Celebrating 30 Years

of Transforming Lives

A Pipeline of Services & Support

NJCDC is revitalizing Paterson, New Jersey through education, youth development, affordable housing, and community building Initiatives.

Education

Youth Development

Affordable & Supportive Housing

Community Building

Latest News

Celebrating the Joy of Reading: NJCDC’s Annual Read Across America Event

Community leaders, volunteers, and beloved characters come together to foster a love of reading

Find Help and Hope at our Neighborhood Help Center

Learn about our free lead inspection + repair program, plus get free money-saving resources and housing support

Westside Park Revitalization Begins

A community vision is becoming a reality

MORE NEWS

30th Anniversary Video

Happy 30th birthday, NJCDC! Learn more about our mission to create opportunities to transform lives in Paterson and its Great Falls Neighborhood.

Why We Focus on Paterson

Paterson is New Jersey’s third-largest city — and also one of its poorest. Due to more than 50 years of entrenched poverty, underperforming schools, and high unemployment rates, Paterson currently faces a multitude of socioeconomic issues:

156,639

Residents

12%

156,639

of adults have a bachelor’s degree or higher

21%

156,639

live below the poverty level

73%

156,639

of housing units are renter-occupied

65%

156,639

of renters spend 30%+ of their income on rent

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Our Work!

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92¢

4K+

Children and Families Served Daily

200+

of Every Dollar Donated goes directly to our Programs & Services

Affordable/Supportive Housing Units Built

Celebrating Read Across America Day! 📚

Today, our students at Paterson Family Center and The Community Charter School of Paterson were treated to a special day with incredible guest readers! Thank you to all who took the time to inspire a love for reading in our young learners.

Literacy opens doors to endless possibilities, and Read Across America Day is a powerful reminder of the importance of fostering a lifelong love of books. When we read together, we grow together! 📖

Thank you for joining us!
@passaiccountysheriffs @farhannasayegh @sparkythefiredog34 @patersongreatfalls @wpunj @passaiccountysheriffs @valleybank @patersonfirenj @patersonpd @lowensteinllp @ppaginc

#ReadAcrossAmerica #PatersonNJ #FutureLeaders #BooksBringUsTogether

Happy International Women's Day!

Today, we took the time to honor and appreciate the incredible women of NJCDC! Staff, board members, volunteers, community leaders, and program participants each play a vital role in strengthening our community and making a lasting impact.

Their dedication, hard work, and commitment to our mission create meaningful change in the lives of so many in Paterson. We are grateful for all that they do!

#communitychampions #internationalwomensday

NJCDC celebrates the 119th birthday of Paterson’s own Lou Costello!

#loucostello

🎉 Happy 119th Birthday, Lou Costello! 🎂

To celebrate this special day, our Paterson Family Center preschoolers enjoyed a lively performance by our local Lou Costello impersonator!

Lou never forgot his hometown of Paterson. Despite his Hollywood fame, he often returned to support local children and raise funds for important causes. Honoring his legacy, we proudly partnered with the City of Paterson on a $1.3 million renovation of Lou Costello Park, transforming it into a welcoming space for families, complete with an inclusive playground for children of all abilities.

Lou, you’ll always be “on first” in Paterson! ❤

Lou Costello is portrayed by Lou Sciara

#loucostello #ComedyLegend #HappyBirthdayLou #patersonproud #patersonhistory @pricanbaker

Young designers at the Great Falls Youth Center are putting their creativity to the test in the Design Competition program led by Abide Designs LLC.

Participants access design courses to sharpen their skills, explore their creativity, and bring their visions to life. We can’t wait to see what they create! Beyond the competition, students are meeting local artists, going on field trips, and enjoying the creative process of designing. 👏

We can’t wait to see what they create!

#DesignYourFuture #gfyc @greatfalls_youthcenter #CreativityUnleashed #njcdc

The @greatfalls_youthcenter wrapped up Black History Month in style with a savory Caribbean shrimp dinner, powerful presentations, karaoke and a delicious bake-off!

Youth honored the legacy and contributions of Black leaders, past and present. A huge thank you to everyone who participated and made this event so special! 💛🖤💚❤️

Join us for Culinary Arts with Mr. Feoli every Friday at 3:30 PM!

#BlackHistoryMonth #greatfallsyouthcenter #community #celebratehistory

A Feast for the Senses! 🍽️
What a night! Residents indulged in the delicious flavors at our live cooking demonstration for the Food Tasting Party with Chef Lety Alvarez! From mouth-watering dishes to vibrant performances, the evening was a true cultural celebration made even more special as we honored Dominican Republic’s Independence Day! 🇩🇴

This program is made possible by a generous grant from the #RegionalFoundation, which also funds our micro-grants for resident-led neighborhood improvement projects.
Don’t miss our next food-tasting!
Registration: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/ChefLety

#FoodTastingParty #DominicanPride #CulturalCelebration #NJCDC Neighborhood Help Center

The @ccspnj Winter Wonderland was truly magical!

Big things are happening at Westside Park! The long-overdue transformation of this historic Paterson park is finally underway. Check out our latest blog for more details!
Link in Bio: https://bit.ly/4iji1Vs

#CommunityRevitalization #NJCDC

John F. Kennedy High School students had a chance to explore what their dream career could look like!

With the support of NJCDC, JFK's Full Service Community Schools (FSCS) 3rd Career Expo was a huge success—introducing students to exciting career paths and the world of entrepreneurship! This time, they welcomed:

🎂 A custom cake designer - @thesugarshop_llc
🧠 A mental health clinician - @missbossysecure
🤝 A non-profit youth organization CEO - @ttoglobal
💪 A physical therapist - @drefosa.pt

By supporting events like this, NJCDC is opening doors, sparking ambition, and transforming lives!

#CareerExploration #FutureLeaders #JFKFSCS #InspirationInAction #NJCDC

How does @ccspnj empower students to reach their full potential? By providing them with the support, opportunities, and education they need to succeed! 🎉

We are thrilled to congratulate the amazing students recognized for their academic excellence and commitment to success! This quarter, 274 awards were given to students who went above and beyond. From two students achieving a perfect 4.0 GPA on the Principal’s List to 69 earning High Honors and 132 making the Honor Roll, our scholars continue to shine!

We also celebrated students with Perfect Attendance, recipients of the Unity Award for exemplifying CCSP’s core values, and those who passed with the highest Math & ELA lessons.
Congratulations to all—we are so proud of you! Keep striving for greatness! 🚀📚

#CCSP #NJCDC #HardWorkPaysOff #StudentSuccess

❄️ On Saturday, The @ccspnj gymnasium was transformed into a Winter Wonderland with nonstop fun! ⛸️🍿🎨🎶
Families were treated to skating, bouncy house fun, crafts, lunch, and sweet treats. This event had something for everyone!
A huge THANK YOU to everyone who joined us and made this day unforgettable!
#WinterWonderland #CCSP #FamilyFun #CommunityJoy #njcdc

Empowering Paterson — one English class at a time!

At NJCDC, we're all about neighbors helping neighbors! Through our Residents Teach Residents English program, volunteer residents use the TPR (Total Physical Response) method to teach English in a fun, safe, and social setting.

🤝 It’s more than just language learning—participants connect with their community, share concerns, and access vital resources through our Neighborhood Help Center.

✅ Join us! (Link in Bio)
Our current session runs until March 13, but don’t worry—a new 10-week session starts April 2!

Ready to learn, connect, and grow? Come be a part of it!

This program is made possible by a generous grant from the #RegionalFoundation, part of which funds our micro-grants for resident-led neighborhood improvement projects.

#NJCDC #CommunityFirst #EnglishForAll #PatersonStrong

Join us in congratulating this year's honorees of the @pyc_njcdc's 19th Annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Youth Recognition Awards! 👏🏾

🏅Mia Cespedes (Grade 8, Paterson School 18)
🏅Alexa Garcia (Grade 6, Joseph A. Taub School)
🏅Justin Veineer (Grade 12, John F. Kennedy High School)
🏅Nia Elder (Grade 10, PCTI)
🏅Nancy Castro, Principal of Paterson Public Schools #28
🏅The @solid.nj Foundation
🏅Danielle Ireland-Imhof, Passaic County Clerk

We are incredibly proud of these outstanding students, educators, leaders, and organizations for their dedication to service, leadership, and making a difference in our community!

#mlkyouthawards #PatersonYouthCouncil #leadership #CommunityImpact #patersonnj @paterson_public_schools_nj

💘 NJCDC’s Saturday Youth Arts Program showed some love at their Valentine’s Party, filled with creativity, fun, and sweet treats! 🎨💕 The arts program runs on Saturdays from 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM.
#youthdevelopment

Love was in the air at our Paterson Family Center (PFC)! 💖

We celebrated Valentine’s Day with our annual I Love You Breakfast, bringing families together for a morning filled with smiles, kisses, and hugs! There’s nothing sweeter than love, family, and community! 🥰
#valentinesdayvibes #njcdc

🎉 Exciting News! 🎉

We’re honored to share that NJCDC’s 10th Anniversary Paterson Great Falls poster has been selected as one of the 100 featured artifacts in the Paterson Museum’s 100th Anniversary Exhibition: 100 Artifacts for 100 Years!

The Paterson Museum has been a cornerstone of our community, preserving and sharing the rich history of Paterson for a century. To celebrate this milestone, the Museum has curated a special yearlong exhibition showcasing 100 artifacts that tell the story of our city — and we’re thrilled that our poster is among them!

Visit the Paterson Museum starting in April to explore this incredible exhibition and see our poster — created by Christian Drury of @brightwelldesign — on display.

❄️ Racing down snowy hills, students from NJCDC's Full Service Community Schools (FSCS) and Compete for Life programs at John F. Kennedy High School, along with the JFK Teen Center, had an unforgettable snow tubing adventure at Campgaw Mountain! ⛄️🏔️
This trip was a great way for students to embrace new experiences with friends!

#NJCDC #TeenCenter #CompeteForLife #SnowTubing #WinterAdventures #CampgawMountain #campgaw

Construction begins at Westside Park—an NJCDC-led vision from 2017 is now coming to life for the community! Thanks to Paterson’s Mayor and Council and @newcityparks , rehabilitation work includes improved baseball and softball fields, new tennis courts, refurbished basketball courts, a new riverwalk and boat launch, as well as new sports lighting and security enhancements! @njcdc is proud to be part of this exciting project.
#patersonnj #communitydevelopment @cityofpatersonnj

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Support Our Work!

We at NJCDC are keenly aware of the challenging economic times. 92 cents of every dollar donated to NJCDC goes directly to programs which help families, teens, children and people with disabilities.

Make a Donation

A Pipeline of Services & Support

Latest News

Celebrating the Joy of Reading: NJCDC’s Annual Read Across America Event

Find Help and Hope at our Neighborhood Help Center

Westside Park Revitalization Begins

30th Anniversary Video

Happy 30th birthday, NJCDC! Learn more about our mission to create opportunities to transform lives in Paterson and its Great Falls Neighborhood.

Why We Focus on Paterson

Support Our Work!

​

Support Our Work!

Support
Our Work!