Mayor Ravi S. Bhalla and the City of Hoboken today announced the awarding of grant funding to local nonprofits through the City's Nonprofit Support Program.
Through the program, the City distributed $214,695 in funding allocated through the American Rescue Plan to nonprofits that have provided services to residents during the COVID-19 pandemic.
"Throughout the ongoing pandemic, our nonprofits have been providing crucial support to our vulnerable residents and helping our community overcome the many challenges we’ve faced over the past year and a half," said Mayor Bhalla. "As a City, we will continue to support these incredible organizations as they ensure our residents stay fed, receive medical care, and more. I thank Senator Menendez, Senator Booker, and Congressman Sires for helping secure this federal funding, which is making a direct, positive impact in communities like Hoboken."
All 10 nonprofits that applied for funding through the City's Nonprofit Support Program received grants, including the Hoboken Shelter, the Hoboken Public Education Foundation, HoLa Dual Language Charter School, the Hoboken Community Center, Accessible Festivals, Amazing Truth Society Inc., Community Lifestyle Corporation, Computers 4 People Inc., Hoboken Family Alliance, Inc., and TRUE Mentors, Inc.
Specifically, each nonprofit received the following in grant funding:
The grant funding reimburses nonprofits for previously unbudgeted expenses incurred from March 1, 2020, through October 1, 2021, and for programmatic needs related to offering COVID-19 pandemic response and recovery programs and services.
"The Hoboken Community Center is grateful to Mayor Bhalla and the Hoboken City Council for the generous financial support," said Board Member and Secretary of the Hoboken Community Center Toni Tomarazzo. "These funds help us to continue to provide essential services and spaces that support the wellbeing of all community residents through our three-pronged mission consisting of affordable housing for 96 low-income men, a 40,000+ square foot community and recreation center under rehabilitation at 1301 Washington Street, and a food and hygiene supply pantry."
"We are grateful to the Hoboken community for helping HoLa during another challenging school year," said Nicole Cammarota, President, HoLa Board of Trustees. "This grant will support our model dual-language program and cover expenses which keep our buildings open and our students safe. Thank you, Mayor Bhalla, the Hoboken City Council, and New Jersey state leaders for your generous support."
"100% of these funds are directly supporting school children and initiatives at Hoboken Public District Schools," said Jackie Dowd, Co-president of the Hoboken Public Education Foundation. "We are thankful for the City's financial support as our district continues to meet the challenges of the pandemic to keep our children learning in and outside of the classroom."
"We are thankful to have the City's and community's support to help us move our homeless neighbors from the streets to the shelter, and to their own homes," said Hoboken Shelter Executive Director Jaclyn Cherubini. "Specifically, with this support during COVID-19, we were able to keep our doors open, our lights on, provide warm meals ready to eat, and provide the necessary hygiene supplies to keep everyone safe and healthy at all times."
