The Greater Donnelly Neighborhood Initiative, Inc.
Supporting Community and Weed and Seed-sponsored programs in the Greater Donnelly Neighborhoods of North Trenton
Greater Donnelly means the neighborhoods in and around Donnelly Homes and Greater Donnelly means hope for a greater tomorrow
A Community in Transition Joining Partners for Change
Answering Your Questions
1. Why does your organization support only Greater Donnelly? Where are these neighborhoods? 2. Why is this community under-served? Aren't other organizations supplying services and support in Trenton? The Trenton Housing Authority stepped up and provided its administration building as a secure space for children to attend Weed and Seed sponsored after school programs--many of the children have nowhere else to go-- and where other members of the community can receive support---sometimes alongside THA employees working in the building And the City of Trenton stepped up and made available its Community Center on 454 N. Clinton for Out-of-School Programs, including popular Weed and Seed programs for 13-16 year olds such as this summer's Explorers program.
2. Why is the community under-served? Aren't other organizations supplying the same services in Trenton?
3. Are 100% of solicited donations directed to supporting the community and youth and human services programs? Are any used for your overhead or fund-raising? How do you determine each dollar is well spent?
4. Why doesn't the Weed and Seed grant continue to fund the revival it started?
5. What is your mission?
{scroll down for the answers to your questions}
1. Why does your organization support only Greater Donnelly? Where are these neighborhoods?
We are committed to the Greater Donnelly neighborhoods:
Because in 2005 Greater Donnelly was selected as a grant recipient site by the Department of Justice Weed and Seed grant program, a long-standing and successful anti-crime initiative that first concentrates resources to substantially reduce crime ("weeding") and then to initiate ("seed") human service programs designed to re-establish the community. The seeding program is co-funded by the City of Trenton and the Trenton Housing Authority is a substantial and important partner.
Because efficient concentration of resources in core anchor neighborhoods is one of the best ways to build community and individual strengths
And now there is a bustling community center where previously there was none, and the residents are ready for more positive change.
Greater Donnelly is part of North Trenton and includes neighborhoods surrounding Donnelly and Page Homes.
Services in the community range from zero to few, except for those initiated by Weed and Seed, especially for children
This may be in part because of the pre-Weed and Seed level of crime, but is also substantially due to the prolonged closing of the community school---which otherwise could serve children in after -school programs as well as adult and summer programs.
The Jefferson-Martin Luther King, Jr. School has been closed since 2004, in part because of contaminated soil placed on the property by a State contractor. The children are bused to an elementary school and must walk to a junior high school in other areas of the city, and where there are no after school programs.
3. Are 100% of solicited donations directed to supporting the community and human services programs? How do you determine each dollar is well spent?
No solicited funds are used for our overhead or for fund-raising expenses. 100% of solicited donations, equipment and supplies are directly used for human services programs in Greater Donnelly sponsored by Weed and Seed (and once the grant terminates completely in 2010) for continuing the successful and successor programs. Our organization supports the programs directly, or in some cases makes a donation to the City of Trenton Weed & Seed trust fund as approved by the Weed and Seed Steering Committee, which is chaired by representatives of the Office of the United States Attorney and the City of Trenton Department of Recreation, Natural Resources and Culture.
A little bit of money goes a long way--but the substantial reduction in grant funds means that your donations are necessary to help Greater Donnelly sustain the progress it has made
Because of the resources supplied by Greater Donnelly Weed and Seed, the City of Trenton and the Trenton Housing Authority, the human services programs are tried and tested and embraced by the residents. This means your donation is leveraged so that every dollar is maximized to provide direct community support. With just $40 thousand in direct program funding July 2007-2008, youth and adult programs were established that benefited over 300 children and adults, primarily through intense daily (in some cases weekly) mentoring and support programs. During 2008-2009 the programs were expanded and have now served over 500 people, mostly children and teenagers. These programs can only survive with the generosity of private donors and volunteer support from inside and outside the community.
4. Why doesn't the Weed and Seed grant continue to fund the revival it started?
For the 2008-09 budget, the White House did not provide any separate funding for the Weed and Seed grant program, which has been covering selected sites around the country since 1991.
By design, the grant is only five years and the program assumes that private sector organizations, the community and local agencies will support the human service and community-building initiatives "seeded" by the grant.
5. What is your mission?
To ensure that once the Weed and Seed grant program ends in 2011, a cross-community initiative will remain supporting the Greater Donnelly community with resources from inside and outside the community.
These resources include the efforts of our volunteers to direct attention to the community's achievements, to form partnerships with charitable organizations which provide specialized human need services, and business and private donors who value the progress the community and its children have made.
The Greater Donnelly Neighborhood Initiative, Inc. is independent, organized by volunteers, and is not part of Trenton Weed & Seed or any other government organization. We support Weed and Seed and community programs by securing and coordinateing volunteers and funding, providing professional expertise, and requiring fiscal accountability of those programs we determine should be supported.
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