BJ's Charitable Foundation Grants $389,200 to Nonprofits

WESTBOROUGH, Mass., Oct. 18, 2011/PRNewswire/ -- BJ's Charitable Foundation today announced a donation of $389,200 to 55 nonprofit organizations in the 15 states where BJ's Wholesale Clubs are located. The donated funds will be dispersed to organizations that focus in four areas: hunger prevention, self-sufficiency, health care and education.

Of the grantees, 13 nonprofit organizations with programs to help prevent and alleviate hunger received donations from the BJ's Charitable Foundation. With hunger on the rise, the grants will help shelters, food banks, soup kitchens and food pantries purchase and distribute food to those suffering from hunger.

The Foundation gave grants to 21 organizations focused on assisting individuals to become self-sufficient. These organizations strive to provide temporary or emergency services to individuals and families who have the goal of becoming independent members of society. The grants will contribute to the enhancement of shelter programs, purchase supplies and clothing for residents, and funding of programs that offer families temporary, safe refuges.

Six nonprofits with programs that provide healthcare to individuals and families will receive grants. The funds will help supply free medical clinics, aid in costs for health prevention services, as well as supplies for vision, dental and hearing screenings provided to individuals who would not normally have access to healthcare.

In the area of education, the Foundation has donated to 15 nonprofits with programs that provide academic and vocational opportunities for the disadvantaged. These programs include the purchase of supplies for literacy skills, mentoring, tutoring and career development.

"The BJ's Charitable Foundation is dedicated to supporting the communities surrounding our Clubs," said Jessica Newman, Manager of Community Relations for BJ's Wholesale Club. "We are proud to support these organizations that provide care and crucial services for individuals and families in need."

Now in its sixth year, the BJ's Charitable Foundation has donated over $10 million to over 1,000 community organizations. The noted organizations receiving grants from BJ's Charitable Foundation submitted proposals in early 2011. All recipients are 501(c)3 charitable organizations that support services in the regions where BJ's Wholesale Clubs are located.

Hunger Prevention

• Connecticut Food Bank (East Haven, CT) $15,000
• Food Bank of Delaware, Inc. (Newark, DE) $17,500
• Cross Road Food Bank, Inc. (Ft. Lauderdale, FL) $10,000
• Seniors First, Inc. (Orlando, FL) $8,200
• Housing Outreach Prevention Education (HOPE) Helps, Inc. (Oviedo, FL) $6,000
• Merrimack Valley Food Bank (Lowell, MA) $6,000
• Interfaith Social Services (Quincy, MA) $9,000
• Senior Service Centers of the Albany Area, Inc.(Albany, NY) $5,000
• Jewish Community Council of Canarsie (Brooklyn, NY) $10,000
• Rescue Mission Alliance of Syracuse, NY (Syracuse, NY) $5,000
• Akron Canton Regional Foodbank (Akron, OH) $7,500
• Cleveland Foodbank (Cleveland, OH) $7,500
• United Community Ministries (Alexandria, VA) $7,500

Self Sufficiency

• Covenant to Care Inc: Covenant to Care for Children (Bloomfield, CT) $6,000
• Thames River Community Service, Inc. (Norwich, CT) $7,500
• Covenant House Florida (Ft Lauderdale, FL) $11,000
• New Beginnings of Lake County, Inc. (Minneola, FL) $5,000
• United For Families, Inc. (Port St. Lucie, FL) $5,000
• Kids in Distress (Wilton Manors, FL) $7,500
• Friends of Boston's Homeless, Inc. (Boston, MA) $5,000
• Cape Cod Council of Churches, Inc. (Hyannis, MA) $14,000
• Little Sisters of the Assumption Family Health Services, Inc., (Roxbury, MA) $7,500
• Urban Ministries of Durham (Durham, NC) $7,000
• Brand New Day, Inc. (Elizabeth, NJ) $5,000
• Community Soup Kitchen and Outreach Center, Inc. (Morristown, NJ) $10,000
• Cayuga/Seneca Community Action Agency (Auburn, NY) $5,000
• The Children's Village (Dobbs Ferry, NY) $10,000
• Doe Fund, Inc. (New York, NY) $5,000
• Rebuilding Together Summit County (Akron, OH) $7,500
• HM Housing Development Corp. (Lorain, OH) $5,000
• Opportunity House (Reading, PA) $5,000
• Children's Friend and Service (Providence, RI) $5,000
• Stop Child Abuse Now (SCAN) of Northern Virginia, Inc. (Alexandria, VA) $5,000
• Doorways for Women and Families (Arlington, VA) $7,500

Healthcare

• Luz Del Mundo (Oakland Park, FL) $7,500
• Georgia Lions Lighthouse Foundation, Inc. (Atlanta, GA) $5,000
• Kennedy-Donovan Center, Inc. (Foxboro, MA)$10,000
• Women's Health and Counseling Center, Inc. (Somerville, NJ) $5,000
• Maternity Care Coalition (Philadelphia, PA) $10,000
• Memorial Hospital (York, PA) $5,000

Education

• Latin American Community Center (Wilmington, DE) $5,000
• Family Resource Center of South Florida (Miami, FL) $5,000
• Boston Local Development Corp (Boston, MA) $10,000
• Inquilinos Boricuas En Accion (Boston, MA) $5,000
• Year Up (Boston, MA) $7,000
• College Bound Dorchester, Inc. (Dorchester, MA) $5,000
• Family Service, Inc. (Lawrence, MA) $7,500
• Sociedad Latina, Inc. (Roxbury, MA) $5,000
• The Black Ministerial Alliance of Greater Boston, Inc. (Roxbury, MA) $5,000
• Springfield Day Nursery Corporation (Springfield, MA) $2,500
• Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Mass/Metrowest (Worcester, MA) $5,000
• Bethlehem Center of Charlotte, Inc. (Charlotte, NC) $5,000
• University Circle (Cleveland, OH) $10,000
• Fairfax Area Community Emergency &Transitional Services Cares, Inc. (Fairfax, VA) $5,000
• Literacy Council of Northern Virginia, Inc. (Falls Church, 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