The Governor’s Office of Volunteerism
The Governor’s Office of Volunteerism (GOV) offers New Jersey’s 1.5 million volunteers technical assistance, the latest information about trends and best practices in volunteerism, and provides recognition to individuals and groups that enhance New Jersey’s communities through service.
The Governor’s Advisory Council on Volunteerism and Community Service supports the work of
the GOV, helps to analyze and prioritize community needs, and identifies the resources to meet those needs
through volunteerism and service. GAC members build partnerships with the business community, county volunteer
centers, voluntary organizations active in disasters, schools and colleges, the public and non-profit sectors,
and volunteers of ages and backgrounds.
Major initiatives of the GOV and GAC includes the state volunteerism
conference and the annual Governor’s Jefferson Awards.
Foster Grandma has Big Heart for Great Kids
Ms. Dorothy Bolden (pictured holding flowers) at a celebration luncheon in honor of Women’s History Month. Ms. Bolden volunteers at the Union Campus Regional School where she works with children with multiple disabilities.
Louis Tortorelli, Supervisor of Education
Union Campus Regional School
When Dorothy Bolden started with the NJ Foster Grandparent Association in 1992, little did she know what a big impact she would have on the lives of special needs children. Grandma Dottie, as she is affectionately known to the students and staff of the Department of Children and Families Union Campus Regional School, is about to embark on a new life adventure with a move to North Carolina, but what a meaningful career she has had as a Foster Grandmother.
Grandma Dottie had retired from a career as a school cafeteria manager. She started working with senior citizens in the Foster Grandparent Program until an opening was available at DYFS Daycare Centers back in those days. She described her experience working with five and six year old children as being very satisfying and what she had hoped serving as a foster grandmother would be.
Enter 1996, Grandma Dottie received a call from the Foster Grandparent Coordinator regarding an opening for a foster grandmother at the Union Campus Regional School. Grandma Dottie had never worked before with severely disabled children and she described this as a challenge that she was originally a bit apprehensive.
For the next 17 years, Grandma Dottie spread her love, caring, and concern to the children at Union Campus. Through the course of Grandma Dottie's busy days she also always found time to be there for the staff of Union Campus, whether to talk to or just lend a sympathetic ear to someone in need.
When this supervisor first arrived at Union Campus almost two years ago, he too was warmly greeted by Grandma Dottie with a strong dose of encouragement and her fun positive attitude which continues to this day. Grandma Dottie will be greatly missed by the students and staff of Union Campus, but we wish her all the best of health and happiness in her move and knowing from all of us that she is greatly loved and appreciated and that her calling has made a difference.
NJ Hurricane Sandy Clean-Up Assistance
Lt. Governor Kim Guadagno encourages those who need assistance with cleaning up their homes and property damaged by Hurricane Sandy to contact the 211 assistance system. The information will be entered into the Collaborative Work Order System, which provides the information to volunteer groups that have already helped hundreds of New Jersey families.
This service is a joint initiative of the 211 system and New Jersey's Voluntary Organizations Active in Disasters (NJVOAD).
Volunteers Making a Difference in New Jersey
Please join New Jersey's 1.5 million volunteers who are making a difference in our communities through 170 million hours of service each year. In dollars, their combined service is estimated at $3.5 billion. In terms of meeting the needs of our communities, their value is priceless! Across the Garden State, volunteers mentor and tutor students, prepare and distribute food to the needy, protect and beautify the environment, sustain our arts history and cultural institutions and stand ready to assist during emergencies and disasters.
Learn more about:
Volunteerism and Service Directory
The Governor's Office of Volunteerism has produced the "Volunteerism and National Service
- New Jersey Program Directory. It is a listing of the various volunteer centers, Americorps, Vista and Senior Corps programs in New Jersey.
The directory can be downloaded
here
