Greater Newark

Partnering to advance economic mobility opportunities

A headshot of Victoria with a body of water and city skyline in the background.

Overview

A vibrant region with boundless potential

A region with a dynamic network of universities, Fortune 500 companies, startups, philanthropic institutions and community organizations. Yet, upward economic mobility across the city has not been equally shared. GreenLight Greater Newark engages deeply with the community to identify priority unmet needs for individuals, children and families navigating barriers to prosperity. We then search for, select and launch portfolio organizations that will move Newark further, faster.

Portfolio

Investing in proven organizations to bring to Greater Newark to address community-identified needs

We identify, invite in and launch evidence-based organizations, providing support so they quickly become embedded in the community and deliver measurable change.

See All Organizations

EMS Corps red circular logo.
Reading Partners logo.

Addressing Challenges in Greater Newark

In 2022

26%

of Newarkers live below the Poverty Line

15.5%

of Newark Residents have a Bachelor’s Degree

22%

of Newarkers are homeowners

Greater Newark Team & Partners

GreenLight Greater Newark is made up of a diverse group of changemakers from across the community, working together for positive impact.

EMS Corps

EMS Corps

Reading Partners

Reading Partners

Team

Leonard Davis
A headshot of Leonard David with a nature background.

Leonard Davis

Program Manager

Tish Johnson-Jones
A headshot of Tish Johnson-Jones with a nature background.

Tish Johnson-Jones

Executive Director, GreenLight Greater Newark

Kaitlyn Orsini
A headshot of Kait Orsini with a nature background.

Kaitlyn Orsini

Coordinator, GreenLight Greater Newark

Advisory Council

Hazel Applewhite

Ironbound Community Corporation

Kaleena Berryman

Newark Alliance

Amina Bey

Newark Emergency Services

Dr. Sharnee Brown

City of Newark

Kevin Callaghan

Council of New Jersey Grantmakers

Debra Caplan

Caplan Family Foundation

Vivian Carter

Community Leader

Kim Cook

Newark Beth Israel Medical Center

Danielle Corea – Smith

United Way of Greater Newark

Tafshier Cosby

National Parent Union

Shanell Dunns

Roots and Bridges

Nalune Francios

Community Foundation of NJ

Tiffany Jackson

Prudential

Jasmine Joseph – Forman

Opportunity Youth Network

Cathy Keegan

Volunteer Lawyers for Justice

Jheryn Kenney

LinkedIn

Margarethe Laurenzi

Maher Charitable Foundation

Dominique Lee

BRICK Education Network

Filomena Machleder

Horizon Blue Cross and Blue Shield

Helen Mazarakis

Impact 100 Essex

Kelly Mulligan

Center for Court Innovation

Thomas Owens

Mentor Newark

Shante Palmer

Rutgers University – Newark

Americo Rodrigues

Blackstone

Mario Shepard

Broadridge Financial Solutions, Inc.

Suzanne Spero

MCJ Amelior Foundation

Yolanda Stokes

South Ward Promise Neighborhood, Community Leader

Jon Stout

Optum Ventures

Kate Whitman – Annis

NJ Devils Foundation

Lavar Young

Mercury LLC

Founding Investors

Aerofarms logo in blue and green gradient with agriculture, elevated underneath.

Steve and Luana Alesio

bain capital logo with a blue box with red and light blue shapes interlocking inside.
The Bank of America Logo with red and blue stripes positioned in a diamond shape over the text.
Broadridge logo with a half blue and half white box with tree roots coming out the top and bottom half.
Community Foundation for New Jersey logo with CFNJ in multi-colored blocks arranged in a square.

Wayne and Jodi Cooperman

Cooperman Family Foundation

David and Allison Blitzer

Debra and Kenneth Caplan

Della Rosa Family Foundation

Deloitte

Fournier Family Foundation

Geraldine R. dodge foundation logo with turquoise flowers and dotted lines in the middle and a banner displaying imagine a better New Jersey at the bottom.

Tim Gokey

Matt and Liz Goldberg

Goldman Sachs gives logo with a grey line and gives underneath.

Megan and John Hagerty

Tom and Meg Healey

Horizon Foundation logo with a blue cross with a stick person inside a circle and a shield with a snake on a branch inside.
iheartmedia logo with an antenna and audio waves inside a red heart.
Jewish Community Foundation of Greater Metrowest NJ logo with center for strategic philanthropy below a blue line and a flame inside orange and blue stripes arranged in a circle.
Jewish Federation of Greater Metrowest NJ logo with a flame inside light blue and blue stripes arranged in a circle.

Peter and Dana Langerman

Lumina Foundation Logo with an orange circle extending into circular orange rays.

Helen and Thanassis Mazarakis

mccarter & English logo.

MCJ Amelior Foundation

NHL NJ Devils logo with N and J intertwined with red devil ears extending from the J.
NY Giants logo with n and y in blue block letters with a red outline and #togetherblue below.

Newark Emerging Leaders Initiative

Mary Beth O’Connor

John and Laura Overdeck

panasonic logo in white block letters inside a blue block.
prudential logo with a blue circular logo with a mountain inside.

Eileen and Les Quick

Laura and David Rosenberg

Lyn Rosensweig and Bruce Schnelwar

Rutgers University Newark logo in red and grey.

Rachel Schwarz and Marc Schiffman

Sharon and James Schwarz

MacKenzie Scott

Susan and John Simon

Sara Naison-Tarajano & Orestes Tarajano

Stephen and Heather Thomas

united way of greater newark logo with circular logo with blue hand below an orange stick person and yellow sun rays.

Weidhorn Family

Kim and Finn Wentworth

Zach Widmann and Kim Hirsh

Larry and Gayle Wieseneck

Wiley logo in black.

Wilf Family Foundations

William E Simon Foundation logo inside a blue rectangle with script text to the left.

John and Suzanne Willian

Type

Invest in What Works: Bringing Evidence-Based Literacy Programs to Newark’s Students
Headshot of Adeola Whitney with a blank background.

Insights, Media Mention

NJ Education Report

Invest in What Works: Bringing Evidence-Based Literacy Programs to Newark’s Students

Oct 21, 2024

Greater Newark

GreenLight Fund Brings Reading Partners to Greater Newark
Reading Partners teacher sitting with student drawing on whiteboard, background of bulletin boards with handprints.

Announcement, Press Release

GreenLight Fund Brings Reading Partners to Greater Newark

Sep 19, 2024

Greater Newark

Newark EMS Corps Now Accepting Applications for Emergency Medical Technician Job Training Program
EMS Corps participants in Newark sitting on the ground practicing their skills with an oxygen tank and stethoscope.

Announcement, Press Release

Newark EMS Corps Now Accepting Applications for Emergency Medical Technician Job Training Program

Aug 1, 2024

Greater Newark

Prioritizing Diverse Perspectives for Greater Impact: Engaging Deeply with Community
Feedback+Denver Conference announcement with an image of the Denver skyline.

Insights

Prioritizing Diverse Perspectives for Greater Impact: Engaging Deeply with Community

Jun 5, 2024

Boston, Greater Newark, Kansas City, National

GreenLight Fund Names Ali Knight as Chief Executive Officer
A headshot of Ali Knight with a window in the background.

Announcement, News, Press Release

GreenLight Fund Names Ali Knight as Chief Executive Officer

Apr 16, 2024

Conversations with Mayor Ras J. Baraka – Topic: EMS Corps Program
A headshot of Mayor Ras Baraka with a blurred background.

Media Mention

Conversations with Mayor Ras J. Baraka – Topic: EMS Corps Program

Mar 18, 2024

Greater Newark

GreenLight Fund Annual Impact Report July 2022 – June 2023
The cover photo of the annual impact report with a young woman wearing a yellow sweater standing outside with her arms crossed.

Insights

GreenLight Fund Annual Impact Report July 2022 – June 2023

Oct 20, 2023

Atlanta, Baltimore, Charlotte, Chicago, Cincinnati, Denver, Detroit, Greater Newark, Kansas City, National, Philadelphia, San Francisco Bay Area, Twin Cities

GreenLight Fund Greater Newark Announces Investment in Workforce Development for Local Youth
EMS Corps red circular logo.

Announcement, Press Release

GreenLight Fund Greater Newark Announces Investment in Workforce Development for Local Youth

Sep 28, 2023

Greater Newark

Join our work in Greater Newark

We rely on champions and supporters who believe in the power and potential of community-driven change.