YolkWorks is a collaborative design studio with a team that is passionate about listening to clients and translating their ideas into compelling and engaging visuals that lift their audiences’ experience. We work with clients in the social impact space and is honored to support diverse communities in a variety of mission spaces. To learn more, please visit
YolkWorks
DYF Society is a community of philanthropic individuals who want to have a significant impact in New Jersey. In addition to creating real change for New Jersey’s youth, you will get to enjoy unique Devils’ experiences, build your professional network and maximize your philanthropic efforts. For more information, please email Kate Whitman Annis at
DYF Society
The Devils Youth Foundation continued its commitment of bringing life-changing opportunities to New Jersey’s youth through the power of sports and entertainment by committing a $100,000 grant to foundation partner La Casa de Don Pedro. The organization’s largest-ever grant signifies the New Jersey Devils, Prudential Center and Devils Youth Foundation’s long-term commitment to the community.
The grant provides the La Casa de Don Pedro facility with a brand new “El Patio de La Casa”- a revitalized area to serve as a vibrant community hub modeled after a Caribbean Plaza with safe spaces for children to play, attend concerts, have a neighborhood communal refrigerator and enjoy festivals. El Patio de La Casa’s subsequent community programming will serve over 800 youth in Newark annually.
“We are so happy to open El Patio de La Casa,” said Peter Rosario, President & CEO, La Casa de Don Pedro. “In our heritage, El Patio is the space where everything happens, it could be a wedding today, a christening tomorrow, be a concert venue, a place for a movie night or even a hockey game. We are so excited that this space, before the Devils Youth Foundation so generously donated to us, was rocks and weeds, is now going to be activated for the entire community.”
de don pedro
focus on
la casa
$800K+
800+
raised
tickets sold
Thank you to our wonderful sponsors for this record breaking event.
Champions Gala
year in
review
Our Partners
arts & arts education
combat
food
insecurity
our pillars in action
Hockey in New Jersey (HNJ)
In 2022, the Devils Youth Foundation provided a grant to Hockey in New Jersey, a long-standing partner of the New Jersey Devils, to help them recover from COVID and continue to inspire youth to develop life skills, succeed academically, and create positive relationships through the sport of hockey.
Rising costs and lack of local ice rinks have prevented urban youth from pursuing the sport of hockey. Hockey in New Jersey works to remove these obstacles and create programming that provides ongoing hockey experiences for youth in diverse urban communities.
Kids like Justin from East Side High School have benefited from the program over the past 20 years. Hockey in New Jersey helped Justin find a goal that he wanted to work towards, a community that supports him, and a passion that drives him to wake up at 4am to play before school. Justin is one example of how Hockey in New Jersey is fulfilling its mission to provide access to the sport of hockey for inner-city kids.
With locations in Belleville, Englewood, Hackensack, Jersey City, Montclair and Newark, Hockey in New Jersey has more than 1,000 current participants and is the second-largest youth diversity hockey program in the United States.
Established in 1994, the Challenged Athletes Foundation recognized that millions of individuals living with physical challenges did not have access to critical adaptive sports equipment and programming necessary to be active. They made it their mission to provide support to adaptive athletes allowing them the opportunity to pursue active lifestyles through physical fitness and competitive athletics as they believe that involvement in sports at any level increases self-esteem, encourages independence and enhances quality of life. The Challenged Athletes Foundation has since given out over 40,000 grants and served over 25,000 athletes.
This year, the Devils Youth Foundation supported the Challenged Athletes Foundation through several grants to help grow the game by introducing athletes to adaptive sports like sled hockey through camps and clinics, and eliminating the financial burden of equipment, travel fees and coaching. The fund provides sleds to individual athletes like Logan (pictured left) who attended a Devils game, met his favorite player New Jersey Devils Captain Nico Hischier, and was awarded a grant for a sled.
Challenged Athletes Foundation (CAF)
grow the
“
health
Since 2004, GreenLight has launched 43 portfolio organizations across eleven sites, invested $26M and attracted an additional $169M from other funding sources, reaching more than
417,000
Identifying critical needs,
Importing innovative programs that can have a significant, measurable impact, and
Galvanizing local support to help programs reach and sustain impact in the new city
The GreenLight Fund is a national nonprofit that partners with communities to create opportunities for inclusive prosperity by matching local needs with existing programs. It transforms the lives of children, youth and families in high poverty areas by:
“
We don’t view ourselves as having all of the answers, but what we do offer is a listening ear, a compassionate heart, and available resources.”
.
.
.
GreenLight Newark
partner
spotlight
individuals and families in 2021.
"I’m pleased to join the board of the Devils Youth Foundation to ensure young people have the opportunity to engage in meaningful sports and arts programming as part of their growth and development.”
"I was born and raised in Newark, so working with an organization like the Devils Youth Foundation to support the needs of children in my home community brings me great pride. I look forward to addressing the areas that need our resources the most.”
“
“
board
spotlights
Vaughn Crowe &
Sarah Keh
“
They both have a strong history and passion for using their time to develop Newark and the surrounding communities. With their help, relationships and guidance, we look forward to continuing to create real change for our local communities and the youth of New Jersey.”
The Foundation named two new board members this year: Vaughn Crowe, Managing Partner at Newark Venture Partners, and Sarah Keh, Vice President of Inclusion Solutions at Prudential Financial, Inc.
Mr. Crowe’s philanthropic record includes roles as Vice Chair of Newark Beth Israel Medical Center and mvember of the New Jersey State Investment Council, which governs the State’s $100b pension assets. He is on the board of two companies and is an advisory member for a third.
In her current role, Ms. Keh oversees philanthropic grants and expands work and wealth opportunities for financially vulnerable populations. She also serves on the board of JerseyCAN and the investment committee of PGIM Real Estate’s Impact Value Partners.
shakur stevenson
When world champion boxer and Newark native Shakur Stevenson visited the Prudential Center to promote his upcoming fight, we brought children from the Boys & Girls Club of Newark, Great Oaks Schools, Dirty Soles and Uncommon Schools to meet and spend time with the boxer.
Shakur feels strongly about giving back to the community where he was raised, it was an amazing opportunity for local children to interact with a role model from Newark.
We look forward to creating more chances for youth across New Jersey to find inspiration and motivation.
our partners
make an impact
100
600
16
1,000
800
100,000
athletes with intellectual disabilities given the chance to play ball hockey by Special Olympics
kids introduced to music after school by New City Kids
schools provided with Safe Passage by the Newark Community Street Team
kids given free access to hockey by Hockey in New Jersey
Kids benefit from programming at El Patio de La Casa through La Casa de Don Pedro
New Jersey kids fed by the Community Foodbank of NJ
non-profit organizations supported
50K+
40+
$1M+
positively impacted children in northern New Jersey
funding for non-profits
we
make an
impact
vision
mission
The Devils Youth Foundation brings life-changing opportunities to New Jersey’s youth through the power of sports and entertainment.
The Devils Youth Foundation is working to create a world where youth are empowered and enabled to make decisions that positively impact their lives. New Jersey’s youth face unprecedented challenges that stifle their growth potential and negatively impact their quality of life. The Devils Youth Foundation is taking on these challenges by creating and expanding youth programs through strategic partnerships with community organizations in the areas where we live and work.
Allison Blitzer
Many children in New Jersey are facing an increasing complex world where they must navigate around food insecurities, less access to physical activities, decreased funding of arts education, and difficulty finding safe places to grow, learn, and play. Through it all, long-standing community organizations and some incredibly inspirational people are working to help those in need.
The Devils Youth Foundation and the New Jersey Devils are proud to support our partners in their work and to amplify stories of change. These include the Newark Community Street Team’s investment in our communities’ youth, the Boys and Girls Club of Newark meeting the mental health needs of Newark residents, the Community Food Bank’s quest to leave no child hungry, and the strides Hockey in New Jersey has made in bringing equity and inclusivity to the sport of ice hockey.
You will read about many unique and wonderful organizations and programs in this report.
I am inspired by these stories and so many others we hear every day. I look forward to seeing the positive impact the Devils Youth Foundation, along with our partners, will have on our community in the years to come.
Sincerely,
Allison Blitzer
Chair, Devils Youth Foundation
chair letter
Impact
report
2022
Allison Blitzer, Chair of the Devils Youth Foundation
Vaughn Crowe
New Board Member
Sarah Keh
New Board Member
Tish Johnson-Jones
Executive Director
game
enrich
Newark Boys Chorus School (NBCS)
This year’s Devils Youth Foundation grant helped enable the Newark Boys Chorus School, their dedicated teachers, and caring staff support young men across New Jersey as they discover their potential. For young men like Che, the Newark Boys Chorus School was the key that unlocked his future. When Che started with the Newark Boys Chorus School, he was a shy, soft-spoken 5th grader, struggling with reading and math. A few years later, the confidence he developed singing with the choir led him to become valedictorian of his high school and, hopefully in a few years, a Skidmore College graduate!
This year’s Devils Youth Foundation grant helped enable the Newark Boys Chorus School, their dedicated teachers, and caring staff support young men across New Jersey as they discover their potential. For young men like Che, the Newark Boys Chorus School was the key that unlocked his future. When Che started with the Newark Boys Chorus School, he was a shy, soft-spoken 5th grader, struggling with reading and math. A few years later, the confidence he developed singing with the choir led him to become valedictorian of his high school and, hopefully in a few years, a Skidmore College graduate!
New City Kids (NCK)
This is a robust, cutting-edge, contemporary music education program that prepares high school students for a career in the music industry on and off the stage. Students have the unique opportunity to learn from world-class professionals and interact with GRAMMY® Award winners and music industry executives.
The Devils Youth Foundation partnered with RECORD HIGH to launch its annual scholarship program: $1,000 each for twelve New Jersey high school seniors with musical talent leadership roles in their communities.
Students also get their first bit of state-wide publicity on the New Jersey Devils and Prudential Center social media platforms, as well as on the GRAMMY Museum Experience website.
RECORD HIGH by Grammy Museum Experience™
Partnering with the Newark Board of Education, Save The Music closes significant music education resource gaps in 46 public schools by contributing technology, curriculum, training, and instruments. The New Jersey Devils have supported Save the Music for many years helping them provide Newark public schools with access to music equipment and programming.
The Devils Youth Foundation’s 2022 grant enabled Save The Music to deliver a Core Band Grant to Speedway Elementary’s approximately 560 PreK-8th grade students. It included new high-quality band instruments, music stands and method books, professional development, and evaluation services for a ten-year period.
A music teacher involved with the Save The Music said the program turned students into a team and a family and taught them not to give up on themselves or each other.
Save the Music (STM)
The New Jersey Devils have a decades-long partnership with the Community Foodbank of NJ to combat food insecurities across the state. In the spring of 2022, the Devils Youth Foundation granted the Community Foodbank of NJ funds to provide food in the summer to children in need which included meals at Boys & Girls Clubs, recreation centers, and libraries.
The Devils Youth Foundation grant helped fund the Family Pack Program, which provides more than 2,800 New Jersey households with supplemental boxes of fresh produce and shelf stable food for feeding their kids over weekends when they’re not in school. During the 2021-22 school year, the Community Foodbank of NJ provided food for more than one million meals through these two programs.
Community Foodbank of NJ (CFBNJ)
The Newark Day Center has been serving the children and families of Newark for two centuries. The Newark Day Center realized that connecting children to where their food originated can build conceptual understanding of food sources, while also providing an opportunity to form healthy eating habits.
The Devils Youth Foundation has been a partner of the Newark Day Center and stepped in with a grant to fund the Garden Project. The grant allowed the Newark Day Center to buy supplies and materials for students to start their garden in doors with a hydroponic unit and then to transfer the seeds outside in raised garden beds. Kids took care of the plants and measured their growth progress. They grew basil, cherry tomatoes, radishes, kale, and collard greens. Ongoing curriculum on healthy eating habits for parents as well as the students will continue throughout the year.
Newark Day Center (NDC)
& wellbeing
It is easier to build strong children than to repair broken men.”
Frederick Douglas
The Boys and Girls Club of Newark’s Wellness Program fills the gap of inequality regarding access to and quality of health services and resources between lower- and middle-class areas.
As part of the Devils Youth Foundation grant, the Club was able to add a Director of Community Wellness, a licensed clinical social worker who oversees the implementation of the program, a Wellness Coordinator as well as Wellness interns who continue to work with our members in social emotional groups that focus on self-esteem development, healthy decision making and coping skill development.
During the 2022 Summer Enrichment Program, one young member was struggling with impulse control and his reaction to his peers’ comments and behaviors. He was determined to find a place where he was understood and was able to express these feelings. He came to the Wellness Center to find clarity, safety, and skills to deal with his presenting problem. He built rapport with both the Wellness Coordinator and Director of Community Wellness where he was able to discuss his feelings, how he normally copes with his impulses, and other situations that may be affecting his reactions to others.
Through these conversations, this member was able to successfully find solace in the Wellness Center when needed, he sought other coping skills to manage in moments where he wasn’t in the Club and felt emotionally and physically safe because of the Wellness Program. He was able to participate in the rest of the Summer Programming with the skills needed to have a safe and fun experience.
Boys and Girls Club of Newark (BGCN)
The Newark Community Street Team uses community based public safety and public health approaches to reduce violent crime and murder in the City of Newark, addressing trauma and supporting neighborhoods to create safety in the community.
In addition to their work to create neighborhood safety without relying on law enforcement, the Newark Community Street Team operates a variety of civic engagement, community self-determination, personal development, and leadership development programs that are offered to its employees, the mentees who receive casework services, and the community at large.
The grant that the Newark Community Street Team received from the Devils Youth Foundation helped them build the Youth Community Sentinel Program – a leadership program that seeks to serve high school students. The Devils Youth Foundation investment in this important work contributed to the significant growth in participation of young people and the cohesion in our community and healing the new relationships provided.
“Sentinels is a leadership experience that helps young people (and elders) in our most vulnerable communities believe in themselves and the potential of our communities to thrive in the face of adversities that are all caused by virulent indifference: violence, inequities, hopelessness.”
Newark Community Street Team (NCST)
Impact report 2022
devilsyouthfoundation.org
info@devilsyouthfoundation.org
www.yolkworks.com
our
partners
make an
impact
arts & arts
education
enrich
“
It is easier to build strong children than to repair broken men.”
Tish Johnson-Jones
Executive Director