Since 1994, New Jersey Community Development Corporation (NJCDC) has worked to strengthen children, families, and neighborhoods in the City of Paterson. While NJCDC provides services city-wide, our heart is a 95-block area known as the Great Falls Neighborhood, centered around one of New Jersey’s most extraordinary natural landmarks. Our shared goal is simple but powerful: that all 8,000 children who live in or attend school in this neighborhood graduate from high school ready for college, a career, and a fulfilling life.

​

I founded NJCDC in 1994 with my friend Rob Long, starting with just two staff members and an AmeriCorps national service program. From the beginning, the work has been guided by a belief in Paterson’s potential and the idea that meaningful change happens when people invest in communities for the long term. Over the years, NJCDC has grown steadily — adapting to challenges, responding to emerging needs, and deepening its commitment to the families we serve.

​

Today, NJCDC reaches more than 4,000 children and families every day through a coordinated set of programs that support education, housing stability, economic opportunity, and neighborhood revitalization. Together with our partners and supporters, this work includes:

​

• The creation of more than 200 affordable and service-enriched housing units that help families and individuals build stability and remain rooted in their community

• A cradle-to-career continuum of educational and youth development programs, with students going on to colleges that include Yale, Harvard, UPenn, Stanford, and Rutgers

• The Great Falls Youth Center, offering hundreds of young people each year a safe, welcoming place to learn, grow, prepare for college, and simply be kids

• The founding and ongoing support of the Community Charter School of Paterson, educating 900 students in grades K–8 within a culture of high expectations and opportunity

• Financial empowerment and family support through the Paterson Financial Empowerment Center and NJCDC’s Neighborhood Help Center

• The development of more than 15 parks and playgrounds, and current work to rehabilitate Paterson’s historic Westside Park, designed by the Olmsted Brothers

 

None of this work happens alone. NJCDC’s impact is the result of strong partnerships — with residents, public agencies, philanthropic institutions, volunteers, and donors who believe in Paterson and invest in its future. Looking ahead, we are excited to continue expanding affordable housing, strengthening youth opportunities, and advancing new projects such as an arts center and other initiatives that will serve Paterson for generations to come.

​

As we continue this work, I invite you to explore our website and learn more about NJCDC’s programs and initiatives. I also encourage you to sign up for our newsletter to stay connected. Thank you for your interest in NJCDC — and for being part of the community that makes this work possible.