The bronze Lady Victory sculpture featuring a sword and wreath of peace in her hands stands under the NJ World War II Memorial rotunda in Trenton across from the State House
Note from the CEO
Our collective strengths as a community and as leaders continues to play an integral part in our response to the unprecedented Coronavirus pandemic. We’re all in this together and we will get through this together.

Our hearts go out to all the residents, workers, individuals and families in need, and businesses across the city who have bee n affected the most by the spread of this virus and the subsequent uncertainty and social distancing measures in place as a result.

Gr eater Trenton is working closely with the City of Trenton and others to help shape potential relief funding to aid the local economy including local establishments and other organizations that supply assistance. In addition, we're working with the City, Trenton Downtown Association and others to help encourage support and patronage of local businesses and eateries across the city. We are also working to develop web-based seminars to assist businesses in securing grants and/or low-interest loans from federal, state, county and city programs.

Many organizations across the city are in need of volunteers. After a request from Mercer Street Friends CEO Bernie Flynn, I, along with our Vice President Bryan Evans, assisted a group of volunteers at the Mercer Street Friends Food Bank. It was a worthwhile experience as we completed an assemblage of about 469 food packages for children and families that were delivered to Trenton Central High School, Joyce Kilmer School, Mott Elementary School, and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Elementary School.

I encourage you to support local businesses in Trenton that remain open for pickup or delivery.

 We’ve leveraged and expanded the focus of TrentonDaily as a platform to inform the public about the latest on COVAD-19 and how local businesses and organizations are responding.
With more than 70,000 readers and growing, TrentonDaily continues to be a go-to source for stories on progress and opportunity in New Jersey's State Capital City. If you have story ideas for TrentonDaily , please connect with Bryan Evans at bevans@greatertrenton.org or contact him at (609) 473-2837 x102.

Many events in Trenton have been, and continue to be, postponed or cancelled due to the evolving crisis. Instead, we included information and resources below on COVID-19.

We value your continued support and we look forward to working together in close collaboration and partnership through this crisis and beyond.

Stay safe and be well.
 
Best,
 
George
 
George D. Sowa
Chief Executive Officer
GREATER TRENTON
Working Collectively in Response to COVID-19
Greater Trenton is working collaboratively with the City of Trenton, Trenton Downtown Association and others to assist with the evolving COVID-19 crisis.

"We're working closely with Mayor Reed Gusciora, in concert with our Board and a number of other organizations, to identify resources and relief during these trying times," said Greater Trenton CEO George Sowa. "It's a tough time for many residents and businesses across the city so we're all working together to get through this."

Mayor Gusciora announced the creation of the Small Business Fiscal Relief Program; a new City initiative to support local small businesses during this time of economic hardship. Going before City Council is a resolution which would allow the City to provide loans to Trenton-based businesses. If approved, the City will begin fielding applications within the next week with the funds dispersed very shortly thereafter.

The City of Trenton, Division of Economic Development is urging everyone to support local Trenton restaurants by ordering from their favorite New Jersey Capital City food destination. In an effort to spur activity in the midst of this global pandemic, the City of Trenton has modified its Trenton Eat Local Club program to focus on take-out and delivery orders. As part of this initiative, new eateries will continue to be highlighted in TrentonDaily.

"Leveraging TrentonDaily as a broad outreach tool and working with the City of Trenton, Trenton Downtown Association and others, we hope to encourage widespread support for local businesses across the city that offer takeout or delivery," said Greater Trenton Vice President Bryan Evans, who serves on the Trenton Downtown Association Board. "We're also exploring potential marketing ads in parking lots and public spaces to encourage local patronage from state workers and oth ers."

A number of state, local and federal resources are available for relief including:

City of Trenton:

State of New Jersey:

Small Business Administration:

NJEDA:
Small Business Emergency Assistance Grant Program – A $5 million program that will provide grants up to $5,000 to small businesses in retail, arts, entertainment, recreation, accommodation, food service, and other services – such as repair, maintenance, personal, and laundry services – to stabilize their operations and reduce the need for layoffs or furloughs.

Small Business Emergency Assistance Loan Program – A $10 million program that will provide working capital loans of up to $100,000 to businesses with less than $5 million in revenues. Loans made through the program will have 10-year terms with 0% interest for the first five years, then resetting to the EDA’s prevailing floor rate (capped at 3%) for the remaining five years.

Community Development Finance Institution (CDFI) Emergency Loan Loss Reserve Fund – A $10 million capital reserve fund to take first loss position on CDFI loans that provide low interest working capital to microbusinesses. This will allow CDFIs to withstand loan defaults due to the outbreak, which will allow them to provide more loans at lower interest rates to microbusinesses affected by the outbreak.

NJ Entrepreneur Support Program – A $5 million program that will encourage continued capital flows to innovation economy companies and temporarily support a cautious investor market by providing 80% loan guarantees for working capital loans to startup entrepreneurs.

Small Business Emergency Assistance Guarantee Program – A $10 million program that will provide 50% guarantees on working capital loans and waive fees on loans made through institutions participating in the NJEDA’s existing Premier Lender or CDFI programs.
 
In response to the economic challenges being faced by New Jersey Small and Medium sized businesses and non-profits (collectively “SMEs”), the New Jersey Economic Development Authority (NJEDA) has created the Small Business Emergency Assistance Grant Program.

The grant program will provide funding as efficiently and quickly as possible to SMEs that are in need. The focus of this round of funding is on the smallest enterprises in industries that are among the most adversely impacted by the COVID-19 containment measures.

For more information, click here.
Volunteers Needed at Mercer Street Friends
Mercer Street Friends is proactively continuing its work channeling food to over 130 non-profits throughout Mercer County’s food emergency network. Also, nearly 1,300 students in Mercer County are enrolled in the Send Hunger Packing (SHUP) program and receive food on Friday nights for the weekend.

On March 19, 2020, Greater Trenton CEO George Sowa and Vice President Bryan Evans assisted a group of volunteers at the Mercer Street Friends Food Bank to complete an assemblage of about 469 food packages (860 in total between a group of volunteers on March 18th) for children and families at Trenton Central High School, Joyce Kilmer School, Mott Elementary School and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Elementary School.
“We find ourselves at a moment in time that challenges us as individuals, families, and society as a whole,” said Mercer Street Friends CEO Bernie Flynn. “The Mercer Street Friends Food Bank provides an essential service to the neediest among us in Mercer County and the Coronavirus pandemic has stretched us to the limit. Regardless of this extraordinary challenge, our team remains deeply committed to helping to meet the nutritional needs of our community.”

Mercer Street Friends encourages those, who are able, to volunteer at the Food Bank. “Every step is being taken, in accordance with CDC guidance, to continuously deep clean the warehouse and keep our staff and volunteers six feet separated,” said Flynn. “We cannot meet the demand if we don’t have help. All volunteers are screened, asked to wash their hands upon entry and provided gloves.”

Volunteers are needed Tuesdays through Thursdays from 9 a.m. to Noon and 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. to help assemble pallets of food and pack bags for the weekend food program destined to children and their families enrolled in Send Hunger Packing. Please contact Sherries Anderson at (609) 278-5546 or sanderson@mercerstreetfriends.org to schedule your volunteer shift.
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