HONORED FOR HER SERVICE: Carol Golden, center, surrounded by board members and colleagues from Housing Initiatives of Princeton, is being celebrated at the nonprofit’s annual Rent Party on Saturday, October 17, at The Boathouse at Mercer Lake.
By Anne Levin
Once her two sons were old enough to go to school, Carol Golden began thinking about resuming her career. But rather than practicing law — she’d graduated from law school — the former stay-at-home mom decided to follow a different path. That pursuit eventually led Golden to Housing Initiatives of Princeton (HIP), where she volunteered as board chair for a decade until recently stepping down.
HIP will honor Golden on October 17 at its Silver and Golden Rent Party, which marks the organization’s 25th anniversary. The Rent Party concept stems from a tradition that emerged in Harlem a century ago. Neighbors would gather for evenings of food, music, dancing, and passing the hat to help those in need cover their rent.
HIP assists local families and individuals experiencing housing insecurity through its transitional housing and eviction prevention programs. The nonprofit helps people navigate the system and get on their feet again, leading to stable housing and a sustainable future.
Golden’s introduction to the organization came in 2016 through her association with the former Princeton Affordable Housing Board. Her colleague on that board, Ruth Thurmond Scott, was concurrently serving as board chair for HIP.
“Ruth asked me to volunteer as chair, because she was moving away and no one was volunteering to take over,” said Golden. “I needed a challenge, and I got it. I had to run the whole thing, because she had been the heart of the organization. She did everything.”
Raised in Trenton and Lawrence Township, Golden had moved to Princeton with her then-husband Andrew Golden, whose career as president of Princeton University’s endowment was on the rise. While raising their sons, Golden volunteered for various organizations like the 101: Fund, which provides need-based scholarships to Princeton High School graduates. She was often approached about assisting other causes that served Princeton residents.
“I didn’t grow up with money,” said Golden, “and it just seemed so privileged here in Princeton. There was nothing wrong with those causes, but I wanted to help those who didn’t have, more than the ones who did. That’s when I joined Trenton Planned Parenthood.”
The affiliation with HIP came soon after. “I wanted to have some impact,” said Golden. “So this was a good path for me. I could be effective, but on my own time. The volunteer thing became meaningful. HIP gave me a chance to skip over the career I didn’t have. I became the executive director for free.”
Golden felt at home with HIP’s “neighbors helping neighbors” slogan. “It’s remarkable,” she said. “It’s non-judgmental, non-hierarchical. I never felt that sense of noblesse oblige — never that vibe. We have great volunteers. We divvy up the work. You match with a family. We only had three families when we started, so I was intimately involved.”
HIP partners with some 20 other organizations, local churches, and the municipalities of Princeton and Trenton to help 400 Mercer County children and adults per year, 10 families at a time through their transitional housing program, and 360+ adults and children per year through their Eviction Prevention program.
“These are things that are hard to do from the back of your car or a shelter or a motel,” said Lori Troilo, the organization’s current (and second paid) executive director. “The goal is to get people into permanent affordable housing. We’re helping people to take that step.”
Golden will continue to serve on the HIP board’s Development Committee. In a profile of her on HIP’s website, she says the most meaningful part of her work has been watching HIP families “stand a little taller” once they’re on steady ground that HIP helps to provide through its commitment to stable housing and better employment. What troubles her most isn’t so much the lack of housing, but what that insecurity does to people.
“There’s this notion that these folks are ‘not allowed’ to advocate for themselves — at school, with landlords, in any system they’re forced to navigate,” she said. “That’s the inequality, the idea that you just take what is given.”
Observing HIP families begin to push themselves against that notion and gain confidence in steering their own futures is ‘so gratifying,’ she said.
Golden has moved to Lambertville. She continues to serve on the board of the Princeton Garden Theatre, and is active in the campaign of Trenton mayoral hopeful Austin Edwards. While modest about her accomplishments running HIP, she does admit to a certain amount of pride.
“People give me credit for things, and I did keep the ship moving and growing appropriately,” she said. “But I really just had a role.”
The Silver and Golden HIP Rent Party is Saturday, October 17 from 7-10 p.m. Visit housinginitiativesofprinceton.org for tickets and more information.