Transforming the Children’s Home Society of New Jersey’s Online Presence

Since its inception in 1894, The Children’s Home Society of New Jersey (CHSofNJ) has been on a mission to save children’s lives and build healthy families. Over the recent years, CHSofNJ has expanded the services they offer significantly, necessitating a comprehensive website overhaul.

The primary challenge was to revamp the information architecture and streamline wayfinding. The Children’s Home Society of New Jersey provides an array of services, so simplifying content categorization was crucial for individuals seeking assistance. Recognizing that a substantial portion of their audience primarily used mobile devices, mobile accessibility was non-negotiable. Furthermore, CHSofNJ serves a diverse community, so language accessibility was a must.

Considering the small size of the organization and their practice of self-publishing and website management, user-friendliness was paramount. The website needed to be easily updatable, allowing CHSofNJ to create new pages and edit existing content effortlessly.

Finally, the website had to serve the goals of the organization by:

• Highlighting The Children’s Home Society of New Jersey’s tangible contributions to the community, sharing their impact and achievements.
• Attracting potential supporters and donors who support CHSofNJ’s mission.
• Drawing in volunteers and employees who share the organization’s vision.

At D2 Creative, we hold a deep appreciation for the vital work that nonprofits like CHSofNJ undertake, and we were eager to give back. Recognizing their need for a digital upgrade, we stepped in to provide a holistic redesign of their website at a reduced rate.

We began by reorganizing and simplifying the structure of their content to improve navigation and present their services and programs in a straightforward manner. Then, once a visitor landed on a particular service page, we designed each page to link out to related services, allowing users to learn more and find what they need faster. We created dedicated sections on important pages and in the top navigation menu to spotlight CHSofNJ’s achievements, encourage donor engagement, and attract volunteers and employees. We also integrated responsive design principles to ensure the website was accessible and user-friendly across various devices, particularly on mobile. To address the language diversity of their audience, we implemented a translation plug-in that expanded the website’s reach to four additional languages. And, because the new design had a clean and intuitive interface, it was easier for the CHSofNJ team to manage and update the website.

The revamped CHSofNJ website has reinvigorated their online presence, enabling users to navigate their diverse array of services with ease. It looks great on both a desktop and mobile device, with a streamlined menu that allows users to find what they need easier and faster. The website is also accessible in multiple languages, making it inclusive for their diverse community.

We provided training to the CHSofNJ team, allowing them to easily create, update, and maintain web content as needed to keep the site up-to-date.

As a result of these improvements to the website, The Children’s Home Society of New Jersey is better positioned to fulfill its mission and engage with its community, attracting partners, donors, and talent.