Princeton Area Community Foundation Awards $2.4 Million in Community Impact Grants

The Princeton Area Community Foundation has awarded $2.4 million in Community Impact Grants to more than 50 local nonprofits working to address community needs, including education and workforce development, food security homelessness, and mental health.

“We are grateful to our nonprofit partners for their tireless commitment to the region’s neighbors and communities,” said Nelida Valentin, Community Foundation Vice President of Grants and Programs. “As we work to deepen our focus on strengthening the philanthropic impact we can make, we hope these grants provide meaningful support and encourage greater collaboration and partnerships, so that everyone can thrive.”

The Burke Foundation and J&J have partnered with the Community Foundation to provide Community Impact Grants, which support local nonprofits to improve the lives of people living in poverty in the Greater Mercer County region. The grants are also funded by generous contributions from local donors who want to make an impact in our region.

The Community Foundation helps connect people to the causes they care about most. Since its founding, the Community Foundation has awarded more than $200 million in funding, including more than $90 million in the Greater Mercer region, through its various types of grants, including the Community Impact Grants program.

This round of funding marks the first time two-year grants have been awarded through the Community Impact Grants program. Multi-year grants are important because they help organizations anticipate financial needs and plan future budgets.

In addition to these grants, earlier this year the Community Foundation awarded $500,000 to more than two dozen nonprofits for summer initiatives through the Community Impact Grants Fund.

The 2024 Community Impact Grantee partners:

Community / Capacity Building

Hearts and Homes Ministries, Cranbury, $10,000 in operating support for the organization whose volunteers refurbish donated, gently used furniture for families in need. The nonprofit provides turn-key home installations, doorstep deliveries, and emergency essential kits for its clients, who live at or below 150% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines.
New Jersey Future, Trenton, $50,000, a two-year grant for its Reconnecting Trenton Families to the Waterfront for Healthier Communities initiative. Urban renewal, redlining, and auto-centrism created Route 29, a high-speed freeway that separated the community from the river and destroyed neighborhoods. The program aims to convert the highway to a safer, healthier, and more beneficial boulevard while expanding the park system and economic opportunity.
NonProfitConnect, Hamilton, $150,000, a two-year grant for operating support for the organization, which provides governance training for new board members and leadership training for nonprofit staff.
RISE, Hightstown, $50,000, for its Beyond Basics: Rise Empowering Community Members program; the grant will help fund an on-site case manager at its food pantry to address clients’ needs; the organization plans to transform its food pantry into a vital community support hub.
Center for Modern Aging in Princeton, $38,200 for its Expansion of Diversity/Equity/Inclusion/Belonging & Combatting Ageism work; the project aims to grow its organizational knowledge and capacity in diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB) and to programmatically expand its reach among non-English speaking older adults and older adults from the LGBTQIA+ community. This initiative will also combat ageism through innovative intergenerational programs.
The KinderSmile Foundation, Trenton, a 2-year $80,000 grant for its Oral Health Program 2.0. The organization hopes to expand its reach, partner with additional schools, and collect and analyze oral health data.
Trenton Circus Squad, a 2-year $100,000 grant for operating support; the nonprofit plans to partner with local organizations to offer afterschool and summer programs at no cost to attendees. Coaches are former program participants who serve as mentors. Students receive support services, along with employment and educational preparation. The Circus often provides transportation and meals and sometimes offers programs at partner locations.
YWCA of Princeton, $35,000 in operating support that the Y plans to use to support technology upgrades, including new computers and databases.
Mill Hill Child and Family Development Corporation, Trenton, $60,000 for its Creating Access to Limitless Possibilities initiative; The program empowers youth to thrive through programs, including a mentoring program and a summer camp.

Education / Workforce Development

Boys & Girls Clubs of Mercer County, based in Trenton and Lawrence, $37,000, for its After School Program for students ages 5- to 18-years-old; the program offers homework assistance, literacy support, STEM activities, health and wellness programs and social-emotional learning.
HomeFront, Lawrence, $50,000, for its HIRE EXPECTATIONS: The Path to Self-Sufficiency program; the organization helps individuals overcome educational, employment or other barriers hindering their progress toward self-sufficiency.
HomeWorks Trenton, $68,000, for its Building Identity-Driven Leaders, One Girl at a Time program; the residential program for high school students helps girls thrive through its academic curriculum and projects that emphasize social-emotional and identity growth, leadership, justice and civic learning.
James R. Halsey Foundation of the Arts, Hamilton, $50,000 in operating support for the nonprofit to increase the number of students in its film and arts media program. The initiative offers young people a chance to learn valuable skills, and it also addresses academic and mental health needs.
Playhouse Artists, New Hope, Pa., $20,000 for its Youth Education Programs, including BOUNCE, a 10-week in-school residency program focusing on arts education for students in the Morrisville School District. It will also help fund Student Matinee Performances at the Playhouse.
Princeton Nursery School, a 2-year $85,000 grant to help the school implement its 3-year strategic plan that calls for an expansion of its educational programming for low- to moderate-income adults, staff, and the local community, fundraising for sustainability, and communications to stakeholders. The operating support will allow the school to fund teacher salaries and its meal and enrichment programs, while implementing the strategic plan without dramatic impacts on its operating budget.
The Father Center of New Jersey, Trenton, $50,000 for its Skills2Prosper program, which provides education and job training for under-served individuals; hands-on training will also be provided in partnership with select employers.
The Workwell Partnership, Lawrence, $30,000 for operating support; WorkWell will use the funding to create more opportunities for career development and continue to meet social service needs; it will include assistance with additional online job searches, focused job applications, educational connections, and case management support after graduation.
Capital Harmony Works, Hamilton, $25,000, for operating support for its tuition-free, El Sistema-inspired music education program for students in grades PreK-12. It includes an after-school orchestra and chorus, in-school music residencies for preschools, no-cost music summer camps, weekly one-on-one academic support services for after-school students, and concerts across the city, state, and region.
Catholic Youth Organization (CYO), Trenton $15,500 for its Broad Trenton Center Bleachers Replacement Project; its gym/community room bleachers were considered top-of-the line when they were installed in 1964, but now need frequent repairs and safety upgrades. The new bleachers will have a center aisle with intermediate steps, self-storing aisle/end rails, and electric operation.
Dress for Success Central New Jersey, Lawrence, $25,000, for its Latina Empowerment Program, a mobile, bilingual workforce development program that helps Latinas enter the workforce and college through workshops on financial literacy, networking, conducting job searches, writing resumes and effective interviewing.
Every Child Valued, Lawrence, $44,500 in operating support; the organization plans to use the grant to help fund its breakfast program and after-school program, which provides academic enrichment, homework assistance and social-emotional learning lessons for K-6 students who primarily live in Eggerts Crossing Village. The organization also plans to increase programming for middle and high school students.
Girl Scouts of Central and Southern New Jersey, Hamilton, $23,400, for The Girl Scout STEM Experience, which delivers real world, hands-on learning STEM programming to Trenton girls in grades K-12.
HISPA, Trenton, $34,700, HISPA Role Model Programs for Underserved Latino Students in Trenton & Hamilton; the program will unite local Latino professionals with predominantly underserved Latino students from PACE Charter School, Arthur J. Holland, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and Grace Dunn middle schools to introduce them to college and career opportunities.
Isles, Trenton, $111,370, for its Youth Institute: Education and Workforce Development Program for young people ages 16- to 24-year-olds who are disengaged from school and career pathways. It combines academic instruction, skills development and job preparedness education in specific career fields and leadership development, life skills, and community service activities.
Latin American Legal Defense and Education Fund (LALDEF), Trenton, $60,000 for operating support, which the organization plans to use for its two key programs: immigration legal services and community outreach/education. Its legal team works to ensure that low-income immigrants know their rights and can navigate legal systems leading to permanent status in the U.S. Its community outreach and education programs include adult education, client advocacy and high-impact youth mentoring.
Literacy New Jersey Mercer County, Hamilton, a 2-year $10,000 grant for operating support; the organization provides no-cost one-to-one tutoring and small group instruction in basic skills/GED preparation, English as a Second Language, U.S. citizenship preparation, digital skills, and a 14-week job readiness course.
Princeton-Blairstown Center, $15,000, for its Venture Out environmental education initiative. The high-quality, 30-hour residential program, offered at no charge to Trenton middle school students, includes inquiry-based, hands-on environmental education and social-emotional learning sessions to help students engage more deeply with science.
Stretto Youth Chamber Orchestra, based in Trenton and Princeton, $25,000, for its Trinity Strings’ Commitment to Equity; its immersive musical experiences are focused on removing barriers to inclusion, particularly for low-income families. Funding will support scholarships, instruments, and staff training for high school/college-age students.
Trenton Literacy Movement, a 2-year $25,000 grant for its afterschool reading program in Trenton elementary schools; Classes, taught by certified teachers, are held twice each week and provide an additional 30% of reading instruction beyond the weekly in-school instruction.
We Make Autism at Work, Pennington, $30,000, for operating support of the nonprofit, which includes a vocational training program that allows high school graduates diagnosed with autism the chance to experience real life industry best practices, production demands and overall workplace expectations within a professional and safe environment.
Young Audiences Arts for Learning NJ & Eastern Pa., Princeton, a 2-year $100,000 grant to deliver the Arts Impact Initiative at five Trenton schools; At each partner school, program development is community-driven and utilizes a collaborative planning process with educators, artists, and YA staff to design a suite of programs that meet school, classroom, and student learning needs.

Food Security

America’s Grow-a-Row, Pittstown, $20,000 for its Fresh Produce Initiative, which serves low- to moderate-income residents who are suffering from hunger and related health issues. The organization grows and rescues fresh produce to donate to families in need, educates people from underserved communities about preparing healthy meals on a tight budget, and engages thousands of volunteers to help harvest crops.
Hopewell Valley YMCA, a 2-year $50,000 for its Mobile Food Pantry, created as a joint initiative by Hopewell Township, Hopewell Borough, Pennington Borough, the HV Regional School District, and the HVYMCA at the beginning of the pandemic. The volunteer-run organization provides groceries and fresh produce to local families experiencing food-insecurity. It served an average of 195 families each week in September 2024, a 47% increase over the same period last year.
Jewish Family & Children’s Service of Greater Mercer County, Princeton, $50,000, for its Brick and Mortar and Mobile Food Pantries; during a 12-month period, the organization distributed 16,135 bags of healthy groceries – 2,362 onsite and 13,773 from the mobile pantry via 392 distribution stops.
Meals on Wheels of Mercer County, Ewing, $25,000, for operating support of the organization that delivers hot, nutritious, and medically tailored meals to more than 300 homebound and food insecure seniors daily. The program also addresses and eases social isolation.
Mercer Street Friends, Trenton, a 2-year $61,000 grant for its Family Resource Specialist: Supporting Food Access and Beyond; the specialist will provide case management services to Community School families, as an extension of the organization’s school-based pantries. That work would include connecting families to support & services, including basic needs, housing, legal, and mental and physical health support. While directly serving families, the specialist would ultimately support the Community School staff and students by helping bridge significant gaps to achievement.
Mount Carmel Guild of Trenton, $25,000, for its Community Support Program, which assists households who need basic care services that alleviate food insecurity and the threat of homelessness. The Guild provides food and other necessities, offers homelessness prevention financial assistance and conducts educational outreach focused on nutrition and healthy living.
Send Hunger Packing Princeton, $40,000, for its Produce Distribution Program, which provides three to six pounds of fresh fruits and vegetables to food insecure families each week. The nonprofit provides 170 to 200 packages a week, year-round from the Philadelphia Farm Market.
Trenton Area Soup Kitchen (TASK), $50,000 for its Meal Service Capacity Building Initiative, which will increase hot meal production and distribution by approximately 30% to meet a growing demand for meals. TASK plans to upgrade the kitchen, institute a second kitchen shift, add new community meal sites from its waiting list, serve more meals at its existing community meal sites, and increase the number of meals served by the TASK food truck.

Homelessness

Anchor House, Trenton, $50,000 for operating support for the organization, a leading provider of services to youth experiencing or at-risk of experiencing homelessness and housing insecurity. It provides the only youth shelter, transitional living, and street outreach program targeting youth in Mercer County, and one of two supportive housing programs in the county for young adults.
Arm In Arm, Hamilton, $80,000, for its One Family at a Time: Working Better Together to Prevent Eviction & Ensure Housing Stability program, a partnership with Housing Initiatives of Princeton; the two nonprofits will assist 20 housing insecure families using a proven, effective model. Using the single point of intake model perfected during their pandemic collaboration, the nonprofits can provide an average of $3,250 in aid per household to avoid eviction or regain housing after homelessness, while also providing case management that includes access to a full range of services, programs, and referrals.
Catholic Charities Diocese of Trenton, $25,300, for its Mercer Community Services Homelessness Prevention program; the organization will provide screening for homelessness prevention services to all food pantry users and referrals from community partners.
Younity (formerly Womanspace), Lawrence, a 2-year $100,000 grant, for its Next Step: Supportive Housing for Homeless Survivors of Domestic Violence program. Approximately 57 percent of all homeless women report that domestic violence was the immediate cause of their homelessness. Next Step is a six-month program that provides apartments and social workers to work with those clients to help stabilize their lives.

Mental Health

Center for Family Services, Ewing, a 2-year $35,000 grant for operating support that the organization plans to use for its Allied Therapy Project. It provides therapy and educational and recreational enrichment to help formerly homeless youth heal from trauma. Allied therapy addresses a wide range of physical, emotional, cognitive, and social needs.
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Mercer County, Trenton, $25,000, for operating support to sustain and grow its programs. Funding will help provide mentorship to children in need, fostering their development and creating brighter futures.
Camp Fire New Jersey, Trenton, a 2-year $68,700 grant for Reinforcing Resilience – An Innovative, In-Depth Mental Health Initiative for Trenton Youth; Social emotion learning and character development programs are taught through the year-round mental health initiative for Trenton elementary students facing poverty, Adverse Childhood Experiences, trauma and societal challenges. The program also engages parents, teachers and families.
Freedom House, Trenton, $10,000, for The Mother’s Assistance Fund, which helps mothers in recovery pay for food, self-care items for themselves and their children, medical co-pays and transportation for doctor visits helps to eliminate barriers and setbacks.
Friends of Foundation Academy, Trenton, $10,000, for its Parent Academy, which seeks to build strong relationships with parents and families by providing resources and support to improve students’ mental and physical health, by reducing anxiety, stress, depression, and substance abuse, and supporting physical activity and nutrition.
Girls On the Run NJ East, $15,000, for its “Every Girl Can Run!” program in Mercer County, which makes the program accessible by providing subsidized programming in under-resourced communities and offering income-based, sliding scale scholarships to all families. In the fall of 2024 and spring of 2025, the organization will support at least 140 girls in Mercer County.
HiTOPS, Princeton, a 2-year $33,830 grant for its ABCs-Trenton program that is run in partnership with Trenton public schools; the program is designed to create and support affirming school communities, ensuring that students, staff and families are knowledgeable, skilled, & comfortable with the essential tenets of positive sexual health education, cultures, and identities.
Medina Health Center, Trenton, $35,000 for its Behavioral Health Expansion Initiative in Trenton; it addresses the critical need for accessible behavioral health services in the underserved community.
NAMI Mercer NJ, Hamilton, $20,000, in operating support for the organization that offers a suite of quality mental health education, support, outreach, and advocacy programs, utilizing a highly effective, lived experience leadership model.
Prevention Education Inc. (PEI Kids), Lawrence, $37,800 for its Therapeutic Intervention for Youth Victims of Violence. It provides specialized counseling services to support child victims of sexual abuse and youth victims of community violence including one-on-one counseling, on-call 24-hour crisis stabilization on the weekends, assisted transportation to help children consistently attend counseling appointments, and support groups for youth and supportive, non-offending family members.
The Children’s Home Society of New Jersey, Trenton, $25,700 for its TEDI – Dance to Support Mental Wellness and Social-Emotional Learning program; TEDI uses dance with live musical accompaniment to help students achieve success and maintain mental wellness. TEDI offers a year-long school day residency program, shorter multi-week residencies, and an after-school dance program.