Caring Contact awarded $20,000 grant from Atlantic Health Overlook Medical Center Community Advisory
Jersey Desk/10330873

WESTFIELD, N.J. - JerseyDesk -- Caring Contact.org today announced it has received a $20,000 Community Health Grant from Atlantic Health Overlook Medical Center Community Advisory Board to support its Dynamic Listener (DL) Program, a critical component of the organization's 988 Crisis Care and Connection initiative. The funding will support one paid Dynamic Listener, expanding Caring Contact's capacity to answer calls to the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, ensuring that individuals experiencing emotional distress receive timely, compassionate, and skilled support when they need it most.

"This grant is a powerful reflection of Atlantic Health Overlook Medical Center's commitment to community‑based mental health care," says Mary Claire Givelber, Executive Director, Caring Contact. "With this support, we can continue to ensure that people in crisis are met with empathy, dignity, and skilled listening—sometimes at the very moment that helps them choose to stay safe and move forward."

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Atlantic Health Overlook Medical Center is committed to building healthier communities beyond care delivered in its hospitals, physician offices and facilities. Through its Community Advisory Board, Community Health Advisory Committee, and Community Health Department, working with the Atlantic Health Planning Department, the hospital identified priority health needs using robust data analysis and a community stakeholder survey.

In Spring 2026, the Community Advisory Board awarded grants to 19 organizations proposing initiatives that address one or more priority health needs.

Callers to Caring Contact via 988 consistently report decreased anxiety and a renewed sense of connection after reaching out for support. As one Caller shared, "You have recharged my spirit. I'm going to keep up the fight!" This quote comes from a young man, a first-time caller to 988, who was struggling with suicidal thoughts due to his wife's health issues and the resulting impact to their finances. After time with one of Caring Contact's Dynamic Listeners, he was able to calm, identify his love for his wife as a reason to stay safe, and create a safety plan—ready to move forward.

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Experiences like this reflect the powerful impact of compassionate, human-centered listening—helping individuals feel heard, supported, and less overwhelmed during moments of emotional distress.

"We are honored to help support the Dynamic Listener (DL) Program, a critical component of Caring Contact's 988 Crisis Care and Connection initiative," said Frank Macioce , chair of the Atlantic Health Overlook Medical Center Community Advisory Board. "By working together with organizations like Caring Contact, we can make a true impact for the better in the lives of our community members."

Visit Caring Contact | An award-winning caring and crisis hotline (https://caringcontact.org/)

Pictured: Tim Hicks, COO Atlantic Health Overlook Medical Center, Angelica Cardenas Galindo, Atlantic Health Overlook Medical Center, Mary Claire Givelber, Executive Director, Caring Contact, Lee Zuber, Board Member, Caring Contact