BJ's Charitable Foundation Donates More Than $1 Million to 175 Charitable Organizations Focusing on Hunger Prevention, Self-sufficiency, Health Care and Education

WESTBOROUGH, Mass., Sept. 6, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- BJ's Charitable Foundation today announced a donation of $1,169,396 to 175 nonprofit organizations in the 15 states where BJ's Wholesale Clubs are located. Established in 2005 with the goal of creating a positive, long-lasting impact on the communities BJ's serves, the mission of BJ's Charitable Foundation is to enhance and enrich community programs that primarily benefit children and families. The donated funds will be dispersed to organizations that focus in four areas: hunger prevention, self-sufficiency, health care and education.

In the area of Hunger Prevention, BJ's Charitable Foundation will donate more than $364,000 to 46 organizations with programs to help prevent and alleviate hunger. The rising price of food, unemployment and underemployment, and cuts in social services has resulted in an increased demand for hunger relief. The grants will help shelters, food banks, soup kitchens and food pantries purchase and distribute food to those suffering from hunger.

The high unemployment rate, coupled with the rising cost of housing has resulted in many individuals and families seeking temporary or emergency housing. Fifty-nine nonprofits that provide temporary or emergency services to those who have the goal of becoming independent members of society will receive more than $381,000. The grants will enhance shelter programs; provide funds to purchase supplies and clothing for residents and fund programs that offer families a temporary and safe shelter.

BJ's Charitable Foundation will also support 54 nonprofits that provide academic and vocational opportunities for the disadvantaged. More than $300,000 will be donated to purchase supplies for literacy skills, mentoring, tutoring and career development programs.

Sixteen organizations that provide healthcare services to individuals and families that would not normally have access to healthcare will receive more than $113,000. The funds will help supply medical clinics and aid in costs for health prevention services, supplies for vision, dental and hearing screenings.

"BJ's Charitable Foundation is proud to partner with these amazing non-profit organizations committed to improving the lives of those in each of their communities," said Jessica Newman, Executive Director for the BJ's Charitable Foundation. "These donations will assist thousands of individuals and families, resulting in a better community for us all."  

Since its inception, the BJ's Charitable Foundation has donated more than $15 million to nearly 1,800 community organizations. The noted organizations receiving grants from BJ's Charitable Foundation submitted proposals in late 2011. All recipients are 501(c)3 charitable organizations that support services in the regions where BJ's Wholesale Clubs are located.

Hunger Prevention
Chrysalis Center, Inc., Hartford, CT -$5,000
Martin House, Inc., Norwich, CT - $5,000
Ruth Rales Jewish Family Service of South Palm Beach County, Inc., Boca Raton, FL - $15,000
The Cooperative Feeding Program, Inc. dba LifeNet4Families, Ft. Lauderdale, FL -$5,000
Jewish Family & Community Services, Inc., Jacksonville, FL - $10,000
I M Sulzbacher Center for the Homeless, Inc., Jacksonville, FL - $10,000
Lutheran Social Services of Northeast Florida, Inc., Jacksonville, FL - $10,000
Jewish Community Services of South Florida, Inc., North Miami, FL - $5,000
Feeding South Florida, Pembroke Park, FL - $15,000
Rockdale County Emergency Relief Fund, Inc., Conyers, GA - $5,000
Rosie's Place, Inc., Boston, MA - $15,000
The Greater Boston Food Bank, Inc., Boston, MA - $15,000
American Red Cross, Cambridge, MA - $5,000
The Family Pantry Corp, Harwich, MA - $5,000
Community Servings, Inc., Jamaica Plain, MA - $5,000
A Place to Turn, Natick, MA - $5,000
South Shore Community Action Council, Inc., Plymouth, MA - $10,000
Worcester County Food Bank, Inc., Shrewsbury, MA -$5,000
Yarmouth Food Pantry Inc., West Yarmouth, MA - $4,300
Good Shepherd Food-Bank, Auburn, ME - $5,000
Alamance County Meals On Wheels, Inc., Burlington, NC - $5,000
Cabarrus Meals on Wheels, Inc., Kannapolis, NC - $5,000
New Hampshire Catholic Charities, Manchester, NH - $10,000
Isaiah House, East Orange, NJ - $15,000
The Food Bank of South Jersey (FBSJ), Pennsauken, NJ - $10,000
Pass It Along, Sparta, NJ - $10,000
Pronto of Long Island, Inc., Bay Shore, NY - $10,000
St. John's Bread and Life Program, Inc., Brooklyn, NY -$10,000
Food Bank of Western New York, Inc., Buffalo, NY - $5,000
Iris House A Center for Woman Living with HIV, Inc., New York, NY - $7,500
Hillside Food Outreach Pleasantville, NY - $5,000
Shelters of Saratoga, Inc., Saratoga Springs, NY - $4,500
Project Hospitality, Staten Island, NY - $10,000
Peoples Equal Action and Community Effort, Inc., Syracuse, NY - $10,000
Meals on Wheels of Lehigh County, Inc., Allentown, PA - $6,000
Community Action Committee of the Lehigh Valley, Bethlehem, PA - $5,000
Senior Community Services (SCS), Folsom, PA - $5,000
Channels, Harrisburg, PA - $5,000
The Power Packs Project, Lancaster, PA - $4,974
Bebashi Transition to Hope, Philadelphia, PA -$5,000
Tri-Town Economic Opportunity Committee, Johnston, RI - $5,000
The Martin Luther King Community Center Incorporated (MKCC), Newport, RI - $5,000
Rhode Island Community Food Bank Association, Providence, RI - $15,000
Washington Park Citizens' Association (WPCA), Inc., Providence, RI - $5,000
Foodbank of Southeastern Virginia Norfolk, VA - $17,500
FeedMore, Inc., Richmond, VA - $10,000

Self-Sufficiency
The Center for Women and Families of Eastern Fairfield County, Bridgeport, CT - $5,000
My Sisters' Place, Inc., Hartford, CT - $5,000
New Haven Diaper Bank, Inc., New Haven, CT - $10,000
New London Homeless Hospitality Center, Inc., New London, CT - $5,000
Domestic Violence Crisis Center (DVCC), Stamford, CT - $5,000
St. Agnes Home, Inc., West Hartford, CT - $4,300
ContactLifeline, Inc., Wilmington, DE - $5,000
Ministry of Caring, Inc., Wilmington, DE - $10,000
Foundation for Dreams, Inc., Bradenton, FL - $5,000
HOPE South Florida, Inc., Fort Lauderdale, FL - $5,000
Youth Crisis Center, Jacksonville, FL -$5,000
Legal Services of Greater Miami, (LSGMI) Inc., Miami, FL - $5,000
Catholic Community Services of the Archdiocese of Miami, Inc., Miami, FL - $5,000
Jewish Adoption and Foster Care Options, Sunrise, FL - $15,000
Dress for Success Atlanta, Atlanta, GA - $4,500
Genesis Shelter, Inc., Atlanta, GA - $5,000
CHRIS Kids, (CK) Inc., Atlanta, GA - $5,000
Goodwill of North Georgia, Inc., Atlanta, GA - $5,000
The Center for Family Resources, Marietta, GA - $5,000
Family Life Support Center, Inc., Adams, MA - $5,000
Stavros Center for Independent Living, Inc., Amherst, MA -$5,000
City Mission Society of Boston (CMS), Boston, MA - $5,000
United South End Settlements, Boston, MA - $5,000
Housing Assistance Corporation (HAC), Hyannis, MA - $5,000
hopeFound, Jamaica Plain, MA - $10,000
Self Esteem Boston Educational Institute (SEB), Inc., Jamaica Plain, MA - $10,000
Volunteers of America Massachusetts, Jamaica Plain, MA - $4,851
Bread & Roses Housing (BRH), Lawrence, MA - $5,000
Unitarian Universalist Urban Ministry, Roxbury, MA - $5,000
Govans Ecumenical Development Corporation (GEDCO), Baltimore, MD - $5,000
Community Concepts, Inc., Lewiston, ME - $10,000
Women's Resource Center in Alamance County, Burlington, NC - $5,000
Davidson Housing Coalition, Davidson (DHC), NC - $12,500
Tri-County Community Action Program (CAP), Inc. Berlin, NH - $5,000
New Generation, Greenland, NH - $6,000
Women's Information Service (WISE) Lebanon, NH - $5,000
Court Appointed Special Advocates of Cumberland, Gloucester & Salem, Bridgetown, NJ - $5,000
Jewish Federation of Southern New Jersey: Samost Jewish Family and Children's Service, Cherry
Hill, NJ - $5,000
180 Turning Lives Around, Hazlet, NJ - $3,500
Jersey Battered Women's Service, (JBWS) Inc., Morristown, NJ - $10,000
Family Promise of Morris County, Inc., Morristown, NJ - $5,000
Homefirst Interfaith Housing and Family Services, Inc., Plainfield, NJ - $7,500
AIDS Council of Northeastern New York, Albany, NY - $7,500
YWCA of Genesee County, Inc., Batavia, NY - $4,775
Warren/Washington County Homeless Youth Coalition, Inc., Glen Falls NY - $5,000
Interfaith Nutrition Network (INN), Hempstead, NY - $12,500
The Partnership for the Homeless (PFTH), New York, NY - $5,000
Safe Horizon, Inc., New York, NY - $20,000
Bethany House of Nassau County Corporation, Roosevelt, NY - $10,000
Home HeadQuarters (HHQ), Inc., Syracuse, NY - $5,000
Battered Women's Shelter, Akron, OH - $5,000
ACCESS, Inc., Akron, OH - $5,000
Family Promise of Summit County, Akron, OH - $5,000
Domestic Violence Project(DVPI), Inc., Canton, OH - $10,000
Catholic Charities of Stark County, Canton, OH - $5,000
PathWays PA, Inc., Holmes, PA -$10,000
International Institute Rhode Island, Providence, RI - $7,500 
Carpenter's Shelter, Inc., Alexandria, VA - $5,000
Project Mend-A-House, Inc., Manassas, VA - $6,000

Healthcare
Nanticoke Memorial Hospital Inc., Seaford, DE - $5,000
Florence Fuller Child Development Centers, Inc., Boca Raton, FL - $5,000
Catholic Charities of Central Florida, Inc., Orlando, FL - $15,000
Health Care Center for the Homeless, Orlando, FL - $5,000
Jewish Family & Career Services, Atlanta, GA - $10,000
Boston Medical Center, Boston, MA - $15,000
Forsyth Dental Infirmary for Children, Cambridge, MA - $10,000
Angel Flight of New England, Inc., North Andover, MA - $5,000
South Jersey Eye Center, Camden, NJ - $5,000
Long Island Gay and Lesbian Youth (LIGALY), Inc., Bay Shore, NY - $5,000
Providence House, Inc., Brooklyn, NY - $5,000
The Korean Community Services of Metropolitan New York, Inc., Flushing, NY - $5,000
Center for Hearing and Communication, New York, NY - $4,500
Berks Visiting Nurse Association, Wyomissing, PA - $5,000
Chesapeake Health Investment Program, Chesapeake, VA - $9,100
Cross-Over Ministry, Inc., Henrico, VA - $5,000

Education
Bridge House Inc., Bridgeport, CT - $5,000
Bridgeport Public Education Fund (BPEF), Bridgeport, CT - $4,546
Mercy Learning Center of Bridgeport, Inc., Bridgeport, CT - $10,000
Literacy Volunteers of America (LVA), Inc., Danbury, CT - $5,000
ConnectiKids, Inc., Hartford, CT - $5,000
buildOn, Stamford, CT - $5,000
Junior Achievement of South Florida, Inc., Coconut Creek, FL - $5,000
Broward Performing Arts Foundation, Inc., Fort Lauderdale, FL - $4,750
Impact Broward, Inc., Ft. Lauderdale, FL - $5,000              
Sanctuary of Northeast Florida, Jacksonville, FL - $4,000
North Florida School of Special Education, Jacksonville, FL - $5,000
Easter Seals South Florida Miami, FL - $5,000
Children Have All Rights: Legal, Educational, Emotional (CHARLEE) of Dade County, Inc., Miami, FL - $5,000
City Year, Inc., Miami, FL - $5,000
Girl Scouts of Gulf Coast Florida (GSGCF), Inc., Sarasota, FL - $5,000
Achievement and Rehabilitations Centers (ARC), Inc., Sunrise, FL - $5,000
Seniors in Service of Tampa Bay, Inc., Tampa, FL - $7,500
Conductive Education Center of Orlando (CECO), Winter Park, FL - $5,000
Odyssey, Atlanta, GA - $5,000
Young Men's Christian Association of Metropolitan Atlanta, Atlanta, GA - $5,000
North Fulton Community Charities (NFCC), Roswell, GA - $2,500
Refugee Family Services, Stone Mountain, GA - $5,000
Catholic Charitable Bureau of the Archdiocese of Boston, Inc., Boston, MA - $5,000
Playworks Education Energized, Boston, MA - $5,000
MY TURN INC. America's Youth Teenage Unemployment Reduction Network, Brockton, MA - $5,000
Horace Mann Educational Associates (HMEA) Inc., Franklin, MA - $5,000
The Literacy Project, Inc., Greenfield, MA - $10,000
Operation Outreach-USA, Inc., Holliston, MA - $7,500
The Italian Home for Children, Jamaica Plain, MA - $10,000
Boston Local Development Corporation, Roxbury, MA - $5,000
Boys & Girls Clubs of Southern Maryland, North Beach, MD - $5,000
Institute for Financial Literacy, Inc., South Portland, ME - $5,000
Communities In Schools of Charlotte Mecklenburg, Inc., Charlotte, NC - $7,500
Classroom Central, Inc., Charlotte, NC - $7,500
North Carolina Theatre, Raleigh, NC - $5,000
Kramden Institute, Inc., Research Triangle Park, NC - $5,000
YMCA of Greater Manchester: Greater Manchester Family, Manchester, NH - $5,000
Young Men's Christian Association of Greater Nashua, Merrimack, NH -$5,000
Exalt Youth, Brooklyn, NY - $7,500
The Learning About Multimedia Project (LAMP), Inc., Brooklyn, NY - $5,000
Fund for Public Schools, Inc., New York, NY - $10,000
Literacy Volunteers of Greater Syracuse (LVGS), Syracuse, NY - $5,000
Careers for People with Disabilities, Inc., Valhalla, NY - $5,000
Cuyahoga Community College Foundation, Cleveland, OH - $5,000
Seeds of Literacy, Cleveland, OH - $5,000
Kent State University Foundation, Kent, OH - $5,000
Mosser Village Family Center, Allentown, PA - $5,000
Chester Education Foundation, Chester, PA - $5,000
Asian Arts Initiative, Philadelphia, PA - $10,000
United Communities of Southeast Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA - $5,000
Community Progress Council (CPC), Inc., York, PA - $5,000
Homefront Health Care, Providence, RI - $7,500
The Kent Center for Human & Organizational Development, Inc., Warwick, RI - $3,800
Children's Museum of Richmond, Richmond, VA - $5,000

About BJ's Charitable Foundation
BJ's Charitable Foundation was established with the mission to enrich every community BJ's Wholesale Clubs serve.  The Foundation supports nonprofit organizations that primarily benefit the underprivileged in the area of basic needs (hunger prevention, self-sufficiency, education and health).  For more information about BJ's Charitable Foundation, please visit, www.bjs.com/charity.

SOURCE BJ's Wholesale Club