The Princeton Area Community Foundation celebrated Community Foundation Week and National Philanthropy Day with a panel discussion about impactful giving and the needs in the Greater Mercer County region.

Here are seven take-aways from the discussion that featured panelists, Marygrace Billek, Community Foundation Trustee, Chair of the Community Foundation’s Committee on Impact, and retired Director of Human Services for Mercer County, Greg Paulson, CEO of the Trenton Health Team, Lynne Toye, the Executive Director of the New Jersey Arts & Culture Renewal Fund and Marcia Shackelford, Chief Philanthropy Officer at the Community Foundation.

  1. More than 10 percent of Mercer County’s over 380,000 residents live in poverty, and in some of our communities, that percentage is much higher. For example, in Trenton, it’s about 26 percent.
  2. Our region is in the middle of a terrible housing crisis, as a result of the pandemic. Some 150 families are currently living in hotels and motels in the county. In 2015, that number was zero.
  3. Many people need access to healthcare, but there are other factors that impact healthy living, including living wages, safe and affordable housing, quality education and access to healthy food.
  4. Many arts organizations are offering comprehensive services to young people – far beyond arts education, including providing after-school care, transportation, meals, and college and career readiness programs.
  5. During the pandemic, there was a tremendous amount of charitable and government support available, but many organizations are now facing a COVID cliff: the needs are greater than ever before, but there is less funding available.
  6. Unrestricted donations are the most valuable type of support to give. It allows nonprofits to fund their most strategic needs, be nimble if needs change and be innovative.
  7. The community needs are great, and nonprofits in our region are working effectively to meet those needs. To learn more about how you can support them, reach out to our Philanthropic Services team at 609.219.1800.