Camden, NJ-Congressman Donald Norcross (NJ-01) today announced a $30 million U.S. Department of Education (DOE) Promise Neighborhoods Implementation Grant Award for Center for Family Services, Inc. (CFS) in Camden, New Jersey.

CFS, Camden’s largest nonprofit service agency dedicated to improving the lives of children and families in Southern New Jersey, will use the funds to build innovative learning opportunities to improve the educational outcomes for students in Camden’s most distressed communities, and will focus on 14,500 residents in four Camden neighborhoods: Cooper Lanning, Bergen Square, Centerville, and Liberty Park.

“This is a game changer for students in Camden and a significant achievement for the local partnership working together every day to make Camden’s future brighter. I congratulate the Center for Family Services on this award that will give young people in Camden the tools to compete and succeed in the classroom and lay the groundwork for success,” said Congressman Donald Norcross (NJ-01).

The grant will be administered in $6 million annual installments over five years to CFS. CFS, along with partners from the Camden Housing Authority, Camden County Police, institutions of higher education including Rutgers University-Camden, Rowan University, Camden County College, Cooper University Hospital & Medical School, as well as City health care providers and other agencies, will collaborate to use the federal funds to provide high quality, safe & stable opportunities for students to succeed in school, along with support services for their families.

“The Promise Neighborhood grant is yet another example that Camden is committed to improving educational outcomes in the midst of unprecedented change.  It is great news for our children, youth, and families as we continue to work hard to ensure all Camden children are prepared to succeed, and have access to great schools and a have real pathway to college or a career.  Many thanks go to Senator Menendez, Senator Booker, and Congressman Norcross for ensuring Camden receives the funding needed to transform our community. I would also credit Camden’s success to a more coordinated and smarter collaboration between our community, our federal partners and local government,” said Camden Mayor Dana Redd.

“Center For Family Services is honored to lead our strong team of partners and funders in creating a Camden community where all children have the opportunity to thrive.  The Promise Neighborhoods award will make it possible for us to strengthen early childhood services, improve opportunities for children to be successful in school, develop college and career pathways for young adults, and transform neighborhoods through services that promote family well-being and stability,” said Merilee Rutolo, Chief Operating Officer, Center For Family Services.

Congressman Norcross supported CFS’s grant application to the U.S. Department of Education, along with Senators Bob Menendez and Cory Booker who shared their reactions to the grant award announcement:

“Communities where children are struggling in the classroom are most often the same communities struggling with violence, underperforming schools, rundown housing and high unemployment,” said U.S. Senator Bob Menendez.  “The Center for Family Services and their local partners recognize that in order to boost student achievement, they must tackle challenges both inside and outside of the classroom—and this award will help them do just that.” 

“This is yet another example of our shared commitment to helping strengthen Camden as this great city continues down a path of resurgence,” said U.S. Senator Cory Booker.  “Every child deserves access to a quality, affordable education in order to help prepare them for future success both in and out of the classroom.  This federal funding will help transform one of New Jersey’s most distressed communities by closing the achievement gap while restoring hope of a brighter future for our children.”

CFS is one of six recipients nationwide of the of Promise Neighborhoods Implementation Grant Award, which is designed to help communities launch and sustain educational supports and community-based services to meet the complex needs of children and families.

“These grants will provide cradle-to-career support for at-risk children in communities across the country, offering meaningful resources that will help them achieve their potential,” said U.S. Secretary of Education John B. King Jr. “Promise Neighborhoods draw on the best of communities, bringing together non-profits, schools, and local institutions to meet the needs of their local communities.”

“Federal investments like the Promise Neighborhoods Implementation Grant allow us to drastically provide more, beyond an excellent education, for our KIPP Cooper Norcross Academy students in order to equip them for success in college and in life,” said Drew Martin, Executive Director of KIPP Cooper Norcross Academy.  “A zip code should never determine the goals people have for themselves or for their children and we value the Center for Family Services as a community partner in working towards a shared vision of building stronger, healthier communities. This grant will offer the indispensable resources that our students and families need to unlock opportunities and achieve their dreams.”

"We believe close collaboration with our community partners is key to improving our schools, and we're excited to work together in providing additional health, home, and academic supports that will improve educational opportunities in the neighborhood zone. We're grateful to Center for Family Services for leading this application and partnering with us to bring critical resources to Camden," said Paymon Rouhanifard, Camden City School District Superintendent.

The Promise Neighborhoods program was launched in 2010 to support innovative strategies that bring together public and private partners to help break the cycle of intergenerational poverty. Promise Neighborhoods grantees provide comprehensive education, health, safety, and family support services to children and families in high-poverty neighborhoods. To date, the Promise Neighborhoods program has awarded over $286 million, spanning nearly 700 schools and 1,000 community partners.

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