neighbors
5 Things To Know About
Leeta Jordan
Volunteerism continues to reward this publicpolicy advocateand lawyer
WRITTENBYCINDY SCHWEICH HANDLER
1
2 3
4 5
Leeta Jordan has held positions in the New York City Mayor ’ s Office , working on Medicaid Managed Care and Drug Abuse Policy , and served as aspecial advisor in the city ’ s Department of Health and Mental Hygiene . When she moved to Montclair in 2002 , she left the city behind , but not the need to help others . Since then , she ’ s put her skills and commitment to use at anumber of nonprofits , chief among them the Montclair Scholarship Fund , which awards scholarships to college-bound Montclair High School seniors with financial need .
HER ADVERTISING JOB WAS GLAMOROUS , BUT SHE PREFERRED HER AFTER-HOURS VOLUNTEER WORK . At Smith College , Jordan volunteered for a battered women ’ s shelter and an organization that helped refugees who had escaped the Khmer Rouge regime . When she moved to New York City , she worked for an advertising agency with low pay and great perks , and continued to volunteer after work and on weekends . “ I found volunteering more rewarding ,” she says . “ I figured if I ’ m not going to make any money , I should at least be doing something to help society , and not selling toothpaste !”
HER BIGGEST REWARD WORKING FOR THE CITY OF NEW YORK WAS HELPING WOMEN . Jordan recalls visiting a residential drug treatment center that her department had helped fund . “ Drug-addicted women who have their children are one of the most underserved populations in terms of drug treatment ,” she says .
ACHRIS ROCK JOKELED HER ANDHER HUSBAND TO MONTCLAIR . After living in New York City for 13 years , Jordan was reluctant to move to New Jersey , but felt that as part of an interracial couple , the family ’ s choices were limited . After spending a year looking in the suburbs of New York City , the couple heard aChris Rock joke about how , if you were part of an interracial couple , Montclair was the place to live . “ I finally agreed to come to New Jersey and accept the fact that I would have a car with a New Jersey license plate on it ,” she says with a laugh .
DURING HER TIME ON THE MSF BOARD , ONE- QUARTER OF EACH GRADUATING CLASS HAS APPLIED FOR A SCHOLARSHIP . Jordan and three other board members interview 100 applicants . She also maintains data on recipients , in the hope that they ’ ll become future donors .
SHE IS COMMITTED TO GETTING THE WORD OUT ABOUTMSF ’ S MISSION . “ Every year we have to turn away students who need money to go to college because our fundraising efforts do not match the need ,” she says . “ I think many people in Montclair do not realize the great financial need of our students .” ■
COURTESY OF TONY TURNER PHOTOGRAPHY
22 MAY 2018 MONTCLAIR MAGAZINE