Mackenzie Heffernan

I am Mackenzie Heffernan, a graduate of Rutgers University-New Brunswick with a Bachelors Degree in Geography and Associates Degree in International Studies at the County College of Morris. I am using my spatial understanding skills in order to analyze and create solutions for global, social and environmental issues. With each experience, I learn from culturally diverse communities through hands-on interactions in international development. I am extremely passionate about health and fitness and continue to help others maintain a healthy lifestyle by teaching fitness classes and working with like-minded organizations.

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Currently, I am serving as an AmeriCorps VISTA with nonprofit St. Croix Foundation for Community Development in the USVI.  Previously, I was assigned to work solely for the nonprofit St. Croix Montessori School in their new Edible Schoolyard Project. The school requested assistance through AmeriCorps and St. Croix Foundation on creating the outdoor classroom to get their students hands in the dirt and more locally grown produce on their plates. Beginning in November of 2021, we secured over $75,000 of funding for the garden creation and other related activities, events and training. As VISTA, I have applied and received the St. Croix Foundation Sprint to Excellence Relief Education Grant, Kids Gardening Youth Garden Grant, Sodexo Stop Hunger Grant, and VI Lottery Grant on behalf of St. Croix Montessori School. The goal is for the garden to be an ongoing learning tool for the students and also school community with help from parent and local volunteers.

Since then, I have switched roles to be assisting St. Croix Foundation directly as VISTA support team member. In this position I am responsible in reaching out to leaders of the Nonprofit Consortium in creating Case for Support documents, as well as finding sustainable solutions for their mission. Additionally, I am researching grant and funding opportunities aligning with the missions of the organizations that the Foundation supports and for their own projects towards community resilience. As requests occur, I am ready to support any team member in a project they need help with, such as organizing a messy database, clarifying relevant contact information and event volunteer recruitment. As a grant-making organization, we are unique in our geography and organization, breaking the rules of traditional philanthropy, and bringing the community we serve exactly what they need.