Bernadette Blackstock

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Bernadette Blackstock is Founder, CEO and President of the People for People Foundation. People for People helps normally self-sufficient families who have fallen on hard times. Today People for People has helped over 19,000 individuals and families through her efforts.

Bernadette was the Charter President of the Mullica Hill Rotary Club and served as President of the Glassboro Rotary Club. She has served as an Assistant Governor for District 7640 for four years, District Secretary for three years and three years on the District Finance Committee, and a Paul Harris Fellow.

In 2010 People for People served as the lead agency of the Heart of South Jersey, a collaborative of other non-profits working together under Bernadette’s leadership to help struggling families. Bernadette developed the on-line HEART RESOURCE DIRECTORY that is used throughout South Jersey by the public and other help agencies.   

In 2014 Bernadette was selected by Rotary International and the White House as a “Women of Action.” She was chosen as one of only ten women nationally to receive this award at the White House for not only her work with Rotary, but for all of her other community work. In March 2015 she was again chosen to be honored as one of only eight “Outstanding Rotarian Women Internationally” for “International Women’s Day” celebrated around the world by its 1.2 million members.

Bernadette is a trained Veteran Service Officer working as a volunteer at the Gloucester County Veterans Affairs office specializing in women’s issues. Bernadette is also a US Department of Veteran Affairs General Council “Accredited Claims Agent” allowing her to represent veterans before the VA Court of Appeals in Washington D.C. She is the founder of the Wreaths of Remembrance project that laid over 13,000 wreaths on the graves of our veterans in South Jersey over the past 10 years and co-founder of the Annual South Jersey Vets Picnic drawing several hundred every year.

She spearheaded “Camp Salute” an affordable housing development for low to moderate income veterans and their families.  Camp Salute is a 76 unit apartment development in Clayton with 19 units for disabled veterans, 5 homeless vets and the balance of units with a veteran preference. Bernadette heads up the South Jersey Veteran Resource Center which is located at Camp Salute and offers programs for Professional, Personal and Creative Development of Veteran and their families. 

Other Awards: Rotary District Service Above Self Award

  • President’s Call to Action Life Time Achievement award for over 8000 volunteer hours
  • Honorary Life Time Member of the South Jersey Vietnam Veteran Association
  • Business Person of the Year by the Gloucester County Chamber of Commerce
  • Awarded the Founders Cup by the Greater Woodbury Chamber
  • Community Service and Leadership Award from Kitchen of Hope
  • Twice named a Women of Distinction in Gloucester County
  • 2019 Boy Scouts Garden State Council Distinguished Citizen Award
  • And numerous awards and certificates from government officials and bodies.

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