The Watts Mountainside Community Foundation has supported many organizations and programs that have made a significant difference in the lives of Mountainside residents.
Here are a just few of the projects that received support from the Foundation.
GAGA PIT AT DEERFIELD SCHOOL
As part of a dedicated Eagle Scout project, local Boy Scout Jay Post used a grant from the Watts Foundation, in addition to his own fundraising efforts, to build a GaGa pit at Deerfield Middle School. Mr. Post worked closely with the school’s administration and custodial staff, along with members from Boy Scouts of America Troop 177 Mountainside, to build this GaGa pit so as to bring several benefits to the school:
Students will learn a fun new game that they can play during recess and on their own time.
The quick pace of the game allows students to burn both energy and calories.
The game does not particularly favor kids who are more athletic than others, and it can sustain large amounts of players per game.
A recent Chicago Tribune article claimed that the game closed the gap between gender activities at recess and invigorated kids.
MOUNTAINSIDE FIRE DEPARTMENT GEAR ROOM GRANT
“Thank you for your recent generous gift to the Mountainside Fire Department. The Chief, officers, and all members extend our gratitude for your continued support. With your grant, we were able to remodel and improve our gear room. The largest aspect of the remodel being the removal of the old, broken lockers, replacing them with the new, more space efficient ones. Additionally, the new layout allows us to accommodate more new members in the same space.”
—FF Odalys Sawycky, Corresponding Secretary
CHILDREN’S SPECIALIZED HOSPITAL EXPANSION GRANT
“On behalf of Children’s Specialized Hospital and the Children’s Specialized Hospital Foundation, I thank you and the Blanche M. & George L. Watts Mountainside Community Foundation for your generous grant in support of Phase II of the expansion at our Mountainside facility. This project will create new spaces for one of our signature programs, Special Needs Primary Care. Children’s Specialized is on track to serve over 33,000 children with special needs and their siblings in 2017.”
—Philip Salerno III, President and Chief Development Officer
MASTER GARDENERS OF MOUNTAINSIDE
The Union County Master Gardeners used Watts grant money to update their garden infrastructure at the Trailside Nature Center in Mountainside. The group, made up of trained volunteers who provide advice and support to home gardeners, also has a Sharing Garden which donates vegetables to local food banks and churches, the Flowering Cutting Garden for Cancer patients/survivors with donations of bouquets and arrangements to the Overlook Hospital Oncology Social Service department, horticultural therapy programs, beautification projects throughout Union County, and a speakers bureau.
Boy Scouts of America, Troop 177, Mountainside, NJ
“Troop 177 would like to thank the Blanche M. & George L. Watts Mountainside Community Foundation for their generosity by awarding the Troop with grants to purchase a troop trailer; a storage shed and lawn equipment to enable us to maintain the "jughandle" area at Route 22 and New Providence Road; and a new storage shed for troop gear and equipment. The scouts and leaders of Troop 177 are extremely grateful.”