New Jersey Together Inc

New Jersey Together (an independent, 501c3 non-profit organization) is an affiliate of the Industrial Areas Foundation (IAF), the nation’s oldest and largest network of multi-faith citizens’ organizations. Our 60+ affiliates in the United States, Canada, Europe, & Australia have a track record of leading and winning tough campaigns for change on issues defined and prioritized by local communities:

In Baltimore:

• Our affiliate (BUILD) envisioned and successfully convinced politicians to pass the nation’s first “Living Wage” law (which has been replicated across the country);
• In 2013, BUILD led and won the effort to secure a $1.1 billion school construction financing plan that will rebuild 50% of Baltimore’s schools in coming years;

 

In New York City:

• Our four affiliates worked with Democratic & Republican mayors to build more than 4,000 Nehemiah Homes in East Brooklyn & the South Bronx; these homes are affordable homeownership units for families making between $25,000-$60,000;
• In 2013, our affiliates won a landmark lawsuit against the city’s public housing authority, requiring them to make timely repairs or face stiff financial penalties;

 

In Texas and in the Rio Grande Valley, our affiliates have fought for and won more than $1 billion in infrastructure investment (to address needs like running water and electricity) in immigrant communities along the US-Mexico border;

In Jersey City, ICO – the Interfaith Community Organization, an IAF affiliate and coalition of local congregations most active during the 1990s and the predecessor to New Jersey Together – led the successful, decades-long fight to clean up chromium-contaminated sites throughout the city.  ICO’s work forced two companies – Honeywell & PPG – to invest more than $1 billion into Jersey City in recent years and to clean up hundreds of acres of chromium-contaminated land.   This work also created a $2 million revolving fund to finance and build affordable housing for families in Jersey City.

New Jersey Together is currently leading a pioneering, national campaign with other IAF affiliates to address issues of gun violence - "Do Not Stand Idly By" - which seeks to work in partnership with public officials and gun manufacturers to increase gun safety and to decrease the sale and distribution of illegal guns. To date, almost 50 local jurisdictions have signed on to the campaign.