Supporting New Jersey’s Grassroots Communities

Organizing Environmental and Climate Justice work at the local level depends upon the efforts of smaller, dedicated grassroots organizations in frontline and fenceline communities. In New Jersey, two such groups – Essex & Union County Marching Cougars (EUC) and Parents Engaging Parents New Jersey (PEPNJ) – are showing what’s possible when local action is resourced and empowered.  

With in-kind donations Friends of the Earth (FOE) and South War Environmental Alliance (SWEA) the organizations secured critical funding through the Mid-Atlantic Climate Action Hub (MATCH) Mini-Grant Program, receiving $20,000 and $10,000 respectively to expand their zero emissions campaigns. Their work was celebrated alongside other grantees during a ceremony hosted by the Center for Engagement, Environmental Justice, and Health (CEEJH) on May 16, 2025, in Baltimore, Maryland. 

The MATCH Mini-Grant Program, supported by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, was designed to uplift the vital work of underfunded grassroots groups. Twenty organizations across the Mid-Atlantic region were selected for funding. EUC was the only group in New Jersey to receive the top-tier $20,000 grant, while PEPNJ was awarded one of ten $10,000 grants.  

Both applications focused on addressing long-standing air quality concerns in overburdened and underserved communities.  

In 2023, Friends of the Earth Port’s and Environmental Justice program partnered with EUC and PEPNJ to help develop their MATCH proposals. The project, primarily led by PEPNJ, seeks to improve community health and environmental conditions by enhancing public knowledge on air quality and health impacts, reducing exposure to harmful air pollutants, and educating communities on actionable steps to take during poor air quality days to protect vulnerable populations – including individuals with asthma and elderly residents. 

According to Erica Beverett, Outreach Coordinator for Parents Engaging Parents:  

The “EJ Advocacy Committee” project seeks to empower New Jersey’s overburdened communities through education, advocacy, and direct action toward better air quality and health outcomes. With the strategic use of MATCH funding, PEPNJ and its partners will drive significant environmental and social improvements, directly aligning with the mission to foster engaged and informed communities capable of advocating for their health and environment.

EUC, a nonprofit that blends music education with civic engagement, sees the MATCH grant as an opportunity to engage youth and families in environmental justice conversations that affect them directly.  

“It is a distinct honor to engage our students, parents and the entire band community in this important work with FOE and PEPNJ, as well as other community-based organizations that have built relationships and power at the local and national level for decades. EUC and our band community is committed to working for the community and must include the community members that’s best equipped to hold institutions and elected officials accountable to advance Environmental and Climate Justice NOW.” – Darryl Taylor and Jamal Littles

“I am excited to work with both EUC and PEPNJ to expand upon PEPNJ’s Clean Air & Leadership Development Project for Environmental Justice Communities. As the Sr. Ports and Freight Campaigner for FOE, I look forward to developing and facilitating curriculums that will focus on engagement and recruitment by gaining active participation and support from local Community-Based Organizations (CBOs) and public institutions such as schools and recreation centers, to introduce through educational seminars, conduct comprehensive training and convenings on Environmental Justice, focusing on The 17 Principles of Environmental Justice from the 1991 National People of Color Environmental Leadership Summit. and The Six Jemez Principles for Democratic Organizing. Additionally, we look forward to providing additional funding support for air quality monitoring that will help PEPNJ and EUC to introduce and implement the New Jersey Air Quality Flag Program, which uses color-coded flags to indicate current air quality based on the EPA’s Air Quality Index (AQI).” – Terrance L. Bankston, Senior Ports and Freight Campaigner at Friends of the Earth

This victory is a reminder of what’s possible when grassroots leadership is valued and supported. With MATCH funding, support from Friends of the Earth, and deep local investment from groups like PEPNJ and EUC, communities in New Jersey are stepping forward – not just to demand clean air, but to build sustainable, self-determined futures.