In 1958, a promise was made to our neighbors in Trenton and Mercer County. Mercer Street Friends, founded by Quakers as a community center at 151 Mercer Street in Trenton, was an organization that took to heart the needs of those who were hungry, who required emotional support, and who looked for opportunity through education and within the workforce. The promise was simple –Mercer Street Friends would help build community, nurture self-worth and independence, and offer resources for individuals, children, and families to overcome poverty and its lasting effects.
With time, Mercer Street Friends’ work in Trenton and throughout the County has evolved. Today, we offer preschool for Trenton’s youngest learners. Families receive trauma-informed services – ranging from parent unification programs to family counseling, and our adult education program graduates committed students who are taking the next steps to grow in their careers. In our Community Schools, Luis Muñoz-Rivera and B.C. Gregory Elementary Schools and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Middle School, you’ll see students receiving emotional and social support that increases their chances for success in the classroom. And just a few short miles outside of Trenton, our work addressing food insecurity at our new, larger warehouse continues, furthering our mission to nourish minds and bodies, empower families and communities.
We made a collective promise to continue to adapt and respond to the needs of our neighbors, and that promise is kept on a daily basis. Over 7 million meals were distributed in 2023, in coordination with our community partners, to those who face hunger. Hundreds of elementary and middle school students experienced the Summer Bridge Program as a part of the Community Schools Initiative – which offered them field trips and academic exercises to deter math and reading loss during the summer months. And day in and day out, mothers, fathers, and children receive necessary resources to assist them in navigating the trauma of poverty.
Thousands of friends, foundations, and businesses have provided philanthropic support to Mercer Street Friends. Our hope is that you’ll join us, once again, in making a gift today. Your gift is dedicated to food, family, and education – the hallmark of our work. And your gift is a part of the promise made decades ago and one that we can, will, and must keep.
We wish you peace as we look towards a new year and thank you for all you have done and continue to do for Mercer Street Friends.
