NJ Italian Heritage Commission

08/27/2026

- New Jersey Italian Heritage Commission to Showcase Comprehensive K–12 Italian Heritage Curriculum at 2026 NJEA Convention!

📚🍎 Educators invited to visit NJIHC at Booth #1485 on November 5–6 at the Atlantic City Convention Center

Learn more: https://www.njitalianheritage.org/new-jersey-italian-heritage-commission-to-showcase-comprehensive-k-12-italian-heritage-curriculum-at-2026-njea-convention/

08/22/2026

🇮🇹 You’re Invited! 🇺🇸

Join the New Jersey Italian Heritage Commission for our Annual Congress on Saturday, October 24, 2026, at the Rutgers University College Avenue Student Center.

This year’s theme—“Celebrating the 250th Anniversary of American Independence: The Italian Influence & Legacy”—will highlight the profound contributions of Italians and Italian Americans to the founding and development of the United States.

The morning will bring together distinguished leaders from government, education, and cultural institutions for meaningful dialogue, educational presentations, and special recognition of the Commission’s anniversary and continued commitment to education and cultural preservation.

📅 Saturday, October 24, 2026
📍 Rutgers University College Avenue Student Center
🎟️ Register today: https://bit.ly/4wnBJX1
🚗 Parking registration: https://parkingbase.com/c/rutgers/d/3676664?eventId=a4513ec4-1b74-4acc-9804-20aca5136b10

We hope you will join us for this important celebration of history, heritage, education, and legacy!

08/20/2026

📚🇮🇹 Bring Italian Heritage Education to Your School District!

The New Jersey Italian Heritage Commission (NJIHC) is available to present to school districts, educators, administrators, and community organizations about the New Jersey Italian Heritage Curriculum and the educational resources available to support K–12 learning.

Our presentations highlight the rich history, culture, and lasting contributions of Italians and Italian Americans while providing educators with standards-aligned curriculum, lesson plans, and classroom resources designed to foster inclusive, factual, and engaging instruction.

Whether you’re planning a professional development session, faculty meeting, curriculum discussion, or community education program, we’d love to connect with you.

To schedule a presentation or learn more, please contact:

Margaret Fontana
Executive Director
New Jersey Italian Heritage Commission
[email protected]

Together, we can help inspire the next generation through education, history, and cultural understanding.

08/17/2026

Happy ! 🇺🇸 🇮🇹

Today, we celebrate the important role nonprofit organizations play in strengthening our communities and creating lasting impact.

The New Jersey Italian Heritage Commission is proud to advance educational outreach throughout the State of New Jersey by providing educators, students, and communities with resources and programs that preserve, promote, and teach Italian and Italian American history, heritage, and contributions.

Your support helps us expand our educational programs, reach more schools and educators, develop new resources, and ensure that this important history continues to be shared with future generations.

Support NJIHC’s educational outreach programs by making a donation today.

Every contribution helps us continue our mission across New Jersey.

🇮🇹 Donate. Educate. Preserve. Inspire.

https://www.njitalianheritage.org/charitable-donation/

🌟Our mission is only possible because of those who believe in preserving history through education. 🇮🇹📚

The New Jersey Italian Heritage Commission is dedicated to promoting and preserving Italian and Italian American heritage through innovative educational programs, curriculum development, teacher resources, student initiatives, and cultural outreach across New Jersey.

Your support directly helps us expand educational opportunities, develop new resources, and ensure future generations understand the lasting contributions of Italians and Italian Americans to our state’s and nation’s history.

Every contribution—large or small—helps us continue this important work.

❤️ Help preserve our heritage. Invest in education. Inspire the next generation.

Please consider making a tax-deductible donation today. Together, we can ensure this legacy lives on.

🔗 Donate today by visiting the link below or contacting us to learn how you can support the Commission.

https://www.njitalianheritage.org/charitable-donation/

08/15/2026

Via The National Italian American Foundation (NIAF)

🇮🇹 Buon Ferragosto! 🇮🇹

Ferragosto takes its name from the Latin "Feriae Augusti," a period of rest declared by Emperor Augustus in 18 B.C. following the summer harvest. The holiday was part of a broader set of celebrations Augustus introduced to mark the end of the agricultural season, giving laborers and farmers a stretch of rest after months of work in the fields. Over time, the observance spread beyond Rome and became a fixture across the Italian calendar. The Catholic Church later folded the Feast of the Assumption into the same date.

For generations, Ferragosto meant a full month away: Italians closed shop in early August and headed to the beach, the mountains, or the countryside, leaving cities nearly empty. Modern life has shortened the tradition, but August 15 still stands as Italy's unofficial peak of summer and a national holiday.

Take a page from the Italian playbook today. Step away from work, gather with family or friends, and make the most of these final weeks of summer.

🇮🇹 Buon Ferragosto! 🇮🇹

Ferragosto takes its name from the Latin "Feriae Augusti," a period of rest declared by Emperor Augustus in 18 B.C. following the summer harvest. The holiday was part of a broader set of celebrations Augustus introduced to mark the end of the agricultural season, giving laborers and farmers a stretch of rest after months of work in the fields. Over time, the observance spread beyond Rome and became a fixture across the Italian calendar. The Catholic Church later folded the Feast of the Assumption into the same date.

For generations, Ferragosto meant a full month away: Italians closed shop in early August and headed to the beach, the mountains, or the countryside, leaving cities nearly empty. Modern life has shortened the tradition, but August 15 still stands as Italy's unofficial peak of summer and a national holiday.

Take a page from the Italian playbook today. Step away from work, gather with family or friends, and make the most of these final weeks of summer.

Buon Ferragosto from the National Italian American Foundation!

08/07/2026

🌟Our mission is only possible because of those who believe in preserving history through education. 🇮🇹📚

The New Jersey Italian Heritage Commission is dedicated to promoting and preserving Italian and Italian American heritage through innovative educational programs, curriculum development, teacher resources, student initiatives, and cultural outreach across New Jersey.

Your support directly helps us expand educational opportunities, develop new resources, and ensure future generations understand the lasting contributions of Italians and Italian Americans to our state’s and nation’s history.

Every contribution—large or small—helps us continue this important work.

❤️ Help preserve our heritage. Invest in education. Inspire the next generation.

Please consider making a tax-deductible donation today. Together, we can ensure this legacy lives on.

🔗 Donate today by visiting the link below or contacting us to learn how you can support the Commission.

https://www.njitalianheritage.org/charitable-donation/

08/04/2026

🇮🇹🇺🇸The New Jersey Italian Heritage Commission (NJIHC) proudly announces the theme of its 2026 Annual Congress, to be held on Saturday, October 24, 2026, at the Rutgers University Student Center on College Avenue in New Brunswick.

This year’s Congress will center on the theme, “Celebrating the 250th of American Independence: The Italian Influence & Legacy,” highlighting the profound impact of Italian and Italian American individuals, ideas, and cultural traditions on the founding and continued development of the United States.

The 2026 gathering will be especially meaningful as the Commission also commemorates the anniversary of its founding, marking over two decades of leadership in advancing education, preserving heritage, and promoting accurate, inclusive narratives of Italian and Italian American contributions in New Jersey and beyond.

The Annual Congress will convene educators, scholars, students, public officials, and community leaders for a dynamic morning of programming, including panel discussions, educational presentations, and cultural reflections aligned with the 250th anniversary of American independence. The event will also feature a special anniversary celebration, with distinguished guest speakers and dignitaries expected to participate in honoring the Commission’s legacy and future vision.

Learn more: NJItalianheritage.org

07/30/2026

Via Italian American Association of the Township of Ocean 🇮🇹🇺🇸

07/27/2026

🌟Did you know nearly 1.5 million New Jersey residents claim Italian ancestry making New Jersey one of the most Italian-American states in the nation? 🇮🇹🇺🇸

Our heritage is woven into the fabric of this state, and the New Jersey Italian Heritage Commission is proud to help preserve and promote that legacy through public educational programs and free K–12 curriculum resources for educators and students.

We invite educators, students, and lifelong learners to engage with our educational resources to help advance a deeper understanding of the enduring contributions of Italians and Italian Americans. 📚🇮🇹🇺🇸

Learn more: https://bit.ly/NJIHCLessons