New Jersey Faith Communities Celebrate National Donor Sabbath, Highlighting the Gift of Life Through Organ and Tissue Donation
(New Providence, NJ) - Observed each November, National Donor Sabbath educates faith-based communities about the urgent need for organ and tissue donation, and the important role faith can play in the decision to register as a donor.
Across New Jersey, faith leaders and devoted followers from diverse religious traditions are actively raising awareness about organ and tissue donation and showing support for NJ Sharing Network’s lifesaving mission, offering hope to those awaiting organ and tissue transplants. According to the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS), more than 100,000 Americans — nearly 4,000 in New Jersey alone — are currently waiting for a lifesaving organ transplant. One organ and tissue donor can save up to eight lives and enhance the lives of more than 75 others.
“Faith traditions around the world teach compassion, generosity, and the importance of helping others. These values often guide individuals and families when they face the decision to donate organs and tissue,” said Carolyn M. Welsh, President and CEO, NJ Sharing Network, the federally designated nonprofit responsible for the recovery of donated organs and tissue in New Jersey. “Throughout the year—and especially during National Donor Sabbath—NJ Sharing Network partners with faith leaders and congregations to raise awareness and foster conversations about the gift of donation. We are grateful to our local faith communities for partnering with us to educate congregations, share personal stories, and inspire others to consider registering as donors.”
The following details ways to get involved in supporting NJ Sharing Network’s National Donor Sabbath activities:
Join the “A Matter of Faith” Campaign: On Sunday, November 23 at 12:30 p.m., share a short, impactful video on social media to raise awareness and show that acts of love and compassion transcend all faiths. Visit www.NJSharingNetwork.org/Donor-Sabbath and click the SHARE buttons to share the video on Facebook, X (Twitter), or LinkedIn.
Invite a Speaker: Ask your faith leader to speak about organ and tissue donation at an upcoming service—or request a speaker from NJ Sharing Network.
Start a Conversation: Encourage members of your congregation to talk with their families about registering as an organ and tissue donor.
Share Resources: Visit www.NJSharingNetwork.org/Donor-Sabbath for shareable flyers, videos, and social media graphics that make it easy to educate and inspire others.
Host a Display: Request an NJ Sharing Network table display for your place of worship to provide information and registration materials.
Spread the Word: Ask to include a short article about National Donor Sabbath in your house of worship’s newsletter, website, or bulletin.
Examples of local faith leaders and community members in New Jersey expressing their support for organ and tissue donation:
A Call to Give
For Rev. Dr. Danielle Brown, Senior Pastor of Shiloh Baptist Church in Plainfield, organ donation is a deeply personal issue. Her father, Harold L. Brown, received three lifesaving transplants, including a kidney transplant in 2005 and a combined liver-and-kidney transplant in 2008. Thanks to the generosity of organ donors and their families, Harold lived nearly two more decades, long enough to see his daughter answer her call to ministry and become the first woman elected pastor in her church’s history. That experience continues to shape how Rev. Dr. Brown speaks with her congregation about organ and tissue donation.
“There is nothing in our faith or in scripture that speaks against organ donation,” she says. “In fact, our belief calls us to share with one another. These earthly bodies don’t go with us to glory, but they can extend life for someone else.”
Rev. Dr. Brown explains that resistance to donation is rarely rooted in matters of faith, but instead in long-held cultural myths. Some fear that registering as a donor might jeopardize their care, while others carry deep mistrust about the medical system.
Faith in Action
Ted Taylor, Director of Spiritual Care and Volunteerism at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital Hamilton, has spent nearly two decades supporting families through some of life’s most challenging moments. His extensive training in hospital and hospice chaplaincy allows him to bring both compassion and clinical expertise, guiding families when they face decisions about organ and tissue donation.
“In those moments of grief, faith traditions can be a source of strength,” said Ted, who is a Recorded Minister in the Religious Society of Friends (aka Quakers). “Most religions uphold the value of saving lives, and that understanding often gives families peace in choosing to give the gift of life. Organ and tissue donation is often seen as an act of love and generosity - a way of passing life on.”
Ted has a close connection to the power of donation. His mother was a tissue donor at the age of 80, and, years ago, he attempted to donate a kidney to a close friend who ultimately passed away waiting for a transplant.
Guided by Faith
For Patti Jackson of Newark, faith and love guided her through the most devastating moment of her life—the loss of her 13-month-old daughter, Zoë Gina Jackson, in April 2011. Zoë’s life was tragically cut short in a car crash.
In the fog of grief, Patti was faced with a choice. She had always believed in organ donation, even as a child, and knew deep down that this was how Zoë could live on. Still, she turned to her father, Clement Jackson, a devout Muslim, for guidance. His words gave her peace.
“When my father got to the hospital, he told me he had sat down and prayed. He said, ‘We need to do something to help somebody else.’ He asked how I felt about organ donation, and I told him I had the same thought. Our entire family was on board,” said Patti.
Her father’s support reflected the heart of Islam’s teachings — that saving a life is one of the greatest gifts a person can give. Within the Muslim faith, organ and tissue donation is often viewed as an act of compassion and charity, honoring the belief that preserving life is a sacred duty. Zoë’s gifts saved three young lives: a 1-year-old received her liver, a 2-year-old her heart, and a 13-year-old dialysis patient her kidney. For Patti, the choice was both an act of faith and a way to carry Zoë’s spirit forward.
PHOTO : Ted Taylor, Director of Spiritual Care and Volunteerism at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital Hamilton (Photo Credit: Courtesy of NJ Sharing Network)
About NJ Sharing Network
NJ Sharing Network (NJSN) is a federally designated nonprofit organization committed to saving and enhancing lives through the recovery of donated organs and tissue. Headquartered in New Providence, NJ Sharing Network partners with 54 local hospitals to bring hope to nearly 4,000 New Jersey residents awaiting a lifesaving organ transplant, while also contributing to the national effort to support more than 100,000 individuals on the U.S. transplant waiting list. With over three million New Jerseyans registered as organ and tissue donors, NJ Sharing Network is recognized as one of the nation’s top-performing organ procurement organizations (OPOs). NJ Sharing Network was honored as NJBIZ’s 2024 Nonprofit Business of the Year and has been named one of New Jersey’s ‘Best Places to Work’ for eight consecutive years. To learn more, get involved, or register as an organ and tissue donor, visit www.NJSharingNetwork.org.