About

Our Mission

The Warren County Parks Foundation engages the public to support the protection, improvement, and enjoyment of over 2,000 acres of parks, trails, and open spaces held by the County of Warren.

We are the only charitable nonprofit organization whose sole mission is to directly support the protection, enhancement, use and enjoyment of Warren County’s park system. We do this through a combination of volunteerism, fundraising, conservation, and education. We raise funds for, and support volunteers with, various conservation, maintenance, and improvement projects throughout the county. We also connect residents and visitors with the county’s natural and historic resources through various outreach, engagement, and education programs. By fostering partnerships with governments, businesses, nonprofits, and individuals, we further our mission by strengthening community support for sustaining the county’s parks for future generations.

Formed in 2015, the Warren County Parks Foundation is the only charitable nonprofit organization whose sole mission is to directly support the protection, enhancement, accessibility, use, and enjoyment the County’s parks through volunteerism, fundraising, conservation, education, partnerships, and an enduring commitment to the future of Warren County’s parks.

Overseen by the Board of Chosen Freeholders, the Board of Recreation Commissioners is responsible for managing the County’s parks. Volunteers from the Parks Foundation assist with maintaining trails and other special projects at the request of the County.

Vision Statement

The Foundation aims to connect residents, visitors, and stakeholders with the County’s natural and historic resources through outreach, education, and engagement. Outreach includes building public awareness of the county parks, their natural and historic significance, their environmental, health, and economic benefits, as well as the various opportunities they provide for outdoor recreation, historic interpretation, education, leisure, and entertainment.

In addition, outreach includes informing Foundation members, volunteers, and the general public about past, current, and future projects via multimedia platforms such as print, radio, email, and social networks.

Our History

The Warren County Parks Foundation was established in 2015 by a group of dedicated volunteers and civic leaders. While they foresaw how our community would benefit from developing a first-class county park system, they recognized this could only be realized with the assistance of a grass-roots community organization. As message of its mission spread, individuals throughout the county enthusiastically threw their support behind the Foundation and the organization quickly grew. And in 2016, the Board of Trustees designated the organization a 501c3 not-for-profit corporation with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). Since its inception, the Warren County Parks Foundation has invested thousands of dollars and volunteer hours towards enriching the park experience for all visitors.

Our Values

We adhere to the following core values as we seek to accomplish our mission and achieve our vision:

Leadership & Fellowship

We believe that leadership is about serving others. This requires bringing people together, inspiring them to do great things, encouraging their best efforts, and valuing the contributions that they make to our organization. Our mission is best served by collaborating closely with our local communities, government agencies, nonprofits, and generous supporters. Through such cooperative endeavors, we hope to create friendships among individuals and strengthen our sense of shared community.

Philanthropy & Volunteerism

We believe private investment is critical to supporting Warren County’s parks. Whether donating money or time, the generous giving by our supporters for the common good is what makes all the difference. By helping to make life better for other people, those who give are our superheroes.

Community & Advocacy

We believe that parks bring communities together by providing spaces which foster connections between all people, making their lives happier, healthier, and more fulfilling. We respect, value, and celebrate the unique attributes, characteristics, and perspectives that make each person who they are. Bringing diverse individuals together not only enables us to be more creative in addressing challenges, but it also helps to ensure that we are advocating on behalf the entire community.

Fiscal Responsibility & Transparency

We believe in carefully managing our resources, creating a fiscally sound and enduring organization, and investing in innovative projects, programs, and initiatives which further our mission. We carefully monitor our resources, evaluate our performance, and clearly communicate how we are prudently advancing our mission.

Sustainability & Resiliency

We strive to sustain our natural and cultural treasures for future generations. Through education, conservation, and restoration, our efforts aim to environmentally and culturally resilient community.

Your Parks

The Warren County Parks Foundation supports the Warren County Parks system, which currently comprises 10 parks spanning over 2,000 acres and is growing.
Parks improve our lives by returning physical, mental, social, environmental, and economic benefits to the community.

• Parks enable people who live nearby to be more physically active and healthier.
• Parks help improve people’s mental health and quality of life by reducing stress, alleviating anxiety and depression, and increasing happiness.
• Parks provide gathering places for families and social groups, as well as for individuals of all ages and economic status.
• Parks help improve water quality and air quality, increase in biodiversity and habitat protection, and reduce greenhouse gases.
• Parks create economic benefits for communities by increasing values of nearby properties, attracting visitors, creating jobs, and spurring recreational spending.