The grant provides support for the construction of an administration building
Oak Ridge, N.J. – Sept. 16, 2019 – Lakeland Bank is pleased to announce it has awarded a $10,000 Community Impact Grant to Northern New Jersey Veterans Memorial Cemetery (NNJVMC) to help fund the construction of an Administration Building on the cemetery grounds located in Sparta, N.J.
“The NNJ Veterans Memorial Cemetery offers a fitting final resting place for veterans residing in Sussex County and the surrounding region and we are honored to provide funding to support this special burial facility for our veterans and their families,” said Thomas Shara, President and CEO of Lakeland Bank.
The development of NNJVMC was the culmination of years of work by a group of veterans who had a vision to create a dignified place where family and friends could visit their deceased loved ones without having to travel hundreds of miles to a national, state or county cemetery. The cemetery officially opened in November 2015 and is owned, operated, and licensed to a group of dedicated Veterans whom receive no compensation. The first phase will hold 1,500 graves, but the fully developed burial facility will hold approximately 16,000 graves. The 66-acre land parcel was donated by Sussex County and donations of time and materials from companies and individuals have been contributed toward the development of the cemetery. The state of NJ requires a percentage of all plot sales and opening fees go into a Maintenance and Preservation Fund for the perpetual care of the cemetery. Since opening, there have been over 225 burials.
“With the donation from Lakeland Bank, we are able to continue to improve our Cemetery for our veterans and make it a place that the community can be proud of,” said John Harrigan, founder of the Northern New Jersey Veterans Memorial Cemetery.
The Grant will provide funds to help with the construction of the administration building. The structure will contain an area to serve as a space to hold services in the case of inclement weather, and will also have space for an office, restrooms, and a kitchen. More information about NNJVMC is available at: www.nnjveteransmemorialcemetery.org.
About the Grant Process
The purpose of the Bank’s Community Impact Grant Program is to make investments directly in eligible nonprofit organizations whose primary mission is to provide services that impact the environment, social, physical and/or mental well-being of the individuals, families, and communities within the Bank’s assessment areas. The program is non-competitive and with no public solicitations for applications. Prospective recipients and their programs are nominated for consideration for a grant based upon an internal nomination process designed specifically for this program.
About Lakeland Bank
Lakeland Bank is the wholly-owned subsidiary of Lakeland Bancorp, Inc. (NASDAQ:LBAI), which has over $6 billion in total assets. With an extensive branch network and commercial lending centers throughout New Jersey and Highland Mills, N.Y., the Bank offers business and retail banking products and services. Business services include commercial loans and lines of credit, commercial real estate loans, loans for healthcare services, asset based lending, equipment financing, small business loans and lines, and cash management services. Consumer services include online and mobile banking, home equity loans and lines, mortgage options and wealth management solutions. Lakeland is proud to be recognized as one of America’s Best-In-State Banks by Forbes and Statista, rated a 5-Star Bank by Bauer Financial and named one of New Jersey’s 50 Fastest Growing Companies by NJBIZ. Visit LakelandBank.com for more information.