The Garden State Leaders Program

Applications for the 2023 program will be available here in June.

2019 Garden State Leaders at the NJ State House with NJ Assemblyman Andrew Zwicker.

The Garden State Leaders is a free leadership and advocacy training program for NJ residents with lived experience of homelessness and poverty. Throughout the program, participants learn to effectively tell their stories and further their advocacy goals. Each session focuses on different topics such as understanding how the legislative process works in NJ, opportunities to make a difference on the local government level in your community, working with the media, and many more.

The knowledge and skills built and connections made, help participants take on influential roles on issues pertinent to their lives. Graduates are also connected regularly to a range of advocacy opportunities in-line with their interests and experiences.

For questions or more information, please reach out to:

Kate Leahy: kleahy@njceh.org

Program Highlights:

Learn how to advocate and tell your own story to effect change on public policies that matter to you
Work closely with other advocates and key non-profit leaders throughout the state.
Interact with local and state government officials
Develop strategies and techniques for working with the media
Free to participate

Testimonials from our Garden State Leaders:

“Excellent program! Highly recommend to any advocate. Most helpful program I have ever been involved in. Knowledge is very empowering and I feel blessed to share my experience to advocate and help others. Thank you all!"

"This program changed me tremendously. Advocating and serving others has become my life's purpose. I reached another chance for change and as fate would have it made the right choice. I know I can be a good advocate. It comes from somewhere deep inside us. Thank you for allowing me the opportunity and the experience."

"The Garden State Leaders Program has had such a positive influence in my life in so many ways. I have always felt that I had potential, I was just completely in doubt as to what I felt confident in applying it to. I knew I had an important personal story based on my life experiences that many people identified with and respected. However, I was not educated on how to present my story in a manner for which it could be utilized as a resource tool of effectiveness. The Garden State Leaders Program has broadened my horizons. I am grateful, and honored to be an alumni of the program. Ihave already started using the lessons and skilled trades learned in the program to engage with members of my local community."