The grants range from $50,000 for a commercial revitalization project on East State Street in Trenton to $15,000 for subsidized meals
PRINCETON -- The Princeton Area Community Foundation has awarded $539,000 in grants to 20 nonprofit organizations as part of its Greater Mercer Grants program.
The grants range from $50,000 for a commercial revitalization project on East State Street in Trenton to $15,000 for subsidized meals.
"It provides critical financial support to the bedrock institutions in our communities," said Carol Herring, the foundation's board chairwoman.
RELATED: Princeton Area Community Foundation awards $575K in grants
The Trenton Downtown Association, a first-time grantee, will use the $50,000 to help revitalize East State Street by re-engaging existing businesses, attracting new businesses, upgrading properties and putting up creative signs to highlight the changes.
The Community Loan Fund of New Jersey, which was awarded $25,000, will partner with the Housing and Community Development Network of New Jersey, Isles, Inc., Shiloh Community Development Corporation and Habitat for Humanity Trenton to address the city's 3,300 abandoned properties.
The groups will assess the city's housing market, then build strategies to reclaim and repurpose many of the properties in the hopes of reducing blight and adding to the tax rolls.
Trenton Mayor Eric Jackson said the foundation's grants would help rebuild the city from the inside out.
"I continue to believe that solutions to critical challenges in Trenton must deeply involve community leaders who appreciate the city and feel most connected to the people here," he said. "Financial resources will help these groups revitalize Trenton and improve the quality of life for our residents."
Another 13 nonprofits were given grants to address issues in the areas of education, homelessness, food insecurity, immigration and youth development.
- Anchor House, Inc. - $10,000 for outreach to LGBTQ homeless youth in Mercer County
- Center for Supportive Schools - $25,000 to continue its work with Campaign Connect-Mercer, an initiative that works with school districts to address students' social and emotional needs and accelerate student achievement
- Every Child Valued - $20,000 for its after-school program in Lawrence
- Latin American Legal Defense and Educational Fund - $25,000 for its Welcome House/Casa de Bienvenida Community Center in Trenton
- Meals on Wheels of Trenton/Ewing - $15,000 for subsidized meal programs in Trenton and Ewing
- Mercer Alliance to End Homelessness - $25,000 to support programming that addresses single homeless individuals in Mercer County
- Mercer Street Friends Center - $25,000 for hunger relief and prevention programs in Mercer County
- New Jersey SEEDS - $15,000 for its college preparatory program for Trenton Central High School students
- RISE/A Community Service Partnership - $25,000 for the Rise Summer Academic Enrichment Program in Hightstown
- Shiloh Community Development Corporation - $25,000 for the Children's Defense Fund - Freedom School Summer Program in Trenton
- The Citizens Campaign - $30,000 for the Trenton Civic Trust: From Actions to Sustainability, which trains and empowers Trenton residents to become advocates
- Trenton Community Music School - $25,000 to expand El Sistema-Trenton, a music instruction program
- Young Audiences of New Jersey & Eastern PA - $24,000 for Trenton Adopt-a-School Initiative to bring arts programming to Trenton public schools
Five organizations also received unrestricted grants to help them build and strengthen their capacity to better serve low-income families:
- Big Brothers Big Sisters of Mercer County - $35,000
- Crisis Ministry of Mercer County - $35,000
- Millhill Child & Family Development Corporation - $35,000
- Princeton Nursery School - $25,000
- UIH Family Partners - $45,000
The grants program is supported by the Harbourton Foundation and other charitable funds established by individuals and families.
For more information, visit pacf.org/give.
Cristina Rojas may be reached at crojas@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @CristinaRojasTT. Find The Times of Trenton on Facebook.