Sandy Shevack, from Patterson, is the founder and Director of the Juvenile Education and Awareness Project (JEAP) an organization that teaches teenagers construction skills while renovating dilapidated city building some of which are turned into affordable housing for low-income families. In 1983 with a grant from the foundation, Sandy started volunteering his time to teach carpentry skills to Passaic youths during the day while working the night shift with the Patterson Fire Department EMS. In 1998, JEAP purchased a large historic building in the blighted northside section of Patterson and with local youths working under Sandy’s direction, the rehab was completed in 1991 and today it houses the New World Preschool, also founded by Sandy, which has provided hundreds of Patterson students with a successful transition to public school.

Shevack has renovated buildings in Passaic and Paterson – providing 15 affordable housing units as well as space for two preschools and the Bella Chanel Mentoring Program for young women. Rental income from the properties create sustainability, helping to underwrite much-needed youth empowerment initiatives. Through Shevack’s leadership, 11 human rights themed murals grace the Paterson-Passaic community as well. A 12th mural, “Girls Changing Our World,” is in the planning stages. It will feature Emma Gonzalez, Simone Biles, Malala Yousafzai and Greta Thunberg. In addition, Shevack secured grant funding to build a children’s playground at Kidz University Preschool in nearby Garfield.”

His organization began sponsoring the Bella Chanel Mentoring Program to empower 25 girls, ages 7-14, in Passaic in 2016. He obtained a grant from the Community Based Violence Intervention Program of the NJ Office of the Attorney General in 2022 and 2023 to service 240 youths in Passaic and Paterson.