Looking Back at 2022

December 2022 | Issue 7

Celebrating 40 Years of NJ Citizen Action

Thank you for joining us throughout this year celebrating our 40th anniversary fighting for racial, social, and economic justice in New Jersey.

And a special thank you to our donors, supporters, allies, and partners who joined us for our 40th Anniversary Gala celebration on December 7th, and to countless others who have made the NJCA movement a reality.

Our work is only possible because of the support, friendship and collaborative hard work of so many!

See photos from the Gala

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Watch 40 Years of NJCA, a Retrospective:

See photos from our history

NJCA In Action

2022 Was Full of Hard Battles and Key Victories

Congress passed the landmark Inflation Reduction Act as advocated for by NJCA and our network of partner organizations.

NJCA Director of Policy and Advocacy Maura Collinsgru: "The Inflation Reduction Act is a historic victory for health care consumers and the planet. By passing this into law, President Biden and Congressional Democrats have beaten back special and corporate interests and delivered on their promise to do what is best for the American people."

Read our full statement

Tragically, SCOTUS overturned Roe v. Wade, putting the lives and bodily autonomy of millions of women and AFAB people at risk.

NJCA Executive Director Dena Mottola Jaborska:

"This decision will strip millions of Americans of the freedom to decide for themselves if, when and how to have children and start a family, a freedom that has been the law of the land for almost 50 years. Denying people this very personal decision will have dire health, economic and social consequences. At a time when healthcare, childcare, housing, and other essential services are already unaffordable for many, this will put even more strain on and increase poverty rates for American families."

Read our full statement

In July, the NJ Legislature passed a bill for EZ Enrollment in the state's healthcare marketplace.

Maura Collinsgru: "Establishing an automatic enrollment system for uninsured tax filers will help close the coverage gap and ensure more New Jerseyans have the coverage they need, especially working families who may not otherwise be aware of their coverage options or have the time to enroll."

A New Jersey Prescription Drug Affordability Board moved closer to becoming reality and lowering the exorbitant cost of medicine.

Watch a prescription drug affordability roundtable discussion here

Maura Collinsgru: "What we need is a prescription-drug affordability board, which brings transparency but also takes action, because time’s up, the momentum is here, the time is now.”

Click here to take action and tell legislators we need a PDAB

NJCA advanced legislation for a universal mental health program for all NJ high school students, called "SBIRT" (Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral to Treatment).

Robert Walder, Principal of Bordentown Regional High School, which hosted a pilot program, said youth drug use and mental health problems were already “increasing at alarming rates” before the pandemic, but have now reached “tragic levels.” He called the program “a lifeline for this troubling trend that threatens so many young lives.”

The Legislature advanced a bill to create more oversight of private education lenders and more protections for borrowers

Beverly Brown Ruggia, NJCA Financial Justice Program Director said "reforms are needed, and relief is overdue — especially for borrowers with private loans who were excluded from both loan relief during the COVID pandemic and the Biden administration’s recent student debt relief program."

NJCA sounded the alarm that residents are being trapped in extreme poverty by an insufficient safety net in the Work First NJ program

Renee Koubiadis, NJCA Anti-Poverty Program Director: "Lawmakers built the program with the goal of lifting families out of poverty through work, but it was influenced by harmful narratives that have permeated U.S. policymaking for more than a century.

It was based on ideas about families in deep poverty that have been around throughout our nation’s history, and it included a number of punitive measures that harm families, especially families of color."

NJCA continued our fight to end racial and economic discrimination in auto insurance premium rate setting

“Unfortunately, certain car insurance companies use education, occupation, employment status, homeownership status, marital status and credit scores. These factors have nothing to do with a person’s driving record and only serve to create a two-tier system that punishes the poor and working class New Jerseyans,” said Assemblywoman Annette Quijano (D-Union).

Click here to take action and tell legislators to end auto insurance discrimination

Want to do more? Become an NJCA Activist!

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Our Community

NJCA's Free Direct Services Continue to Grow and Support NJ Residents

In May, the State of NJ expanded health insurance special enrollment eligibility to include families with income under twice the federal poverty limit.

That's $25,760 annual income for an individual, and up to $53,000 for a family of four.

Open enrollment is happening right now, until January 31st. Anyone can sign up!

Contact NJCA for free assistance enrolling in health insurance

In October, New Jersey's paid sick leave law turned four years old!

The NJ Time to Care Coalition, convened by NJCA, is here to help you know your rights concerning what paid time off you are entitled to.

Click here to learn more and contact NJTTC for help

This year, NJCA launched a new tax assistance program for ITIN taxpayers

Click here for more information and to get help

Remember! The 2022 tax season is about to begin, and starting in January the NJCA tax filing assistance program and office will be open to any NJ residents with an annual income of $65k or less.

Click here for free tax filing help

Don't forget about our other free direct services!