To the Editor:

On a rainy evening earlier this month, friends of the Housing Initiatives of Princeton (HIP) gathered under tents to hear Prof. Ruha Benjamin preview her new book, Viral Justice: How We Grow the World We Want. Despite the dreary weather, we were delighted by the turnout and show of support and inspired by Prof. Benjamin’s vision of creating transformative change from millions of small individual acts. We want to thank all who contributed to our successful fundraiser, including host Jane Scott and Kale’s Garden Center for providing gift certificates for a silent auction. The money raised at the event will help fund HIP’s transitional housing program which helps families on the brink of homelessness chart a path to financial security.

We are grateful for the support of our many community partners. During the busy Mothers’ Day weekend, Color Me Mine at the Princeton Shopping Center opened their doors to the families in our program for an uplifting mother and child painting party. Owner Krystal Bechtel went above and beyond in creating a fun and welcoming event.

We also want to thank the local businesses who endeavor to hire local. Many of HIP’s clients are single moms with young kids. These working moms need nearby jobs with decent pay and reasonable hours in order to balance both work and child care. We especially want to thank Anna Maria Miller and Ross Wishnick of the Bank of Princeton for their community-minded hiring efforts.

Finally, we want to thank the Princeton Area Community Foundation Bunbury Fund for a $19,000 grant that HIP will use to develop a strategic plan and a communications plan to deepen our impact and expand our capacity as an organization. To find out more about our work including how to help, please visit housinginitaitivesofprinceton.org.

Liz Lempert
Chair, Housing Initiatives of Princeton

Kathleen Gittleman
Executive Director, Housing Initiatives of Princeton