NJCA partners with universities throughout the state to provide students with real-world nonprofit and outreach experience in exchange for college credits.
In 2023, our interns helped us get information out in the Newark community about our free services, worker rights to paid family leave and paid sick days, and info about the Medication redetermination process to help folks renew their Medicaid coverage or navigate low-cost plans on the ACA marketplace. They also helped with outreach regarding our Community Assessment Survey.
This summer, they helped with games and painting at the family event we hosted at the Newark Public Library. They also played games with kids at our family health event at the Newark Waterfront Center. They have helped at BloomFest, Newark First Fridays, Newark Downtown Farmers Markets, the Newark Public Housing Authority Health Fair, Senior coffee hours at housing authority community buildings, weekly tabling at the YMCA shelter, grocery giveaways and tabling at local churches, flyering outside local food pantries, tabling in church basements, Newark Afro Beats Festival, and more.
Our current interns are Valerie, Kelvin , Stephanie and Danesh.
Valerie Valle is a student at Rutgers University Newark, majoring in Public and Nonprofit Administration, and just finished her Junior year. She is bilingual and has been a huge help with community outreach efforts.
Kelvin Marshall just graduated with his bachelor’s degree in Sociology from Rutgers University Newark and is starting his Master’s degree program next year at Rutgers. His roots in the city of Newark have been an asset with community outreach.
Stephanie Kusi Bamfo recently graduated with a bachelor’s degree in social work from Stockton University. She was placed with NJCA as part of the AmeriCorps VISTA program with the Housing and Community Network of New Jersey. As part of her outreach, she expanded NJCA’s social media presence, made phone calls, held meetings, dropped off flyers, and canvassed local businesses, places of worship, low-income housings, and more in different parts of NJ.
Lastly, we have Danesh Patel, who is a Rutgers University New Brunswick student. He is completing a summer of service through the Rutgers Summer Service Internship Program. He has assisted in Newark with outreach and events, worked with Faryal on outreach for the community survey, and is working on outreach to South Asian communities in NJ.
Danesh had the following to say about the internship experience at NJCA:
I learned the importance of the Medicaid renewal process as many people lose their Medicaid as they don’t renew it after every year. I also learned a most important lesson that access to basic human rights and opportunities is a fundamental principle that should be extended to everyone, regardless of income. Providing quality education, healthcare, housing, and employment opportunities ensures all individuals reach their full potential. Treating low-income and high-income people equally and providing them with the same opportunities helps break down systemic barriers perpetuating inequality. I am so glad that I worked as a part of New Jersey Citizen who serves people on the principle of equality.
If you are interested in becoming an intern with us, please reach out to Liz Glynn, Director of Organizing, at [email protected].