Mid-Summer Newsletter, August 2015

Please make plans to join us for a fabulous evening of African-Caribbean-inspired live music, food, cocktails, dancing, and a silent auction as we raise the rent for HIP!

Housing Initiatives of Princeton and Jewish Families & Children’s Services Partner to bridge families from homelessness to hope...

Linda Meisel, the Executive Director of the Jewish Family & Children’s Service of Greater Mercer County, first became involved with Housing Initiatives of Princeton through former board member Sally Weisman, after the two women met at The Jewish Center of Princeton. “Sally organized a group of women to help furnish one of the apartments,” Meisel recalls. “I participated by purchasing kitchen items – dishes, glassware. I was very impressed with the program and its mission--as well as the strong commitment of the board members.”

When HIP needed help with case management services for its clients, Meisel submitted a proposal on behalf of JFCS and was selected by the HIP Board. “We had a really good understanding of how the two organizations could work together on behalf of the HIP residents,” she says now, and she was right. Since 2007 JFCS case managers have served ten families, including nineteen children, and six adult women in recovery who had completed the residential treatment program at Crawford House, helping them to gain control over the challenges they face, providing referrals to services as diverse as tutoring, food security, legal, and financial planning. The organization also refers its own clients to HIP, and several have entered our program through such referrals.

Read full article here

HIP Housing and Supportive Services provide families time & tools to pursue opportunities for upward mobility

	LC lost her employment in June after 6 years at a business in Princeton that closed in part because the rent became unaffordable! Fortunately, as that door closed, others opened, and she has landed new employment with a contractor for Princeton's Public Schools. The search was made easier because of HIP’s housing, resources and support for her and her children.
	FA, a divorced mom, completed classroom studies and clinical education for the Physical Therapist Assistant (PTA) program at MCCC last May. While working part-time, she is studying to take the exam for licensure in New Jersey this October.
	DW, who lived with her family in an HIP home for two years, earned a BA from Princeton University last May, with a plan! After graduation she started work in the financial sector in New York City, and plans to attend Law School after two years.

Currently, three families are in-residence in HIP homes, and other low-income working families are being assisted to prevent homelessness through payment of back rent and security deposit.

Last June, HIP’s 7th Annual Wine Tasting, “Tastes of Sonoma”, succeeded in friendraising and fundraising

A Snapshot of HIP’s Finances:  HIP ended the June 30, 2015 fiscal year with cash in the bank of $149,254, an increase of $11,425 for the year.  We generated income in the amount of $96,672 from a variety of sources, including $47,039 in grants and donations, and $32,280 from fundraising efforts.  HIP’s expenses for the period were $81,247, including $14,132 for mortgage payments, $8,194 for case management, and $9,516 for fundraising.

HIP Board Updates

HIP welcomes three new trustees

	Ira Lackey, Real Estate Professional, Callaway Henderson, Sotheby’s International Realty.  “Decent” housing is a basic human right, Lackey believes, and he devotes time to making it a reality.
	Rebecca Feder, Senior Human Resource Professional, Tyco International.  Volunteer, Trenton Area Soup Kitchen (TASK), founder “Kids for TASK”.
	Veronica Olivares-Weber, Educational  instruction,  consulting, and translation for local schools and community in Spanish language, and Art; literacy coordinator.    Member of Board of Parks and Recreation, Princeton; member of board, Latin American Legal Defense and Education Fund (LALDEF); award-winning community volunteer.

HIP said farewell to two trustees

	Ravi Ravindranath.  During 10 years of service, Ravi contributed to every major HIP accomplishment, including the purchase of the HIP townhouse and coaching an HIP graduate to home ownership!
	Marvin Preston IV.  Marvin’s strategic thinking and property development skills served HIP well.  He provided oversight of HIP’s owned and rental properties.