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BlueClaws Charities, New Jersey Natural Gas Hand Out Four Scholarships As Part of Meduas de Jersey Shore Initiative

June 7, 2023

JERSEY SHORE, NJ - New Jersey Natural Gas, in conjunction with BlueClaws Charities, presented four scholarships to graduating Hispanic high school seniors from around the Jersey Shore before a sold out crowd on Friday night at ShoreTown Ballpark.

JERSEY SHORE, NJ - New Jersey Natural Gas, in conjunction with BlueClaws Charities, presented four scholarships to graduating Hispanic high school seniors from around the Jersey Shore before a sold out crowd on Friday night at ShoreTown Ballpark.

The four winners were: Kiara Castera (Keansburg High School), Mia Esposito (Manalapan High School), Giovanna Rivera (Manalapan High School), and Erik Sanchez (Long Branch High School & the Monmouth County Career Center).

The scholarships were handed out in conjunction with the first Medusas de Jersey Shore game of the season. The BlueClaws become the Medusas de Jersey Shore at three games across the summer as part of a Minor League Baseball initiative called "Copa de la Diversión." This season-long event series is specifically designed to embrace the culture and values that resonate most with participating teams' local U.S. Hispanic/Latino communities.

“New Jersey Natural Gas is committed to sustainable communities and has several education programs to support students in our service territory," said Maria Diaz, director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion at New Jersey Resources. "We are thrilled to come alongside the BlueClaws Charities to award these scholarships to help advance their educational opportunities.”

Applicants submitted an essay describing their goals and why they felt they were deserving of the scholarship, along with letters of recommendation from community leaders.

"We received a series of tremendous applications from students around the Jersey Shore and are proud to select these four as our winners," said Jim McNamara, executive director of BlueClaws Charities. "We congratulate our winners and wish them the best as they move on to college to continue their education later this year."

The BlueClaws will become the Medusas de Jersey Shore on two more occasions this year: Thursday, July 27th and Thursday, August 17th. At these games, the BlueClaws wear special jerseys to become the Medusas de Jersey Shore. There are also food and drink specials, music, and the team celebrates the best of Hispanic culture and heritage.

About BlueClaws Charities

BlueClaws Charities is the official 501c3 organization of the Jersey Shore BlueClaws. BlueClaws Charities raises funds throughout the year at ShoreTown Ballpark, via a nightly 50-50, jersey auctions, through special online raffles, and through fundraising events. Money is distributed via an end-of-season grant program. In 2022, the organization handed out grants to 40 non-profit organizations.

About New Jersey Natural Gas

New Jersey Resources (NYSE: NJR) is a Fortune 1000 company that, through its subsidiaries, provides safe and reliable natural gas and clean energy services, including transportation, distribution, asset management and home services. NJR and its more than 1,300 employees are committed to helping customers save energy and money by promoting conservation and encouraging efficiency through Conserve to Preserve® and initiatives such as The SAVEGREEN Project® and The Sunlight Advantage®. For more information about NJR, visit NJResources.com.

-Jersey Shore BlueClaws / New Jersey Natural Gas-