Princeton Mobile Food Pantry volunteers fill grocery bags outside of McCaffrey’s at the Princeton Shopping Center in April. File photo.

There is no doubt that 2020 has been a year of immeasurable grief and hardship for so many people across the globe, in our state, and in our local community. New Jersey has lost almost 19,000 people due to the coronavirus. More than 1.8 million residents in the state have filed for unemployment this year, and hundreds of businesses have shut down for good. But through all the hardship and loss, people have also worked to bring hope, comfort, and inspiration to others.

Here at Planet Princeton, we couldn’t close out 2020 without taking a moment to look back and acknowledge some of the local people and organizations working tirelessly to support others during these challenging times. We can’t possibly honor all of the people who might be worthy of praise this year, from restaurants that stayed open to feed nearby health care workers and the food delivery people putting their lives at risk for months on end, to the residents who volunteered to drop groceries off at the homes of shut-ins. The following honorees are representative of the inspiring acts we have seen all year long on multiple fronts, including COVID-19 relief, food insecurity, mental health support, and social justice.

Our local honorees:

Local health care workers and first responders who took personal risks to aid others, working long hours in difficult circumstances, sometimes without enough PPE equipment.
Essential local workers – From cashiers at local grocery stores to train conductors to pharmacy clerks, essential workers have continued to do their jobs in difficult circumstances.
Share My Meals – The Princeton-based organization pivoted in March and partnered with restaurants to feed local families hot meals during the pandemic, providing work for restaurant employees while meeting families’ needs for food.
The Princeton Mobile Food Pantry – The all-volunteer group mobilized volunteers and pivoted from being a walk-in food pantry to delivering groceries to people in need in the Princeton area. The group distributes groceries to more than 100 families twice a month.
The Princeton Mutual Aid Society – The group has filled important gaps in the community, advocating for people and helping them get the resources they need. The group has partnered with other existing organizations and worked collaboratively, rather than duplicating services or competing with other organizations.
Housing Initiatives of Princeton – The organization has taken over a local program to help residents with rent relief and has developed a new mediation program for landlords and tenants.
Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood – Princeton resident Blair Miller found a creative way for local shoppers to add curated bags of necessities like shaving kits to their shopping tabs to be distributed to people in need in a way that preserves people’s dignity.
Arm in Arm – The nonprofit that works to fight hunger, homelessness, unemployment, and poverty in Mercer County is serving a record number of people suffering the devastating effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, providing food and other assistance so people don’t become homeless. Arm In Arm pivoted in March to keep people fed, changing from a pantry model to contactless mobile delivery at a time when the need for food went up dramatically as many people lost their jobs.
The Rescue Mission of Trenton – The Rescue Mission provides shelter and support services to homeless people in the county, and had to adopt numerous protocols in March to keep residents safe so there was not a large outbreak at the facility. Rescue Mission leaders locked down the facility early on to protect residents. They also set up a quarantine area in the facility and regularly tested all staff members and residents.
The Princeton Nursery School – The Princeton Nursery School raised a large sum of money to provide the low-income families they serve with food during the pandemic.
Student projects at area schools and universities – Student groups at public and private schools and area colleges and universities worked to create PPE equipment like face shields made from 3-D printers to donate to hospitals and long-term care facilities. Student groups also raised money to donate face masks and other equipment to hospitals, rescue squads, and police departments.
Hamilton Jewelers – The local business created an auction to raise money to support local businesses that have suffered economic hardships due to the pandemic. Almost $50,000 was raised to support local businesses.
Princeton Chinese Community COVID-19 Relief Project – Early on in the pandemic, members of the Princeton Chinese community raised more than $20,000 to provide first responders with PPE, and also collected food donations for local charities.
The Princeton Area Community Foundation and its donors – The foundation has provided more than $1 million to area nonprofits serving critical needs in the region during the pandemic.
Rolling Harvest Food Rescue – The nonprofit distributed thousands of boxes of fresh produce and dairy to people in need across the region with the support of area farms and businesses.