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Suffolk’s Hero Kids Foundation has partnered with the USS New Jersey in a program called “Connecting the New Jerseys” that bridges the gap between the submarine and the state — something Hero Kids Founder John Raniowski said has turned into a “beautiful relationship.”

The partnership started a little over a year ago and facilitates a connection between the kids of the USS New Jersey and students at Valley View Elementary in New Jersey. 

The kids interact as virtual pen pals, where the Valley View kids will film a video asking questions and the USS New Jersey kids will answer questions in another video. They also exchanged cards and gift baskets.

“I think it’s fantastic that one, there’s an organization like Hero Kids that can help relate the kids of the military families back to … the civilian people’s children” said Commanding Officer of the USS New Jersey Ronald Simmons Jr. “So our ability to participate in that and then welcoming us in and us being able to work together has been fantastic.”

Incoming Family Readiness Group President Rebecca Zuckerman agreed, saying it’s rare to find an organization that focuses on the whole family, and not just the active duty service person.

Dana Nitzsche helped facilitate the program in New Jersey with her third grade class at Valley View Elementary and said the students were visibly impacted by speaking with the USS New Jersey kids.

She said they ask questions about how it feels to have a parent gone for long periods, how they cope when they miss a parent, what kinds of activities they do with their families before or after a parent leaves, and general questions about what a job on a submarine is like.

“Just that connection and perspective and awareness, it was like, that moment where the kids were like, oh my gosh, that’s crazy, that happened,” Nitzsche said.

Raniowski said one of the most profound things he witnessed during the program is to hear how much these young kids understand what their parents do for a living.

“It was surreal to hear these kids talking as if they were ready to, you know, get on the boat themselves and do the job,” he said. “And to see the response from the kids in New Jersey to these kids speaking like that was really impacting for me.”

Both Raniowski and Nitzsche hope this will be a partnership that continues to grow, and may be used as inspiration for other military vessels to seek a similar kind of connection.

“It allows a community that doesn’t have a clue, that is served by this family sacrifice, as well as allow these kids an opportunity to tell their true story to a community that doesn’t ever get to hear it,” Raniowski.