Bishop Ahr Fund supports 17 social service agencies
July 29, 2019 at 12:37 p.m.
By David Karas | Correspondent
Social service agencies across the four counties of the Diocese of Trenton work throughout the year to provide a wide range of critical services to the community, encompassing everything from food and transportation assistance to seniors, to ministry to the incarcerated.
And this year, 17 of those organizations will benefit from the Diocese’s 2016 Bishop George W. Ahr Endowment Fund. Bearing the namesake of the seventh bishop of the Diocese, the fund was established to present annual grants for special projects that assist persons in need. Any parish, office, apostolate, individual, parish special ministry or organization is eligible to apply for support.
Awards are determined by the Bishop George W. Ahr Endowment Fund Committee, which selects from the pool of applicants who describe the amount needed with a detailed rationale for the request. The $10,000 grant is the endowment fund interest that is accumulated in a year’s time.
Msgr. Thomas N. Gervasio, diocesan vicar general and moderator of the curia, announced May 20 the 2016 recipients:
Catholic Youth Organization, Trenton ($1,000): Funds will support the summer camp and food program of the Bromley Center, a Hamilton Township facility operated by the CYO of Mercer County. The organization is dedicated to providing services and programs that will enrich the lives of Hamilton Township and Bromley neighborhood residents, and has developed and continues programs and activities which are essential for low and moderate income residents.
Collier Youth Services, Wichatunk ($1,200): The award will support assistance for children who would otherwise not be able to attend the camp. The organization’s mission is to provide at-risk youth the chance to live up to their potential in part through fostering an environment which promotes belonging, dignity and hope.
1st Way of Burlington County, Burlington ($200): The fund will help provide free pregnancy tests, baby/maternity clothing, formula, food, diapers and equipment to women and girls with unplanned pregnancies. The organization provides free and confidential emergency pregnancy services.
Freehold Area Open Door, Inc., Freehold ($200): The award will support the organization’s mission of helping those in need to reach self-sufficiency, in particular through the provision of food and emergency funding to poor in the Freehold area
Good Counsel Homes, Inc., Riverside ($450): Good Counsel is an organization which endeavors to provide a nurturing, safe family environment which encourages independence for pregnant mothers and their children. The Endowment Fund will support providing food to assist formerly homeless mothers and their babies. The Riverside facility is one of five homes with the others being located in the northern New Jersey/New York Metropolitan area.
HABcore, Red Bank ($700): HABcore is a not-for-profit corporation devoted to providing housing and supportive services in a family-like setting to low-income persons and those who are homeless, disabled or unable to care for themselves. The Bishop Ahr Endowment grant will assist in the subsidizing of annual rent for the organization’s boarding home residents.
Interfaith Health and Support Services, Manahawkin ($200): Interfaith Health and Support Services is a non-profit organization comprised of 24 participating faith communities that provides free aid to the community members who are struggling each day to maintain their independence. The endowment fund will support the purchase of supplies needed by caregivers of family members with early-onset dementia.
Mercy Center, Asbury Park ($300): The fund will support the purchase of emergency food pantry supplies for the agency, which works to provide education, emergency and family services. Founded by the Sisters of Mercy, the center has a special concern for families and children.
Mount Carmel Guild, Trenton ($1,000): An inner-city Trenton-based diocesan agency, Mount Carmel Guild provides assistance to the poor through its Emergency Assistance Program and Home Health Nursing Program. The award will assist in providing direct and immediate support and relief to individuals and families in both chronic and temporary crisis.
Chaplain, New Jersey State Prison ($500): Proceeds from the Bishop Ahr Endowment Fund will assist with the purchase of materials for the religious development of the inmates.
Project Paul, Keansburg ($1,000): The Fund will help the organization provide assistance to adult students who need specialty school items, allowing them to continue their college education. Project Paul, founded in 1980, originally managed a food pantry and thrift shop, and has since expanded to meet the increased needs of the local community.
St. Benedict Parish, Holmdel ($500): The award will help provide reimbursement of volunteer mileage and food and gas gift cards to aid senior citizens over age 60 who are unable to obtain transportation to medical appointments, drug stores, grocery stores, etc.
St. Charles Borromeo Parish, Cinnaminson ($500): The endowment fund award will assist with the work of the Catholic Charities “Fix-It” pilot program which provides home assistance to the senior population. Services include making repairs around the homes such as installing grab bars and safety hand rails, replacing batteries in smoke and CO2 detectors, changing ceiling lightbulbs or fixtures, minor carpentry and electrical repairs.
St. Joseph Parish, Toms River ($1,000): The fund will assist with the costs of moving the St. Joseph Food Pantry to a street-level facility, making it much safer for the elderly and those with physical challenges to access the resource.
St. Vincent DePaul Society, St. John the Baptist Parish, Allentown ($500): The fund will help the program assist the poor through rental assistance, utility payments and food.
St. Vincent DePaul Society, St. Katharine Drexel Parish, Burlington ($600): The Bishop Ahr Endowment Fund will assist in the purchase of serving dishes and equipment needed for the “Souper Saturday” fundraising dinners.
The Senior Care Ministry of Princeton ($150): The Senior Care Ministry of Princeton is dedicated to helping the elderly of the local community to remain independent in their own homes for as long as possible. The Bishop Ahr Endowment grant will support providing seniors with transportation to medical appointments and grocery stores.
[[In-content Ad]]
Related Stories
Thursday, December 25, 2025
E-Editions
Events
By David Karas | Correspondent
Social service agencies across the four counties of the Diocese of Trenton work throughout the year to provide a wide range of critical services to the community, encompassing everything from food and transportation assistance to seniors, to ministry to the incarcerated.
And this year, 17 of those organizations will benefit from the Diocese’s 2016 Bishop George W. Ahr Endowment Fund. Bearing the namesake of the seventh bishop of the Diocese, the fund was established to present annual grants for special projects that assist persons in need. Any parish, office, apostolate, individual, parish special ministry or organization is eligible to apply for support.
Awards are determined by the Bishop George W. Ahr Endowment Fund Committee, which selects from the pool of applicants who describe the amount needed with a detailed rationale for the request. The $10,000 grant is the endowment fund interest that is accumulated in a year’s time.
Msgr. Thomas N. Gervasio, diocesan vicar general and moderator of the curia, announced May 20 the 2016 recipients:
Catholic Youth Organization, Trenton ($1,000): Funds will support the summer camp and food program of the Bromley Center, a Hamilton Township facility operated by the CYO of Mercer County. The organization is dedicated to providing services and programs that will enrich the lives of Hamilton Township and Bromley neighborhood residents, and has developed and continues programs and activities which are essential for low and moderate income residents.
Collier Youth Services, Wichatunk ($1,200): The award will support assistance for children who would otherwise not be able to attend the camp. The organization’s mission is to provide at-risk youth the chance to live up to their potential in part through fostering an environment which promotes belonging, dignity and hope.
1st Way of Burlington County, Burlington ($200): The fund will help provide free pregnancy tests, baby/maternity clothing, formula, food, diapers and equipment to women and girls with unplanned pregnancies. The organization provides free and confidential emergency pregnancy services.
Freehold Area Open Door, Inc., Freehold ($200): The award will support the organization’s mission of helping those in need to reach self-sufficiency, in particular through the provision of food and emergency funding to poor in the Freehold area
Good Counsel Homes, Inc., Riverside ($450): Good Counsel is an organization which endeavors to provide a nurturing, safe family environment which encourages independence for pregnant mothers and their children. The Endowment Fund will support providing food to assist formerly homeless mothers and their babies. The Riverside facility is one of five homes with the others being located in the northern New Jersey/New York Metropolitan area.
HABcore, Red Bank ($700): HABcore is a not-for-profit corporation devoted to providing housing and supportive services in a family-like setting to low-income persons and those who are homeless, disabled or unable to care for themselves. The Bishop Ahr Endowment grant will assist in the subsidizing of annual rent for the organization’s boarding home residents.
Interfaith Health and Support Services, Manahawkin ($200): Interfaith Health and Support Services is a non-profit organization comprised of 24 participating faith communities that provides free aid to the community members who are struggling each day to maintain their independence. The endowment fund will support the purchase of supplies needed by caregivers of family members with early-onset dementia.
Mercy Center, Asbury Park ($300): The fund will support the purchase of emergency food pantry supplies for the agency, which works to provide education, emergency and family services. Founded by the Sisters of Mercy, the center has a special concern for families and children.
Mount Carmel Guild, Trenton ($1,000): An inner-city Trenton-based diocesan agency, Mount Carmel Guild provides assistance to the poor through its Emergency Assistance Program and Home Health Nursing Program. The award will assist in providing direct and immediate support and relief to individuals and families in both chronic and temporary crisis.
Chaplain, New Jersey State Prison ($500): Proceeds from the Bishop Ahr Endowment Fund will assist with the purchase of materials for the religious development of the inmates.
Project Paul, Keansburg ($1,000): The Fund will help the organization provide assistance to adult students who need specialty school items, allowing them to continue their college education. Project Paul, founded in 1980, originally managed a food pantry and thrift shop, and has since expanded to meet the increased needs of the local community.
St. Benedict Parish, Holmdel ($500): The award will help provide reimbursement of volunteer mileage and food and gas gift cards to aid senior citizens over age 60 who are unable to obtain transportation to medical appointments, drug stores, grocery stores, etc.
St. Charles Borromeo Parish, Cinnaminson ($500): The endowment fund award will assist with the work of the Catholic Charities “Fix-It” pilot program which provides home assistance to the senior population. Services include making repairs around the homes such as installing grab bars and safety hand rails, replacing batteries in smoke and CO2 detectors, changing ceiling lightbulbs or fixtures, minor carpentry and electrical repairs.
St. Joseph Parish, Toms River ($1,000): The fund will assist with the costs of moving the St. Joseph Food Pantry to a street-level facility, making it much safer for the elderly and those with physical challenges to access the resource.
St. Vincent DePaul Society, St. John the Baptist Parish, Allentown ($500): The fund will help the program assist the poor through rental assistance, utility payments and food.
St. Vincent DePaul Society, St. Katharine Drexel Parish, Burlington ($600): The Bishop Ahr Endowment Fund will assist in the purchase of serving dishes and equipment needed for the “Souper Saturday” fundraising dinners.
The Senior Care Ministry of Princeton ($150): The Senior Care Ministry of Princeton is dedicated to helping the elderly of the local community to remain independent in their own homes for as long as possible. The Bishop Ahr Endowment grant will support providing seniors with transportation to medical appointments and grocery stores.
[[In-content Ad]]