted to approve $92,613 in grants to 45 civic and service organizations serving the residents of Westfield and Union County. The funds are raised from the thrift and consignment shop that the WSL runs in Westfield and donations from the community.

“I'm thrilled that because of the devotion of our shoppers, consignors, and donors, and the wonderful work of our staff and volunteers, we were able to award the largest amount in several years to local nonprofit organizations," said Grants Committee Co-Chair Gigi Tilocca. "It is always great to fund tried and true nonprofit and service organizations doing good work in our communities, as well as new organizations, all vetted by our dedicated grants committee members.”

This year's grant recipients included organizations helping children with cancer and their families, seniors with Alzheimer's, after school and summer programs for underserved children, arts organizations, a suicide prevention hotline, and other important community services. A full list of the organizations is below.

“We are grateful for the ongoing support of the WSL Thrift & Consignment Shop customers and the more than 175 volunteers who work tirelessly in our shops processing the clothing that is donated or consigned, maintaining our house where the shops are housed, vetting the organizations which receive funding and all of the other activities that go into running our organization," said Grants Committee Co-Chair Jane Francz.

Each year, members of the Grants Committee are each assigned a number of organizations to vet. Vetting includes a meeting with a representative of the organization, usually on site, and a review of the organization’s financial statements and their application. The committee then meets to discuss each organization and a recommendation is made to the full membership and voted on.

“We want to thank all of the members of the committee for their hard work in making sure that the money we raise goes to the best possible programs in deserving organizations,” said Susan McClelland and Karen Salemme, Co-Presidents of the WSL.

Grants were given to two new organizations this year, The Westfield Arts Collective (Rialto) and the Union County College Foundation.

The complete list of organizations receiving grants follows:

The Adult School

Caring Contact

CASA of Passaic and Union Counties

Children’s Specialized Hospital Foundation

Covenant House New Jersey/ Raphael's Life House

El Centro Hispanoamericano

Elizabeth Coalition to House the Homeless

Elizabethport Presbyterian Center

Emmanuel Cancer Foundation

Flintlocks, BSA, Inc., The

Friends of Brightwood Park

Girls on the Run

HomeSharing

Imagine

Inroads to Opportunities

Institute of Music for Children, The

Jewish Family Service of Central New Jersey

Josephine's Place

Mobile Meals of Westfield

Moms Helping Moms

New Jesery Festival Orchestra

New Jersey Workshop for the Arts

Newark Bait and Fly Casting Club

Petty Love Productions

Preserve Shady Rest Clubhouse

Refugee Assistant Program

Restore Ministries Inc.

Roots & Wings

St. Joseph's Social Service Center

St. Mary's Sunday Dinner

Trinitas Foundation

Union County College Foundation

Union County Connects

Valerie Fund, The

Valerie’s Soup Kitchen

Westfield Area YMCA

Westfield Arts Collective (Rialto)

Westfield Community Band

Westfield Food Pantry

Westfield Historical Society

Westfield Neighborhood Council

Westlake School

Whiskers Rescue

Youth and Family Counseling

The WSL shop is located at 114 Elmer Street in Westfield and is open Tuesday through

Friday, 9:30 am to 4 pm and Saturday from 10 am to 4 pm. For more information about

donations or volunteering, call 908-233-2530 for the Thrift Shop or 908-232-1223 for the

Consignment Shop.

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