African-Caribbean-themed Rent Party Benefit raises the rent for families facing homelessness

On Saturday, October 24, 2015, friends of Housing Initiatives of Princeton (HIP) came together at Princeton’s Present Day Club for HIP’s sixth annual Rent Party fundraiser. The 2015 Rent Party offered an African-Caribbean-themed evening with a menu of scrumptious hors d’oeuvres, a buffet, desserts, rum punch, and more inspired by the region. Music that is characteristic of the cultures was played by Brandon Lewin, Douglas Miller and Bernard Geiger of Shikantaza Trio.

2015 Rent Party

Rent Parties emerged after World War I as thousands of African-Americans, Puerto Ricans and others left economic deprivation to pursue a better life in the industrial North, particularly New York City. Despite their hard work, low wages meant they often struggled to find affordable housing and make ends meet. When the rent fell short, a common practice was to organize “rent parties,” inviting neighbors for an evening of food, music, and dancing. Guests paid a small admission fee to help raise the rent. Rent Parties offer a powerful example of neighbors helping neighbors—a perfect symbol of HIP’s current work in the Princeton community.

The Rent Party fundraiser emphasized “neighbors helping neighbors”. It provided guests the opportunity to direct their contributions in the ways that they would find most meaningful; options included bidding for items or experiences to keep or gift to someone else, including an HIP family; fund the purchase of household items needed for clients in HIP homes; or fund enrichment activities to enhance a child’s learning and development.