Princeton Regional Chamber of Commerce Awards $35,000 in Grants to Area Non-Profits

(l-r) Peter Bell, Eden Autism Services, Kevin Wortham, Minding Our Business, Marci Rubin, Boys & Girls Club of Mercer County, and Dennis Micai, Trenton Soup Kitchen.
(l-r) Peter Bell, Eden Autism Services, Kevin Wortham, Minding Our Business, Marci Rubin, Boys & Girls Club of Mercer County, and Dennis Micai, Trenton Soup Kitchen.

 

The Boys and Girls Club of Mercer County, the Trenton Area Soup Kitchen, Eden Autism Services and Minding Our Business have all been awarded grants from the Princeton Regional Chamber of Commerce Community Development Fund for 2014.

The four grants total $35,000.

“With these grants, the Chamber is investing in our region by providing financial support for the vital work of these outstanding community-based organizations,” said said John Thurber, chairman of the Board for the Princeton Regional Chamber of Commerce.
“The Chamber’s role in making these community development grants is unique and reflects our commitment to strengthen the communities in our region.”

The fund was created in partnership with the Princeton Area Community Foundation in  2013 with a $500,000 gift from the Chamber Foundation to benefit nonprofits located throughout the Chamber’s  Central New Jersey. Grants are given annually to the most promising programs that focus on education, leadership, economic opportunity, economic development, and self-sufficiency.

 

The projects funded are as follows:

· Boys & Girls Club of Mercer County Career Launch and Work Readiness Teen Program, which will help low-income and at-risk teens to prepare for high school graduation and post-secondary school options.

· Trenton Area Soup Kitchen Adult Education Program, which helps individuals further their education, along with building their self-esteem and confidence.

· Eden Autism Services Micro-Business for Adults with Autism Program, which will help decrease the unemployment gap for adults with autism.

· Minding Our Business summer entrepreneurship training program for urban youth at Rider University’s School of Business.

“These four awardees are examples of the exceptional work that is being accomplished throughout the region by the many dedicated and involved not-for-profit organizations that do so much for our community, “ said Kristin Appelget, Chairwoman of the Princeton Regional Chamber’s Community Development Fund. “ Since the Community Development Fund was launched in 2013, we have been awarded over $60,000 in grants to worthy not-for-profit organizations that are making a difference each and every day in the lives of our residents.”

The Princeton Regional Chamber of Commerce Foundation donated an extra $10,000 to the fund this year. to advance the goals of the fund to to support charitable organizations that focus the resources of the greater Princeton business community on the civic, educational, scientific, cultural and economic development of the region, said Melissa Tenzer, president of the fund.