There’s a saying that goes, “A little hope can feed a lot of dreams.”
At Mercer Street Friends, hope is at the heart of everything we do – fueling us through challenge and change, driving us to nourish those who are hungry, uplifting families in need, and opening doors to education and services.
This year has been one of remarkable progress, new partnerships, and hopeful purpose for us at Mercer Street Friends – but, it has also tested us in ways we could never have imagined.
When SNAP benefits were unexpectedly frozen, our network of more than 100 pantry partners and community organizations came together to ensure that no child, senior, individual, or family went hungry. Through three emergency food distributions, we provided 42,250 pounds of food to our neighbors in Trenton and across Mercer County to help ease the sudden wave of food insecurity. Thanks to the help of our community partners, generous donations, and our ever-growing ranks of volunteers, we were able to meet those needs and serve our neighbors swiftly, in ways we could never accomplish alone.
When it comes to new partnerships, one particularly stands out: a new collaboration between all five of New Jersey’s Feeding America food banks and America’s Grow-A-Row, New Jersey’s only nonprofit farm, through the Mid-Atlantic Regional Cooperative (MARC). This collaborative partnership ensures that Mercer Street Friends can bring even more fresh, locally grown fruits and vegetables to local families and individuals in need, building towards a future where everyone has access to nutritious food.
Hope is also at the heart of our Community School Initiative, a nationally recognized model that transforms public schools into hubs that remove barriers to learning. Through collaborative partnerships, we have been able to provide students with access to academic support, health care, and social-emotional resources at Luis Muñoz-Rivera Elementary School, Benjamin C. Gregory Elementary School, and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Middle School, all located in Trenton.
This innovative initiative is working – students’ reading scores are rising, absenteeism is decreasing, stressful and traumatic situations in students’ lives are being addressed, families are more engaged, and students are learning to believe in themselves because others are believing in them! We are now doubling the program from three to six schools, expanding our work in Trenton at Cadwalader Elementary School, in Hamilton at Klockner Elementary School, and in Ewing at Antheil Elementary School – giving hope to even more students and families across Mercer County.
Similarly, our Family Services programs extend a different kind of hope into the communities we serve each week, as our staff visit families in their homes to offer wellness screenings, parenting education, and practical support. These visits strengthen families and create pathways to stability and independence – replacing the cycle of poverty with the promise of possibility.
In both triumph and hardship, the steady support of our partners, friends, and you, our valued supporter, remind us that hope is so much more than just a dream – it is the foundation of every action and partnership we build, fostering strength and creating remarkable, transformative change.
We must continue to work together to nourish bodies, minds, and futures throughout Trenton and Mercer County.
Your generous gift today ensures just that – providing us, our programs, and our community hope for a better tomorrow. It is a promise that hunger and inequity will never have the last word – that last word will always lie here, with us.
With continued hope and gratitude,
Mercer Street Friends Team and Board of Trustees
PS: Please speak with your tax advisor about the benefits of making your gift by year end, prior to tax policy changes taking effect in 2026.
