N.J. highlights Age Friendly Blueprint, details 38 grantees and technical support

The New Jersey Department of Human Services on Friday presented progress from its Age Friendly Blueprint and described a grant program supporting communities to plan and pilot projects for older residents.

"Now is the time to reframe and desigmatize aging," Commissioner Sarah Edelman said in opening remarks, praising the advisory council and partners who helped develop the blueprint after Governor Phil Murphy signed Executive Order 27 on March 2, 2021, establishing the Age Friendly Advisory Council within DHS.

Melissa Chalker, deputy division director for the Division of Aging Services, outlined the sequence of work that led to the blueprint—s publication in May 2024 and then to the grant program the department funded with American Rescue Plan funds. Hunter Maine of the Division of Aging Services summarized the blueprint—s structure: a demographic profile and 76 recommendations organized into six priority areas including housing, transportation, health, socialization, employment and communications.

DHS said the grant program funded two types of awards: community planning grants (up to $70,000) intended to support community needs assessments and action plans, and project grants (up to $100,000) to implement initiatives aligned with blueprint recommendations. The department announced a first set of awards on March 24, 2025, and reported an additional round of community grants on Sept. 30, bringing the total to 38 grantees, DHS and Rutgers presenters said.

Rebecca Martin, administrative program manager at the Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy at Rutgers, described how Rutgers will provide technical assistance and capacity building to grantees, including quarterly one-on-one support for project grantees, group support for community planning grantees, and at least eight webinars during the grant period.

Speakers highlighted grantee work that illustrates the program—s aims. Joanne Cuatro of the Morris County Organization for Hispanic Affairs described a socialization initiative in Dover that used culturally familiar meals, door-to-door outreach to residents who did not attend events, volunteer mobilization and activities such as a seniors—prom to reduce isolation. "We focus on socialization for seniors," Cuatro said.

Ellen Healy of the Borough of Leonia said the town has formed a 12-person advisory committee, is completing a community needs assessment with Montclair State University, and used a small AARP microgrant to run home-safety events and in-home safety assessments. "The grant has enabled us to do so many things," Healy said, noting Leonia—s effort to reach non-English speakers and older Korean residents.

Emily Greenfield of the Rutgers Hub for Aging Collaboration announced a baseline report released to the public 48 hours earlier that maps grantee locations, summarizes early community assessment findings, and provides case examples to guide other communities.

DHS said grantees represent a range of municipalities, counties and nonprofit organizations across New Jersey and noted that projects vary in scale and focus so the blueprint remains a guide communities can adapt to local needs.