Repairs planned for historic buildings housing Mount Carmel Guild through government grant
May 9, 2024 at 11:24 a.m.
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Updated May 28, 2024 at 12:15 p.m.
The 165-year-old American Italianate house and annexes from which Mount Carmel Guild has assisted those in need in the Trenton community for the past century are now in need of some help themselves.
Purchased by the Diocese of Trenton in 1920, the buildings were once owned by a wealthy Trenton family whose fortune came from the pottery industry. Aging materials and wear and tear have resulted in leaking sewer pipes and exterior wall and chimney damage; electrical and infrastructure are in dire need of upgrades.
Now, with a grant awarded through the U.S. Congress, the Guild will be able to make needed repairs on the buildings that are on the historic registry.
The Guild will celebrate approval for a congressional grant to preserve its historic facilities, enabling the agency to continue to use the buildings into the future as they serve the community, with an official handover ceremony June 20 at 3:30 p.m. at 73 North Clinton Ave., Trenton.
Support for the $1.247 million allocation came through the office of Congresswoman Bonnie Watson Coleman (NJ-12), as well as from numerous community stakeholders including the City of Trenton and the Trenton Historical Society, as part of an $18.1 million federal funding package for the state’s 12th Congressional District.
“This grant will help preserve and repair these beautiful historic buildings so we can be assured the Guild can continue providing services to Trenton and the area beyond the 104 years it has already been there,” said Brenda Rascher, executive director of the diocesan Office of Catholic Social Services.
Assessments have been conducted over several months and repairs will be administered on a phased basis that will preserve the buildings’ historic integrity and include other essential repairs per health and safety standards. These include updating electric wiring and replacing historic windows that have experienced moisture damage, in compliance with historic registry guidelines.
“This grant represents the single largest fiscal allocation [of public funding that] we have received in the last 10 years or more,” emphasized Mary Inkrot, the Guild’s executive director. “Despite difficulties, we have been extremely focused on using the resources we have, largely through donations and volunteers, to serve the Trenton community.”
The Guild serves the food insecure and other vulnerable local groups who rely on its support services, which also include emergency prescription and utility assistance to prevent homelessness, as well as its accredited Home Health Nursing Program.
Between September 2019 and March 2020, the Guild operated an open-choice food pantry, which allowed visitors to choose the food they need from arranged shelves, including fresh vegetables, baked goods and various forms of perishables. The COVID-19 pandemic restrictions discontinued this format, while demand for food and other essentials increased. The facilities fund will be useful, Inkrot said, in the planned re-introduction of open-choice, allowing care-receivers access to safer, stronger and more comfortable buildings when they visit.
“Coming out of the pandemic, the Guild has been pushing ahead with all its services, while facing new issues along the way,” she continued, noting that the Guild remains grateful to its many donors who have been supporting efforts over the years. “Their help will become even more crucial as the grant is operationalized.”
Bishop Thomas J. Walsh, third bishop of Trenton, founded the Guild in January 1920, to serve those in need in the Trenton community, regardless of religious affiliation. In 2023, the Guild’s pantry averaged 1,450 household visits per month, helping to feed more than 62,000 individuals, and averaged 15 requests for financial assistance per week – including families and individuals facing utility shut offs and evictions, essential prescription drug purchase assistance and other related demands. During that time, registered nurses cared for 29 patients, providing 789 units of service (45 minutes each).
Mount Carmel Guild client selects food choices during a visit to the food pantry. The Guild has received grant monies for building renovations. Courtesy photoThe Church needs quality Catholic journalism now more than ever. Please consider supporting this work by signing up for a SUBSCRIPTION (click HERE) or making a DONATION to The Monitor (click HERE). Thank you for your support.
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The 165-year-old American Italianate house and annexes from which Mount Carmel Guild has assisted those in need in the Trenton community for the past century are now in need of some help themselves.
Purchased by the Diocese of Trenton in 1920, the buildings were once owned by a wealthy Trenton family whose fortune came from the pottery industry. Aging materials and wear and tear have resulted in leaking sewer pipes and exterior wall and chimney damage; electrical and infrastructure are in dire need of upgrades.
Now, with a grant awarded through the U.S. Congress, the Guild will be able to make needed repairs on the buildings that are on the historic registry.
The Guild will celebrate approval for a congressional grant to preserve its historic facilities, enabling the agency to continue to use the buildings into the future as they serve the community, with an official handover ceremony June 20 at 3:30 p.m. at 73 North Clinton Ave., Trenton.
Support for the $1.247 million allocation came through the office of Congresswoman Bonnie Watson Coleman (NJ-12), as well as from numerous community stakeholders including the City of Trenton and the Trenton Historical Society, as part of an $18.1 million federal funding package for the state’s 12th Congressional District.
“This grant will help preserve and repair these beautiful historic buildings so we can be assured the Guild can continue providing services to Trenton and the area beyond the 104 years it has already been there,” said Brenda Rascher, executive director of the diocesan Office of Catholic Social Services.
Assessments have been conducted over several months and repairs will be administered on a phased basis that will preserve the buildings’ historic integrity and include other essential repairs per health and safety standards. These include updating electric wiring and replacing historic windows that have experienced moisture damage, in compliance with historic registry guidelines.
“This grant represents the single largest fiscal allocation [of public funding that] we have received in the last 10 years or more,” emphasized Mary Inkrot, the Guild’s executive director. “Despite difficulties, we have been extremely focused on using the resources we have, largely through donations and volunteers, to serve the Trenton community.”
The Guild serves the food insecure and other vulnerable local groups who rely on its support services, which also include emergency prescription and utility assistance to prevent homelessness, as well as its accredited Home Health Nursing Program.
Between September 2019 and March 2020, the Guild operated an open-choice food pantry, which allowed visitors to choose the food they need from arranged shelves, including fresh vegetables, baked goods and various forms of perishables. The COVID-19 pandemic restrictions discontinued this format, while demand for food and other essentials increased. The facilities fund will be useful, Inkrot said, in the planned re-introduction of open-choice, allowing care-receivers access to safer, stronger and more comfortable buildings when they visit.
“Coming out of the pandemic, the Guild has been pushing ahead with all its services, while facing new issues along the way,” she continued, noting that the Guild remains grateful to its many donors who have been supporting efforts over the years. “Their help will become even more crucial as the grant is operationalized.”
Bishop Thomas J. Walsh, third bishop of Trenton, founded the Guild in January 1920, to serve those in need in the Trenton community, regardless of religious affiliation. In 2023, the Guild’s pantry averaged 1,450 household visits per month, helping to feed more than 62,000 individuals, and averaged 15 requests for financial assistance per week – including families and individuals facing utility shut offs and evictions, essential prescription drug purchase assistance and other related demands. During that time, registered nurses cared for 29 patients, providing 789 units of service (45 minutes each).
Mount Carmel Guild client selects food choices during a visit to the food pantry. The Guild has received grant monies for building renovations. Courtesy photoThe Church needs quality Catholic journalism now more than ever. Please consider supporting this work by signing up for a SUBSCRIPTION (click HERE) or making a DONATION to The Monitor (click HERE). Thank you for your support.