Happy Acendaversary!
Exactly one year ago, Acenda was announced to the world...and what a year it has been! Through hard work and the dedication of our leadership, three prominent behavioral health nonprofits—Robin's Nest, Cape Counseling, and NewPoint Behavioral Health Care—came together to define the next generation of integrated care in New Jersey.
With more than 100 programs serving over 21,000 children, families, and individuals each year, we have continued to evolve and innovate health and social service programs throughout New Jersey.
We are so proud of all that #TeamAcenda has accomplished over the past year—and we couldn’t have done it without the unwavering support of our passionate donors, community partners, volunteers, and you! You are an essential part of our Acenda family and together we are moving lives forward.
Here are some of our favorite memories from the past year:
July 1, 2019
- Acenda Integrated Health is revealed to our staff, clients, and the community at large.
- Our President & CEO, Dr. Anthony DiFabio, was named to South Jersey Biz’s “Power 50” list—honoring 50 of the most influential businessmen and women in the region.
August 2019
- Our annual backpack drive provided backpacks and school supplies to 699 children and teens served by Acenda.
September 2019
- First Lady of New Jersey, Tammy Murphy, and local elected officials visited Oceanside I and II Family Success Centers in Atlantic City. During her visit, she talked about the important role our services and maternal health programs play in the efforts to reduce maternal and infant mortality rates in the state.
October 2019
- The State of New Jersey awarded Acenda $2.6 million in funding to establish a regional partnership initiative in Atlantic, Cape May, and Ocean counties focused on the safety and stability of children whose parent(s) or caregiver(s) have substance use disorders.
- Melissa Fox, our Chief Operating Officer, was honored with the South Jersey Journal's "African American Leaders in Healthcare" award.
November 2019
- Acenda’s Parents as Teachers program gained their Blue-Ribbon Status.
- OceanFirst Foundation donated Thanksgiving bags filled with holiday dinner staples for our families.
December 2019
- The Mayor of Barnegat presented our Oasis Family Success Center with the “Key to the City.”
- Our Spirit of the Holidays annual initiative served over 1,500 children and families.
January 2020
- During our annual MLK, Jr., Day of Service with Gloucester County NAACP, volunteers prepared baby supplies bags and bags filled with food for 100+ families served by Acenda.
- We attended the Gloucester County Freeholder's Meeting to celebrate John Zukauskas' upcoming retirement. John, Acenda executive team member and former CEO of NewPoint Behavioral Health Care, was honored with a Proclamation for his 43 year commitment to bettering our communities.
February 2020
- We announced our incredible 2020 Circle of Impact Honorees from the Acenda community, including: Sam & Jean Jones - Distinguished Philanthropy Award; Barbara A. Wallace - Spirit of Community Award; South Jersey Dream Center - Excellence in Community Impact Award; - DeSimone Construction - Unwavering Commitment Award; Alexander Simonson - Emerging Leader Award; and Shirley Beleff - Altruism Award (Posthumous).
March 2020
- In the beginning of March our Keeping Families Together (KFT) staff created care packages for our families in preparation for the COVID-19 quarantine.
April 2020
- In the spirit of celebrating community and togetherness during this time of physical distancing, our Visitations teams showed their commitment to each other and the communities we serve with signs of encouragement. This is just one of many ways that our staff continue to warm our hearts and inspire us.
May 2020
- Thanks to a generous donation from the Moms Helping Moms Foundation, our Family Success Center and maternal health staff were able to pick up 16,000 diapers this week so that the families in our programs will be able to provide diapers to their little ones during this time!
- The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) awarded Acenda a $3.3 million Mental Health & Substance Abuse Service Grant to administer a Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic (CCBHC).
June 2020
- Our Oceanside I, Oceanside II, and Orchards Family Success Centers received a PHL COVID-19 Fund grant. With this community support, they were able to provide food and essential items to individuals and families within their communities.