About Us
Who We Are
The Salem Health and Wellness Foundation was founded in 2002 for the purpose of promoting the health and wellness of Salem County residents. Headquartered in Salem, the Foundation has made over $58 million in grants, contributions and scholarships to 68 organizations, all with the specific requirement that the funds address health problems in our county.
The Area We Serve
Salem County is New Jersey’s least densely populated county, with an estimated population of approximately 65,000 people. Located in southwestern New Jersey and bordered by Gloucester and Cumberland Counties, Salem County also is separated by the Delaware River from New Castle and Kent counties in neighboring Delaware. Approximately 42 percent of the county’s land is under “active farm cultivation.”
Areas of Interest
The foundation seeks to invest in nonprofit organizations providing services to Salem County that promote health and wellness, as defined by the Social Determinants of Health. Each grant we fund must have the greatest possible impact on improved health or wellness for individuals in Salem County.
The social determinants of health are the conditions in the environment where people are born, live, learn, work, play, and age that affect a wide range of health, functioning, and quality-of-life outcomes and risks. They can be grouped into five areas: economic stability, education access and quality, health care access and quality, neighborhood and built environment, and social and community context.
Social determinants of health (SDOH) have a major impact on people’s health, well-being, and quality of life. Examples of SDOH include:
- Safe housing, transportation, and neighborhoods
- Racism, discrimination, and violence
- Education, job opportunities, and income
- Access to nutritious foods and physical activity opportunities
- Polluted air and water
- Language and literacy skills
Board & Staff
Board of Trustees
- Ralph Thomas – Chair
- Anne Marie Healy Heardman – Vice Chair
- Kathleen Lockbaum – Treasurer
- Jeanette Jackson – Secretary
- Benjamin Griffith
- Stephen Krough
- Lynne Saunders
- Daniel Delaney
- Peggy White
Staff
- Paul DiLorenzo – Executive Director
- Emily Hernandez – Grants Administrator
- Karissa Pagan – Office Administrator
Mission
The Salem Health and Wellness Foundation’s mission is to invest in sustainable initiatives that improve the overall health and wellness of Salem County residents by providing grants and other support to organizations addressing those needs.
Vision
The Salem Health and Wellness Foundation will be the recognized leader in empowering organizations that service the health and wellness needs of Salem County residents. In partnership with those organizations, we will improve health equity and well-being outcomes of the community through the Foundation’s grants and organizational development opportunities.
Values
The basis for any strategy must be supported by a set of values that guide the institution and those who act on its behalf and steward its funds. These values will provide a touchstone for future leadership that should stand the test of time.
Honesty
We believe in being fair, balanced and honest in our interactions with the public and among ourselves. We are committed to using objectivity as a primary premise for our decision making.
Spirit/Passion for Philanthropy
We imbue all of our deliberations and actions with a spirit and passion for Philanthropy, and endeavor to encourage others to join us in this journey.
Impact Through Collaboration
We recognize that our community cannot thrive, nor can solutions be found to problems unless we form and encourage collaboration among those who can impact change. This value is coveted internally, among our staff and board members and externally among all stakeholders.
Knowledge
We lead with an unrelenting commitment to being a learning and knowledge sharing organization, scanning the field for new and best practices and innovative ways to solving problems, and bringing opportunities to our grantees. Our ear is to the ground, so we can stay current with the challenges and successes of service providers, practitioners and clients and seek their input so they can continue to deliver the highest quality service and access to their constituencies.
Commitment to Excellence
We endeavor to strive for excellence in all of our actions, business operations, stewardship of funds, relationships with stakeholders and nonprofit providers. We hold our grantees to the same standards by insisting they improve their capacities and reach for high performance. We evaluate ourselves and apply what we learn back to improve our practices.
Trusted Partner
We are thought of as a trusted partner and are known for funding quality programs.
Stewardship with Vision
We are mindful of the responsibility and obligation we have to ensure our funds are managed well not just by us but also by the nonprofits we support. With innovation comes risk and we balance each with a deliberative and data based approach.
Perpetuity
We value the ability of private philanthropy to serve a unique and ongoing role in our society. The Foundation diligently attends to preserving and enhancing its financial corpus in order to meet the challenges of the future as well as the present.