Trenton nonprofit Mercer Street Friends' executive director to retire on June 3.
TRENTON -- The Mercer Street Friends Board of Directors on Tuesday announced the resignation of its executive director, Dr. Shannon Mason, effective in June.
Mason, who served 13 years with the nonprofit and three as executive director, is leaving June 3 to focus more on her pastoral work. Mason is a pastor at New and Living Way Ministries in Trenton, the board said in a statement.
Dr. Shannon MasonThe statement said in addition to focusing on her church work, Mason wants to get involved with other organizations to "help energize and transform" them as she did for Mercer Street Friends - a Trenton-based nonprofit working toward ending poverty.
"We are deeply sorry to lose Dr. Mason's dynamic leadership but we are grateful that she has accomplished the demanding goals set for her," Mercer Street Friends Board of Directors Chair Bob Anderson said.
In particular, we are grateful and proud that Dr. Mason has led Mercer Street Friends in a major expansion of our efforts to bridge opportunity gaps and help families and communities make the journey out of poverty," Anderson continued.
Anderson said Mason helped branch the nonprofit's efforts out into Trenton schools as well.
"We are now providing integrated support services at the Rivera Community Middle School so that students can focus on learning and teachers on teaching," he said.
Anderson said these efforts led to the awarding of a $2.27 million federal grant to Mercer Street Friends.
"In addition, Dr. Mason has stabilized agency finances while maintaining the full range and quality of our services," Anderson said. "That is quite a legacy for Dr. Mason and a solid foundation for her successor."
The release stated that Mason contributed to the nonprofit's community schools initiative, Food Bank, full-year preschool, Trenton Digital Initiative, West Ward Alliance and "leading role its Parenting and Adult Education programs have in delivering trauma-informed care."
The board has hired a law firm to assist in finding a replacement for Mason, the statement said.
Lindsay Rittenhouse may be reached at lrittenhouse@njadvancemedia.com. Find NJ.com on Facebook.