The Northern New Jersey Council (NNJC), Boy Scouts of America was formed in January 1999 as a joint venture between the independent councils of Bergen, Essex, Hudson and Passaic counties. The merger was part of an effort to better serve the Scouting communities encompassed in these areas.

Offering effective character development, lessons in citizenship and personal fitness training for youth, NNJC serves a diverse membership of over 15,000 young people and families, with the support of over 4,000 community volunteers. Research indicates that youth who participate in high value after-school programs, like Scouting, have better outcomes than those who do not. Scouting enriches the entire family with activities and services that support family togetherness, provide career readiness, and encourage learning new skills together.

The pandemic has challenged NNJC to reimagine youth programming, especially in under-served communities. Over the last year, NNJC quickly pivoted to a virtual program model, serving more than 1,000 youth through a variety of virtual experiences, including summer and winter camps, STEM labs and on-going unit meetings.

The success of virtual programming has inspired a plan to develop a hybrid learning experience that allows youth to participate both virtually and in person, while providing the resources to succeed. Funds from The Provident Bank Foundation are assisting these efforts to benefit youth from urban communities to reach their full potential and become future leaders, specifically supporting NNJC’s Scoutreach and STEM Scout initiatives in Hudson County.

NNJC expects to deliver programs to over 500 Hudson County youth who would not otherwise have the means to participate. Scoutreach and STEM Scout participants receive Scouting literature, advancement-related activities, supplies, uniforms, camping equipment, transportation and more — all at little or no cost to families.

NNJC will continue to offer high-value, educational programming for young people in need and offer initiatives that encourage diversity while supporting the needs of New Jersey communities.