The two year, four-phase Community Heart & Soul model is a tried and true program to collect stories from our entire community. Gathering our collective voice and creating an action plan focused on what matters most will create stronger lasting change in Woodbury.
Transform South Jersey
Time for A Change
Woodbury is one of 6 towns in the South Jersey region granted $100,000 by the Community Foundation South Jersey to implement the Heart & Soul model. Collectively these 6 towns make up the Transform South Jersey network, which aims to strengthen the social, cultural and economic vibrancy of South Jersey communities.
We're Putting In
The Work
By actively seeking the community’s collective wisdom, including those who voices are often missing, Woodbury will become a stronger, healthier, and more economically vibrant place to live, work, learn, and play.
During this two-year process, the program will also dedicate resources to build new assets by creating a community endowment fund. This fund will dedicate wealth resources and direct investment into the Woodbury community for many years to come.
Our Program Coordinator
Kaitlin Rattigan, MA
Kaitlin (she/her) moved to Woodbury with her partner and two children in August of 2020 because of the incredible racial diversity of the City and the public schools, while having a small town community feel. Kaitlin brings 14 years of community organizing experience to the role. As an organizer, Kaitlin has worked to address various societal injustices ranging from LGBTQIA+ advocacy, to racial justice work, to gender equity, to most recently labor organizing for worker’s rights.
Kaitlin has 9 years experience working with nonprofits, particularly startup organizations and programs. As the first Community Builder for Take The Lead, Kaitlin built online communities and programs where women could connect and support one another to gain power and equity in the workforce. As the first Director of Student Working Professionals, Kaitlin spearheaded strategy, daily operations, marketing, communications, and program management for the South Jersey startup organization that helps students from various backgrounds, including those from the juvenile justice system and those with developmental disabilities, evolve into socially conscious leaders. And as the Program Manager of State Adolescent Services at AccessMatters, Kaitlin oversees a youth serving sexual health counseling and education program with a particular focus on supporting LGBTQIA+ youth.
Kaitlin has a Master’s degree in International Peace and Conflict Resolution, focusing on gender equity and nonprofit management.
Our Team
Over the next two years, the program’s leadership will roll out a foundation to engage the City’s neighborhoods and communities, collecting stories and holding public discussions about what matters most to them. While the program leadership will evolve over the course of the program, it will always highlight the City’s diversity, collective strengths, and commitment to partnership.
- Lola Alonge
- Mary Carter
- Susanne Ferrin
- Lita Prout
- Nailah Robinson
- Colleen Seebergh
- Cassidy Swanson
- Lola Alonge
- Mary Carter
- Susanne Ferrin
- Lita Prout
- Nailah Robinson
- Colleen Seebergh
- Cassidy Swanson
Sign Up For Event Alerts & Progress Updates
Phase 1
Overarching Goals
Create
Create an attractive process that the entire Woodbury community will want to support.
Use
Use comprehensive demographic & community data to identify the various neighborhoods that represent Woodbury.
Empower
Empower all neighborhoods to have a voice in the Heart & Soul process, especially those who are traditionally overlooked or disenfranchised.
Engage
Engage neighborhoods with empathy, openness, and curiosity to learn what makes Woodbury special.
Build
Build access and platforms for youth to develop community leadership skills.
Shape
Shape Woodbury’s future by discovering our shared sense of belonging and nurturing a shared sense of identity.
Make
Make Woodbury an incredibly attractive town – one where people want to live, visit and establish local businesses.
