Mercer Street Friends

What is Mercer Street Friends?
Mercer Street Friends is a faith-based, non-sectarian, non-profit social service and health care organization at the center of many lives.  They strive to find hopeful, sustainable, creative and realistic options that enable their neighbors to change their circumstances and lives.

What do they do?
Mercer Street Friends meets the needs of greater Trenton's most vulnerable: the poor, lonely, sick and disheartened.  Their programs provide food, companionship, education, counseling, job training and placement, family support, early childhood and elder care, nursing, in-home health aid and parenting education.  Mercer Street Friends' care reaches more than 15,000 people each year: infants, children, youth, adolescents,working families and seniors.

How are Bonner Leaders acquainted with Mercer Street Friends?
Bonner Leaders involved with Mercer Street Friends currently take part in two aspects of their programming:

• Catering to the need of the Children
• Mercer Street Friends food cooperative

With an increase in volunteers the Bonner Leaders will be able to participate in more of the services that Mercer Street Friends offers.

The Children
Early Childhood Development Centers
Mercer Street Friends operates classrooms for 3-5 years old children, designed to provide effective early intervention and school readiness to poor children.

Extended Day Program
A before and after school program where children play in an enriching environment where they receive help with homework and at some sites par`ticipate in a creative writing course.

Feeding the Hungry
Mercer Street Friends Food Cooperative is the only food bank in Mercer County serving 60 non-profit and faith based food partners including:

• Food Pantries
• Soup Kitchens
• Childcare Centers
• Senior Citizen Sites
• Youth Programs

At Mercer Street Friends Bonner Leaders Will:
Interact with toddlers at one of our Early Childhood Education Centers (for ages 6 months to 5 years) and with school-aged children in our after-school programs (pre-K to grade 5).
Work at the food bank to conduct research, run food drives, sort and distribute food, and speak out on issues of hunger and poverty in your community.

Other Programs Mercer Street Friends Offers:

• Youth Development
• Adult Day Services
• Adult Family Care
• Friends Home Health Care
• Policy Analysis and Advocacy
• Village Charter School
• Family Center

Hours of Operation
Child Care: Monday – Friday: 5:30 pm – 7:30 pm
Food Bank