In 1979, a group of seven concerned individuals, made a commitment to make the lives of the children housed at the Thelma Vaughn Memorial Home better. With fundraising efforts that began by having small social gatherings and asking patrons to make small donations by purchasing food & drinks- The Barbados Charitable Organization of New Jersey was born. Two of the founding members are still members today- Jeanette Edghill and Dorothy Layne.

We have grown by leaps and bounds since that time and are now a group of twenty five members, whose commitment remains the same- to make a difference in the lives of those that are in need anywhere in the world. Among those countries that we have given to, are Barbados, Grenada, Jamaica, Dominica and Africa. We have made contributions to both local and national efforts including the United Negro College Fund, Toys for Tots, Meals on Wheels as well as providing assistance to senior citizen programs. Our contributions to Barbados have been focused mainly in the area of health care. In 1999, a dialysis machine was presented to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital. In 2007, we presented 4 ventilator machines to the neo natal unit. Upon touring the dialysis ward there was great pride when we realized that the hospital now has 23 of the machines that we had originally presented.

Another focus of the organization is to recognize those individuals within our communities that have made a difference whether by community involvement, teaching, nursing or otherwise. These individuals are recognized at our annual pre-independence dance in November; the winners are known as Individuals of Distinction.

In September of 2007, we changed our name to the Barbados-American Charitable Organization of NJ, Inc., and also became a 5013C non-profit group. This allows us to focus more on our youth and our scholarship drives. At our annual spring fundraiser, we made a donation to the South Orange Maplewood Soccer Academy (SOMSA) led by Dr. Patrick Anderson to assist with the purchase of uniforms. This group works tirelessly to help guide our young people and give them hope and options. We look forward to a long and beneficial alliance with this group.

We currently have three main fundraising efforts a year- the spring fundraiser on Memorial Sunday, the scholarship barbecue in the summer and the pre-independence dance in November. Due to the tireless efforts of our members and the continued support of our patrons, these events allow us to make a difference and stay committed to the causes that are near and dear to us.

Our motto “together we aspire, together we achieve” echoes not only our convictions and commitment but also our beliefs.