The Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation is moving its headquarters from Morristown to Newark.
Thursday was Dodge’s last day at the Morristown Parking Authority building at 14 Maple Ave., where it has been headquartered since the green facility opened in 2008.
The foundation’s new home is the Fidelco Realty Group’s 550 Broad St. building in Newark’s Harriet Tubman Square.
The move aligns with a recent shift in the foundation’s focus, from its traditional support of the arts, the environment, the Morristown area and communications, to social equity issues.
“Amid our transition to Newark, the Dodge Foundation remains dedicated to investing resources in and empowering communities across New Jersey to thrive,” Tanuja M. Dehne, president & CEO of the Dodge Foundation, said in a statement this week.
“In our 50th year, we look forward to joining the Newark community and embarking on this new chapter in our journey toward a just and equitable New Jersey.”
Geraldine Rockefeller Dodge’s commitment to the Morristown area will continue to be honored with “The Fund for a Just and Equitable Morris County,” which will be operated by the Community Foundation of New Jersey in Morris Township, according to the Dodge Foundation.
“The Fund for a Just and Equitable Morris County will provide support to organizations in the county working towards the overall vibrancy of the region and will prioritize nonprofit organizations that intentionally serve and support historically underrepresented communities in Morris County,” said the Dodge statement.
It was the Dodge Foundation’s input that made 14 Maple Ave. an environmental showcase, with geothermal wells, an air-cleansing biowall, and a green roof, among other features. In 2011, the building received LEED Certification at the Gold Level from the U.S. Green Building Council.
The Dodge Foundation says more than 60 percent of its grants now go towards “supporting organizations and leaders addressing the root causes and repair of structural racism and inequity in the state.”
“It is an honor to have been chosen as the Foundation’s new home – and how fitting that their office overlooking Harriet Tubman Square will be energized by the hero’s fierce commitment to the conditions that cause freedom,” Newark Mayor Ras J. Baraka said in a statement.
“Newark thanks the Dodge Foundation for its impact on countless lives, and we stand ready to move forward in lockstep through the next 50 years,” Baraka said.
Since its founding in 1974, the Dodge Foundation has awarded more than $500 million in grants and support to New Jersey nonprofits.
Dodge’s longtime neighbors at 14 Maple have included the parking authority, The Seeing Eye Inc., Morris Arts and the Morristown Partnership.
Jennifer Wehring, executive director of the Partnership, said Dodge’s “invaluable funding and guidance have played a pivotal role” in launching planning, sustainability and historic preservation initiatives for the town.
“The Morristown Partnership expresses deep gratitude for the Foundation’s leadership and steadfast support of special projects that have positively impacted the Morristown community,” Wehring said.
“As Tanuja Dehne and the entire Dodge Foundation team embark on new ventures, the Morristown Partnership extends heartfelt wishes for their continued impact,” she said.
“Over the last 15-plus years, we enjoyed a terrific landlord-tenant relationship,” added Nicole Fox, executive director of the parking authority, who now is marketing two floors with lots of sunshine, purified air and prime views of Morristown.
Is this loss of rental income reason for monthly TWENTY DOLLAR INCREASE on parking permits?