Following the City of Hoboken’s recent acquisition of the Jubilee Center, local non-profit TRUE Mentors will begin leasing space at the center next month. Last year, the City purchased the Jubilee Center for $3 million, preventing the building from being sold to a developer and the elimination of a community space that had been utilized by residents for decades. The acquisition was paid for at no impact to the municipal budget, utilizing federal funding through the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Section 108 Loan Guarantee Program.
The City will transform the Jubilee Center into a home for nonprofits and educational institutions, starting with the agreement with TRUE Mentors. The nonprofit will provide free one-on-one, group, and educational mentoring programs to Hudson County youth between the ages of 7- and 18-years-old.
“Instead of landing in the hands of a developer, I’m thrilled the Jubilee Center will continue to provide critical resources for our community for generations to come,” said Mayor Ravi S. Bhalla. “I look forward to our invaluable non-profits utilizing this space, starting with TRUE Mentors next month. Thank you to our federal elected officials, including Senator Menendez, Senator Booker and Congressman Sires for securing federal funding to help finance this project.”
“TRUE Mentors is incredibly excited and grateful to return to the beloved Jubilee Center,” said True Mentors Executive Director Katharine Samberg-Lawrence. “We humbly thank everyone involved in this arrangement. This space will enable us to host a robust calendar of enrichment activities, match outings, field trips, and events planned for the spring and summer of 2022.”
The Hoboken City Council authorized the purchase of the property in 2021 by resolution sponsored by Councilman Jim Doyle and Council President Michael Russo.
TRUE Mentors will officially move into the first and third floors of the Jubilee Center next month.
