Horizon Awards $75,000 Grant to Branch Brook Park Alliance’s Legacy Program, Care of the Park

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE   
June 20, 2020
Contact:
Barbara Bell Coleman Co-Chair, Branch Brook Park Alliance  info@branchbrookpark.org 
(973) 969-1189 

         Newark, NJ June 5, 2020—Branch Brook Park Alliance received a grant in the amount of $75,000 from Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey (BCBSNJ) through the Community Foundation of New Jersey. The donation made from Horizon BCBSNJ’s philanthropic arm, The Horizon Foundation for New Jersey, will be used to fund the Alliance’s Care of the Park program, an initiative that provides physical activity, fitness, and nutrition education opportunities at Essex County Branch Brook Park in Newark. 
        “We are pleased Horizon is partnering with us to spread the good news we have known for over a century! The importance of Parks to the health of people and particularly those living in cities. A safe space, the park is free and accessible. A sacred space, it is where people of all walks of life particularly community residents get to breathe, exercise and for a moment, put worries aside and be nurtured by nature,” said Barbara Bell Coleman. She added, “And the presence of our small but impactful team also shows we care about them.” 
      As the conservancy for Essex County Branch Brook Park, we aim to place a spotlight on the Park while assisting to maintain the recent $50 million investment jointly raised by Branch Brook Park Alliance in partnership with the County. In the field of health and wellness, through Care of the Park, we motivate residents to participate in regularly scheduled physical activity. Our Community Walk & Talk and gardening stewardship programs place an emphasis on the increase of low-to-moderate daily physical activity for all ages. Our Park Ambassador summer youth employment program and Community Day programs motivate, equip, and inspire residents from surrounding communities to improve healthy eating habits through health education and nutritional knowledge.  
      “Horizon BCBSNJ has been an extremely generous corporate neighbor who has helped to raise awareness about Branch Brook Park’s legacy and promote the public health benefits of open spaces, especially in urban areas. We also have enjoyed a great relationship with the Branch Brook Park Alliance, which has worked side by side with Essex County to restore and transform Branch Brook Park into a showcase that meets the recreation needs of the community while preserving its historic treasures. This grant epitomizes the types of partnerships that are needed to maintain our parks and recreation facilities and what can be accomplished when everyone shares a common goal,” said Essex County Executive Joseph DiVincenzo. 
        We increase the positive utilization of Essex County Branch Brook Park by bringing together a multitude of people of all ages and diverse backgrounds in the Park's ongoing enjoyment and care. We stand for Frederick Law Olmsted's belief in the Park's power to change the character of our city, enhance the appeal of our county, and elicit joy, pride, and a sense of ownership among citizens throughout our state. Olmsted's design intentionally sought to serve as meeting grounds for people of different backgrounds and economic means. This vision lives on in work supported by Branch Brook Park Alliance through Care of the Park. The team develops community partnerships that demonstrate it is possible to care for the Park and as well as the health, and well-being of our community. 
        “Horizon is pleased to support the important work being done by Branch Brook Park Alliance to increase physical activity, fitness and nutrition education opportunities at Essex County Branch Brook Park in Newark,” said Jonathan R. Pearson, Executive Director of The Horizon Foundation for New Jersey. “The Branch Brook Park Alliance‘s Care of the Park program aligns with Horizon’s commitment to helping our members access the resources they need to manage their health. With a pandemic that limited many personal fitness activities to the home for several months, Essex County residents can now enjoy outside exercise and recreational activities at one of New Jersey’s premier park venues right in their own backyard.” 
         About The Horizon Foundation for New Jersey  The Horizon Foundation for New Jersey is committed to working alongside those who can help us improve our neighbors’ health, inform their health decisions and inspire them to lead healthier, more fulfilling lives. The Foundation’s mission is to support organization’s that make New Jersey healthier. The Foundation has three funding pillars, Caring, Connecting and Creating. Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey is the sole member of The Horizon Foundation for New Jersey, both of which are independent licensees of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association. For more information please visit www.community.horizonblue.com. 
        About The Community Foundation of New Jersey  The fiduciary support of the Community Foundation of NJ (CFNJ), which manages all financial matters on Branch Brook Park Alliance’s behalf, enables CFNJ to serve as the not-for-profit recipient of all funding targeted for the Care of the Park legacy initiative. The Community Foundation of New Jersey creates and scales custom solutions for purpose-driven individuals, families, and businesses. From creative projects that tackle critical societal or policy issues to scholarship funds, corporate philanthropy, legacy funds and donor advised funds, the Community Foundation manages nearly every kind of giving vehicle and tailors solutions to meet critical needs. The Community Foundation’s team of specialists understand the unique contours of communities and manage the scope of the Community Foundation’s investment and grant making capabilities with precision. For more information on the Community foundation of New Jersey please visit www.cfnj.org.  
       About Branch Brook Park Alliance  We champion a masterwork of landscape architecture, conceived by Frederick Law Olmsted Sr. and designed by the Olmsted Brothers. The centerpiece of the first county park system in America located in the renaissance city of Newark, Essex County Branch Brook Park now enjoys new life. Together with a community of friends, we restored the park’s historic design and are refreshing it for today's lively use. We are Branch Brook Park Alliance, a public/private partnership organized in 1999. We provide design expertise and funding support to help Essex County with ongoing stewardship. Projects already completed by the partnership are new ball fields, extensive cherry tree plantings and restoration of historic park sites set the stage for complete renewal.

​For more information on Branch Brook Park Alliance, please visit: www.branchbrookpark.org or call (973) 9691189.