Norwescap is a New Jersey nonprofit that has been serving low-income families for over 56 years. According to Heather Thompson, chief development officer, Norwescap provides “a wide array of services that help people with their immediate needs like food and housing security, and sets them up for future success through education, employment, financial empowerment, and better health.”
Last year alone, Norwescap reached over 30,000 people through programs like their food bank, which provided over 2.1 million meals. While some of their work is supported by government funding, private donations allow Norwescap to help even more people in need and pilot new supportive programs. For example, private funding enabled Norwescap to launch an initiative last year to connect participants across multiple programs to better support them.
As Thompson explained, “regardless of what program brought someone to us, we can get them connected to every one of our programs that might benefit them.”
Donations also allow Norwescap to provide assistance for those struggling but ineligible for government aid. As Thompson noted, “There are so many people who are not technically living below the poverty line, but they are living paycheck to paycheck. And all it takes is one unpaid sick leave to send that person spiraling into crisis. Private dollars allow us to serve those people and those families.”
For nonprofit fundraising professionals, Norwescap provides an inspiring example of how private donations can enable an organization to transform how they serve communities. By providing flexible funding, donors empowered Norwescap to adopt a holistic, participant-centered approach and reach more people, even those ineligible for other aid programs. With a goal of helping people become self-sufficient, Norwescap shows how nonprofits can use philanthropic support to create sustainable solutions for long-term impact. Overall, Norwescap highlights why giving to nonprofits like them matters—because together, they are creating opportunity and lasting change.
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