LAWRENCE: Nonprofits transfer lease for savings

By Lea Kahn, Staff Writer
    It’s no secret that the economic downturn has affected nonprofit groups’ ability to raise money and continue their operations, and the Lawrence Township Community Council is no exception.
    That’s why the Lawrence Township Community Council, which has funded the Lawrence Neighborhood Service Center at 295 Eggerts Crossing Road since 1971, has transferred its lease on the building to HomeFront.
    Township Council, which owns the property, approved the lease transfer to HomeFront — which is headquartered on Princeton Avenue — at its July 21 meeting. The transfer took effect this week. The lease is for $1 per year.
    “Over the last three to five years, the community council has struggled with funding to operate the programs (at the LNSC),” said Anthony Petruzzi, who chairs the LTCC’s board of trustees.
    Private funding has dried up and government funding also has dried up, Mr. Petruzzi said. All of the nonprofit groups are “chasing the same dollars,” and it became apparent that the LTCC would not be able to gain its share of that money, he said.
    The LTCC considered its options — close the doors to the LNSC, or seek out another nonprofit, Mr. Petruzzi said. The LTCC reached out to HomeFront, which operates similar child- and family-oriented programs.
    Lawrence Township was agreeable to transfer the lease to HomeFront, which is in need of more space for its staff and programs, for the next three years. Carlos Hendricks, the former executive director of the LNSC, has joined the HomeFront staff.
    “It’s disappointing in one way,” Mr. Petruzzi said of the decision to turn over the lease to HomeFront. “But in the long range, it’s a positive step. HomeFront has a vast amount of experience and it has more ability to attract money than we could.”
    Arrangements also have been made for the nonprofit Every Child Valued program — which operates after-school and summer programs in collaboration with the Lawrence Township public school district — to expand its offerings.
    ECV offers programs at the Eggerts Crossing Village affordable housing development at 175 Johnson Ave. for children in grades K-3. Now, it will expand its offerings to include grades 4-6 at the LNSC building on Eggerts Crossing Road.
    Thomas Wilfrid, who chairs the ECV nonprofit group’s board of trustees, said he felt “very good” about the transition and ECV’s expanded involvement.
    “HomeFront is unique,” Mr. Wilfrid said. “It is a very successful organization that is based in Lawrence, and its mission is very compatible with the core mission of the LNSC.”
    ECV has been looking for ways to expand its programs, Mr. Wilfrid said. When the group heard that the LNSC was in danger of closing, it agreed that if a way could be found to keep the center open, ECV would be interested in offering after-school and enrichment programs at the site.
    Municipal Manager Richard Krawczun said most of the existing programs offered at the LNSC would continue, and HomeFront may offer expanded programming. Both nonprofit groups offer educational and recreational programs for adults and children.
    Connie Mercer, the executive director of HomeFront, said the nonprofit group is “in love with the community” and felt that its expertise in managing facilities could make a difference in Lawrence Township.
    Both the LNSC and HomeFront offer food pantries, and HomeFront — like the LNSC — offers after-school enrichment programs, enrichment programs and summer programs for children, Ms. Mercer said.
    During the next few months, HomeFront employees Christine Lee and Jacquie Stacey will service as the transition coordinator and on-site manager, respectively, at the Eggerts Crossing Road facility, she said.
    “We are working on developing new programs,” Ms. Mercer said. “We are committed to continuing all of the existing programs. There will be a major facelift to the inside of the building in the next couple of months. We want to put in a state-of-the-art computer training center.”
    The vision is for the building to become the Lawrence Neighborhood Center — to make it a place where the Moms Clubs of Lawrenceville can meet or a fledgling chess club could meet — in addition to continuing its current mission of helping township residents in need, she said.
    “We are reaching out to community groups and we hope they will start thinking of the (former LNSC) building as a resource,” Ms. Mercer said. “If a group needs a bigger place to meet, they can meet there. I want the Girl Scouts meeting there, or a local square dance group to meet there.”
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