Lawrenceville Nonprofits Each Receive $25,000 Grants From Princeton Area Community Foundation

Lawrenceville, NJ -- Two Lawrenceville nonprofits are among 22 nonprofit organizations that have received $545,000 in grants from the Princeton Area Community Foundation that were awarded through the first round of the 2016 Greater Mercer Grants program, the foundation announced on Monday.

Dress for Success Mercer County received a $20,000 grant for its Financial Literacy and Customer Service Excellence Program.

Because of the grant, a total of 75 women will receive financial literacy and customer service training to prepare them for sustainable employment.

Every Child Valued received $25,000 for its after school program that provides intensive tutoring in small groups to students who live in Eggerts Crossing Village in Lawrenceville.

“These grants will be used to help some of our most vulnerable residents,” Princeton Area Community Foundation Board of Trustees Chair Carol P. Herring said. “With these grants, we are investing in our communities, helping them to grow stronger.”

More than 54 organizations applied for funding during this grant cycle.

“Our grants program helps support the critical work of local organizations,” Princeton Area Community Foundation President and CEO Jeffrey M. Vega said. “The number of applications we received shows the great need we have in our community. Our new strategic plan includes a focus on children and adolescents living in poverty, and as we concentrate on this issue, we hope many local philanthropists will work with us.”

Also part of the grants was a $25,000 grant for Mercer Street Friends’s Food Bank. Its food distribution programs serve about 30,000 children and adults; the organization provides food at pantries and soup kitchens and also provides weekend meals for almost 600 children faced with food shortages in their homes.

Food packs are provided to students at schools in Ewing, Hamilton, Hopewell, Lawrenceville, Princeton and Trenton.