I Am Trenton Community Foundation partners with Isles to award $115,500 to 14 Downtown projects
I Am Trenton Community Foundation, in partnership with Isles, Inc., is proud to announce grants totaling $115,500 to 14 local changemakers, including 8 small businesses, for projects related to New Jersey’s upcoming celebration of the US 250th anniversary NJ250.
“These grants will help Trenton shine bright as we celebrate and welcome visitors to our historic city,” said IAT Co-President Marelyn Rivera. “We are by Trenton, for Trenton. And we are proud to support our neighbors and business owners who are making our community even better.”
Isles CEO Sean Jackson said, “At Isles, we believe the strongest neighborhoods are built by the people who live and work in them. That’s why this partnership with I Am Trenton matters so much. These 14 grantees, from longtime small business owners to artists and youth leaders, are doing the everyday work of making downtown Trenton more vibrant, more welcoming, and more connected. We’re honored to help move resources directly to the people with the best ideas about Trenton’s future.”
The Downtown Trenton (DTTN) Neighborhood Grant Program supports community projects, arts, culture, beautification, and business development in the “downtown” neighborhood bordered by the Assunpink Creek and D&R Canal – also called “Creek to Canal, Rte 1 to Old Barracks.” Funded projects must occur within the identified boundaries of this area and must benefit residents of this area.
This year, in recognition of Trenton’s unique and pivotal role in the nation’s 250th anniversary, successful projects also focused on enhancements or special projects welcoming visitors and showcasing our community.
Grant Committee Chair Thelma Carrera noted that more than 25 applications were received, and many worthwhile projects were not able to be funded. “We are so proud of all the grantees and can’t wait to see their ideas come to life,” she said. “Our only regret is that many good ideas did not receive support – this time.”
Full list of grant recipients below.
Microjazz LLC dba Exit 7A / Scott Miller
Echoes of Trenton – Stories in the Streets
An audio/tour of Revolutionary sites, historic landmarks, and legacy small businesses
Casa Cultura / Alba Hernández
El Downtown – A bilingual social media marketing campaign to attract Latino audiences to the Creek to Canal Creative District during the NJ 250
Arlee’s Raw Blends LLC / Paula Taylor
Transforming Arlee’s Raw Blends into a welcoming downtown hub that uses healthy food, local art, and Revolutionary War storytelling to attract, educate, and engage residents and visitors during NJ250 and beyond.
Culture Change 2020 Incorporated /Shauna Ike
Trenton Then, Now, Next
A permanent, youth-led public art installation in Downtown Trenton that uses visual panels and QR-linked audio narratives to bridge the city’s history with the lived experiences and future visions of its young residents as part of the NJ250 commemoration.
1911 Smoke House Group / Maurice Hallett
Refreshing the restaurant interior along with its menus to help attract new visitors downtown.
Artworks / Craig Shofed
Artworks Public Art Tour – a self-guided and facilitated experience connecting residents, visitors, and NJ250 celebrants to the city’s creative legacy through a printed map, web-based digital companion, and short artist videos, free for children and Trenton residents year-round.
BITS N’ PIECES CORPORATION / Masood Dawood
Storefront Safety Enhancement
Tha Block Trenton INC / Kenya Bullock
Liberty, With Conditions: The War Within the War
An immersive theatre and participatory sound installation in downtown Trenton that confronts the broken promises of freedom made to enslaved Africans during the American Revolution
Men for HOPE / Kelvin Baldwin
Skills for Success Program allows youth to be invested members of their community through learning trades to provide them skills sets and creating opportunities for their future.
Trenton Music Experience, Inc. / Paul Zych
250 Years of Trenton and New Jersey Musical History display to include written history and memorabilia representing 250 years of Trenton and New Jersey Music.
Crown Fried Chicken / Basit Ali
Expansion & Safety Enhancement Initiative
Giacomo Ferranti
Fabio’s pizza new improvements and equipment to equip this long-time business to remain
BiCoastal Collection LLC / John Pack III
An interactive, urban cultural sewing experience where residents create their own signature tote bag while exploring a mini museum display installation highlighting Trenton’s rich garment manufacturing history, while also upgrading the storefront.
The Queens Comb LLC / Cierra Allen
Enhance storefront visibility, celebrate local creative culture through NJ250 programming, and provide collaborative community engagement to strengthen economic vitality and public space activation.
