MORRIS COUNTY — The F. M. Kirby Foundation Board of Directors has awarded 249 grants totaling $14,354,050 in 2022 to nonprofit organizations working to foster self-reliance and create strong, healthy communities.

More than half of these organizations have been partners of the Foundation for over 20 years,

in keeping with the foundation’s philosophy of long-term investments in effective programs, Executive Director Justin Kiczek stated.

The foundation’s 2022 grantmaking included increased contributions to nonprofit organizations in the arts and humanities, education, health, and human services, environment and animals, public affairs, and religion, Kiczek added.

More than 100 grants totaling more than $5.2 million were awarded to New Jersey-based nonprofit organizations working to make a direct impact on people’s lives throughout the state, 60 of which, totaling $3.1 million, supported work in Morris County, the foundation’s home county. The organization’s headquarters are in Morristown.

Additional grants totaling over $9 million supported organizations in Connecticut, New York, Pennsylvania, and North Carolina, regions connected to Kirby family members, as well as national nonprofits largely based in Washington, D.C., and New York City.

“The F. M. Kirby Foundation was founded more than 90 years ago by Fred Morgan Kirby, an entrepreneur. The values that led to his success have informed this organization and its grantmaking since its founding,” Kiczek said. “We are proud of the ways in which we supported, in 2022, the entrepreneurs, innovators, and problem-solvers who are fostering strong and healthy communities.

“On a local level, our grantmaking this year supported organizations like Rising Tide Capital, based in Jersey City, in their mission to transform lives and communities through entrepreneurship.

“On the other hand, we continued to promote national and global social entrepreneurship through the F. M. Kirby Prize for Scaling Social Impact, administered by the Center for the Advancement of Social Entrepreneurship at Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business. We remain committed to funding the next generation of Fred Morgan Kirbys, who are inspired to use their entrepreneurial vision to tackle the significant challenges of our era.”

Chairwoman of the Board Laura H. Virkler added, “While entrepreneurship has been in our organizational culture for some time, as a family foundation, tradition and long-term partnerships are equally important. Another key value of our foundation is stewardship, the careful cultivation of relationships and resources to pass down to future generations. We embrace stewardship in our relationships with long-term partners, like Cornerstone Family Programs in Morristown, to whom we have provided general operating support since 1965.

“Stewardship also shows up in our environmental grantmaking, where grantees like the Nature Conservancy of the Adirondacks have been working to ensure that we not only have natural, public places for generations but that they are healthy and well-maintained. As a multi-generational family foundation, we are particularly inclined to think about how the careful stewardship of resources will help foster strong and healthy communities now and in the future.”

Endowed in 1931 by Fred Morgan Kirby, one of the founders of the F.W. Woolworth Company, the foundation was designed to continue in perpetuity through generations of the family. Since its inception, the foundation has awarded more than $768 million in grants. Six Kirby family members, currently spanning two generations, serve on the board, as well as two non-family directors.

You can learn more about The F. M. Kirby Foundation by clicking here.

MORRIS COUNTY — Ann F. Grossi Esq., who has served as the Morris County Clerk since 2014, is releasing her second wave of endorsements supporting her re-election bid for another term in 2023.

She is honored to have amassed an amazing 84 endorsements, including State Senators, Assembly Members, Mayors, Former Mayors, Former County Clerks, Former Morris County Republican Chairs, Current Republican Municipal Chairs, and Morris County Republican State Committee Representatives.

The second wave of endorsements includes:

Senator Joseph Pennacchio, Senator Anthony Bucco, Senator Jon Bramnick
Senator Steven Oroho and Senator Kristin Corrado.

Assemblywoman Michele Matsikoudis, Assemblywoman Nancy Munoz, Assemblywoman Aura Dunn, Assemblyman Christian Barranco, Assemblyman Jay Webber, Assemblyman Brian Bergen Patti Page, Former Morris County Committee Chair; Britini Morely, Butler Council, and Committee Chair; Matthew Kayne, Montville Mayor; Richard Conklin, Montville Committee; June Witty, Montville Committee; Phyllis Florek, Former Mendham Mayor; Jack Delaney, Mount Arlington Council Vice President; Joseph Nicastro, Mount Olive Council President, and Committee Chair; Loretta Gragnani, Parsippany Council Vice President; Paul Carifi, Parsippany Council; Justin Musella, Parsippany Council; Frank Neglia, Parsippany Council; David Kohle, Pequannock Mayor; Ryan Herd, Pequannock Deputy Mayor; Kyle Russell, Pequannock Council; John Driesse, Pequannock Council; Guy Piserchia, Long Hill Committeeman; Victor Verlezza, Long Hill Committeeman; Jack Quinn, Rockaway Twp. Council Vice President; William Cogger, Former Mayor Chester Borough; Amy Bucco, Boonton Twp. Committee Chair; Joseph Bock, Esq., Boonton Town Committee & Chair; Marilyn Cioffi, Denville Committee Chair; Amy Grasso, Hanover Committee Chair; Scott Russel, Montville Committee Chair: Alice F. Collopy, Morris Plains Committee Chair; Randall Charles, Kinnelon Committee Chair; Keith Pierson, Netcong Committee Chair; Joseph Calvanelli; Morris Twp. Committee Chair; Rob Cascone, Esq., Pequannock Municipal Chair.

“It is an honor to serve the residents of Morris County over the last nine years. My legal background, work as Chief of Enforcement with the NJ Division on Civil Rights, and in labor and employment, set the foundation to bring expertise at the Federal, State, County, and Local Levels,” said County Clerk Ann Grossi.

“As the County Clerk, I work for and report to all Morris County residents promoting excellence, service, and integrity, where everyone is treated with respect and dignity. I also focus on state-of-the-art technology, supporting a highly skilled and dedicated workforce; providing professional and prompt service, promoting an award-winning Passport Acceptance Facility; conducting fair, transparent, and secure elections; honoring Veterans and establishing a Veteran’s Discount Program; expanding outreach services; and implementing safeguards that allowed continuous, high-quality services throughout the pandemic.”

MORRIS COUNTY — Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin, Morris County Prosecutor Robert J. Carroll, and members of the New Jersey Bias Crime Officers Association honored two Morris County Prosecutor’s Office members with Distinguished Service Awards on January 6 during the NJBCOA Conference.

Morris County Prosecutor’s Office Supervising Assistant Prosecutor Samantha DeNegri and Sgt. Patrick LaGuerre were recognized for their ongoing educational program addressing bias crime and cyberbullying by students. SAP DeNegri and Sgt. LaGuerre has been visiting middle and high schools in Morris County and beyond to lead educational presentations on bias incidents/crimes, cyber harassment, and making smart choices when using social media. Over the past year, they’ve conducted over a dozen such assemblies in Morris, Warren, and Sussex counties.

Prosecutor Carroll said, “I’d like to congratulate SAP DeNegri and Sgt. LaGuerre, on this, merited recognition. This program brings face-to-face communication with our students to private and public schools around Morris County. Addressing bias with our youth must be addressed before these bad-faith ideas take root. Teenagers today are growing up in a very connected digital world, and our office seeks to enable our students to make smart choices about how they interact online and in school. We hope this program will serve as a model for other counties.”