Edison, NJ (May 10, 2017) – The Provident Bank Foundation (PBF) has announced Junior Achievement of New Jersey (JANJ) in Edison, N.J. as the recipient of the Foundation’s 2017 $50,000 Signature Grant in the Community Enrichment funding priority area.

JANJ was selected for the Signature Grant for its work in the Youth Leadership Development focus area, and funding will specifically be used toward its High School Heroes initiative, a no-cost educational solution that meets state academic standards for both elementary and high school students from predominantly under-served communities including those in Middlesex County.

“We wanted to provide funding to a non-profit organization whose mission is to prepare youth and teens for the challenges of adolescence and adulthood, which JANJ does through High School Heroes” said Jane Kurek, Executive Director, The Provident Bank Foundation. “Junior Achievement of New Jersey empowers New Jersey’s underserved youth populations with skills to succeed, through activities and experiences that develop social, ethical, emotional, physical, and cognitive competencies, which in turn makes these individuals larger contributing members of society.”

The goal of the funding is to train 146 promising students to be High School Heroes who will deliver JA's money management, entrepreneurship, and career readiness curriculum. The course will be implemented in 73 kindergarten through fifth grade classrooms, and actively engage 1,600 elementary school students from their communities. By the end of the 2017-2018 school year, JA will have provided nearly 7,000 instructional/educational contact hours for program execution.

“On behalf of the JA New Jersey team and Board, I am honored to share our appreciation and express our sincere gratitude to the Provident Bank Foundation for this major gift. The Foundation’s $50,000 contribution is truly a lifetime investment in the young people’s lives that will experience JA as a result of their generosity. The JA High School Heroes Initiative is one of our state’s premier service-learning programs and in high demand. In order to remain a no-cost educational solution for NJ’s schools, JA relies on the support of our business community and dedicated partners like the Provident Bank Foundation to ensure these impactful programs become realities in their school districts,” explains Catherine Milone, President, Junior Achievement of New Jersey.

JANJ works to inspire and prepare young people in grades K-12 to succeed in a global economy through real world relationships with business, government, and education partners that can help them develop the financial literacy, entrepreneurial, and employability skills needed to succeed in the 21st century. Their innovative hands-on curriculum -- provided at no cost to schools, students, and their families -- emphasizes real world learning, and motivates youth to achieve by connecting them with corporate and community role models committed to investing in their future.

For more information on PBF, visit www.theprovidentbankfoundation.org or call (862) 260-3990.

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About The Provident Bank Foundation

The Provident Bank Foundation was established in 2003 by Provident Bank to enhance the quality of life in the region through support of not-for-profit groups, institutions, schools and other 501(c)(3) organizations that provide services in communities served by the Bank. Since inception, the Foundation has granted more than $22 million to not-for-profit organizations and institutions working toward stronger communities. For more information about The Provident Bank Foundation, visit www.theprovidentbankfoundation.org or call (862) 260-3990.

About Junior Achievement of New Jersey Junior Achievement of New Jersey, an award-winning, best in class JA operation recently moved its headquarters and Capstone programs into a 22,000 sq. ft. facility, a former fitness center, in Raritan Center, Edison, NJ. The nearly 100 year-old non-profit is a free educational resource dedicated to giving young people in grades kindergarten through twelve, the knowledge and skills they need to own their economic success and plan for their futures.  JA’s experiential learning programs are delivered by corporate and community volunteers, including High School Heroes, as part of a statewide service-learning program.  JA’s programs primarily focus on three key areas: money management, work readiness, and entrepreneurship.  More than 68,000 students in more than 76 school districts across the state will experience JA during the 2016-2017 school year. For more information, visit us at www.janj.org.