Local 5094 Members: Big Win – CARES Funding Restored at Rowan

We have a BIG win to report on for HPAE 5094!

At Rowan University, there is a program called the Child Abuse Research Education and Service (CARES) Institute. As you can imagine by the name, this program is beneficial to helping New Jersey’s children and communities.

The CARES Institute treats 2,000 abused children annually across seven counties by providing personalized medical and mental health care. It also has a program for child survivors of trafficking.

Because of Governor Mikie Sherrill’s proposed budget, this program was set to lose 1.85 million dollars, costing the CARES Institute one third of its jobs, closing one of two locations completely, and leaving an astronomical gap in children’s mental health services.

Good news- this program was RESTORED, saving many jobs and fostering the continuation of important research and treatment for children.

HPAE played a role in this by having lobby days where members and staff went to the Trenton Statehouse to advocate for this program. Our 5094 members were there fighting for justice and demanding funding be restored!

Lori Galiano, a HPAE 5094 member who works for the CARES Institute and played a role in the lobbying activities that led to this win, stated, “CARES was faced with the potential for the complete elimination of $1.85 million from the State Appropriations budget for FY 2027. HPAE was instrumental in advocating for that money to be reinstated into the budget for CARES. The advocacy work they did on behalf of CARES was very supportive to members like me, and the children and families served by CARES in South Jersey benefited greatly.”

In Unity,

HPAE Local 5094 Communications Committee