The Healthcare Foundation of New Jersey Awards Golda Och Academy 2nd Year Grant for Student Services

The Healthcare Foundation of New Jersey has awarded Golda Och Academy $164,534 

as part of the second year Refuat HaNefesh: Post-Pandemic Expansion of Youth Mental Health Services initiative. See the Healthcare Foundation of New Jersey’s announcement here.  

 

“Receiving funding from the Healthcare Foundation of New Jersey for a second year allows us to continue our vital work in supporting the mental health and well-being of our students,” said Lori Jaffe, Director of Student Services at Golda Och Academy. “The impact of the funding reaches beyond the classroom — it touches the lives of our students, families and school community. As we continue to deal with the effects of Covid-19 and other various issues impacting the well-being of our students, including the traumatic events in Israel, this funding ensures that we can provide them with the necessary resources and assistance they need to thrive academically, socially and emotionally.” 

 

Head of School Rabbi Daniel Nevins said, “In Judaism we pray for two types of healing, of the body (guf) and of the soul (nefesh). The HFNJ grant allows us to focus on strengthening the emotional, and thus the spiritual life of our students. This is a life-saving grant, and we are deeply grateful for this generous and loving support.”

 

Since being awarded the Healthcare Foundation of New Jersey grant, Golda Och Academy has hired additional guidance counselors to support the emotional, social and academic needs of students Pre-K-12th grade. The school is also offering programs and workshops on a variety of topics including raising confident children (a parent program), inclusivity, substance use awareness (for parents and students), health and well-being, and bullying prevention.

 

As part of GOA’s commitment to providing social, emotional and academic support for students and their families, the school conducted three surveys last year. The first survey, which received a very positive response, assessed parent satisfaction with student services received by their students. The other two surveys were wellness surveys provided to 6th-12th grade students at the beginning and end of the school years to assess student needs to guide planning and programming.   

According to Director of Institutional Advancement, Stephanie Bash-Soudry, “Golda Och Academy is truly grateful to our committed partners at the Healthcare Foundation of NJ for their incredible support of youth mental health at Golda Och Academy.  Working with Executive Director Michael Schmidt, Senior Program Officer Lisa Block, and HFNJ trustees was a very inspiring and positive experience. This foundation is truly leading the way in making a transformational difference in the MetroWest Jewish and Newark communities.” 

Michael Schmidt, CEO/Executive Director of The Healthcare Foundation of New Jersey, added, “This year we have seen a dramatic rise in a range of behavioral health challenges, especially in our youth. To address this need, in 2023 The Healthcare Foundation of New Jersey has already awarded over $2 million to a variety of programs strengthening behavioral health in our community and this will continue to be a focus of our funding. We are proud to partner with Golda Och and support the excellent work they are doing supporting our community’s youth. As our first year of funding for the Refuat HaNefesh program has shown, this investment has had a real impact helping young adults and children receive the care and support they need to flourish in today’s challenging world.”