Organized in 1991, the Princeton Area Community Foundation is a nonprofit agency that "builds community by promoting and encouraging philanthropy across greater Mercer County and central New Jersey." The foundation manages more than 250 charitable funds, including scholarships, endowments and grant programs.
Founded in 1998 as a nonprofit agency, HomeFront is dedicated to fighting poverty and homelessness in Mercer County. The agency provides emergency shelter, transitional housing, food, clothing, furniture and other items to those in need. Counseling, job readiness training, life skills mentoring, tutoring and other services are also offered by the agency, along with preschool and after-school programs for children. In addition to providing services and programs from its headquarters at 1880 Princeton Avenue, HomeFront also manages the Lawrence Community Center at 295 Eggerts Crossing Road.
Post 414 is the Lawrence Township chapter of the non-profit American Legion, chartered by Congress in 1919. As the nation's largest veterans service organization, the American Legion is "committed to mentoring and sponsorship of youth programs in our communities, advocating patriotism and honor, promoting a strong national security, and continued devotion to our fellow servicemembers and veterans."
Post 414 is located on Berwyn Place, adjacent to Lawrence Township's Veterans Park. The post's main meeting is held on the third Tuesday of each month at 7pm, but other meetings are held throughout the month.
The American Legion, both nationally and locally, raises money for the families of wounded and fallen military personnel and holds numerous community activities throughout the year, such as the respected Boys State government education program and youth baseball leagues intended to promote teamwork and sportsmanship.
One of the three volunteer fire companies that protect Lawrence Township, Slackwood Fire Company was organized in 1907 and is located at 21 Slack Avenue. Membership in the fire company is open to all township residents who are willing to volunteer their time. High school students as young as 14 can join as cadet members to learn more about the fire service. To be eligible to actively fight fires and respond to emergency incidents, members must be at least 18 years of age and have completed the state-certified 120-hour basic firefighting course offered at the Mercer County Fire Academy. Fire company members are required to participate in many hours of training each month to maintain their skills. The volunteers of Slackwood Fire Company respond to more than 600 emergencies every year. Six Slackwood volunteers have died in the line of duty over the years - five were killed after their fire engine collided with a tractor-trailer in 1934; another suffered a fatal heart attack in 1986 while helping direct traffic at the scene of a structure fire. Slackwood Fire Company is designated as Station 21 under Mercer County's firehouse numbering system. While the fire company's primary response area is located in the southern end of town (known as Lawrence Township Fire District 1), Slackwood firefighters respond to fires, traffic accidents, hazardous materials spills, floods and other emergencies throughout Lawrence Township to aid the township's other fire companies, Lawrence Road and Lawrenceville. Through mutual aid agreements with neighboring municipalities, Slackwood firefighters respond into Ewing, Hopewell and elsewhere to assist when needed at major incidents. Similarly, firefighters from other towns respond into Lawrence Township to help out whenever needed. The fire company's volunteers hold periodic fundraisers to help pay for fuel, equipment and supplies that are not covered by the township. The hall attached to the firehouse is sometimes rented out for meetings and other functions as an additional fundraiser, however township ordinances prohibit the use of the hall for some types of social events. In 2007, Slackwood Fire Company celebrated its 100th anniversary with a large parade of fire apparatus that made its way along Princeton Pike. Nicknamed the "Southside Mutts," Slackwood Fire Company members have a firefighting bulldog as their mascot.
The local chapter of the national Veterans of Foreign Wars organization, Post 3022 is located on Cherry Tree Lane, off Brunswick Pike (Business Route 1). A veterans' service organization that is "dedicated to supporting veterans and deployed servicemembers, as well as their families," the VFW is made up of American citizens who have all served with honor in the U.S. military and have spent time deployed to areas of conflict.
Post members regularly host events for veterans and their families, visit veterans in local hospitals, attend funeral services for deceased veterans and work with other local veterans groups like American Legion Post 414 to give back to the Lawrence Township community.
Post 3022 offers annual scholarships to local students through the Veterans of Foreign Wars' national "Patriot's Pen" essay-writing contest for students in grades 6, 7 and 8 and the "Voice of Democracy" audio-essay contest for high school students. The contests are designed "to foster patriotism by allowing students the opportunity to voice their opinion based on an annual theme."
Head Start is a part of the Community Development Institute, a Colorado-based company that gives underprivileged children a chance to shine in the community and in life. The program, which is a branch of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, has spanned across 36 U.S. states and 12 federal regions. This particular office serves all of Mercer County and is located on Whitehead Road in Lawrence Township.
Lawrenceville Main Street is a nonprofit civic organization that works to improve the downtown area of the historic Village of Lawrenceville, located in the northern end of Lawrence Township, by organizing events such as the Lawrenceville Farmers Market and the Music in Weeden Park summer concert series. The group's goals include preserving the area's history, revitalizing the local economy, improving property values and promoting the village area as a "convenient place to live, shop and work."
Lawrenceville Main Street's office is located in the same building as the nonprofit Lawrence Township Education Foundation.
This facility serves as the international headquarters of Babe Ruth Baseball, a youth baseball program that serves more than one million players ages 4 to 18 throughout the United States and around the world each year.
The program was organized in Trenton in 1951 under the name Little Bigger League. It was renamed in honor of Babe Ruth in 1954 after organizers met with Claire Ruth, widow of the legendary baseball player, and she offered her endorsement of the program.
Project Freedom of Lawrence is a nonprofit organization providing accessible living for people with disabilities. This organizations enables them to have independent living that is affordable and provides support services including recreation, advocacy and training.
United Way of Greater Mercer County is a nonprofit that helps to build strong communities. It offers help with children who need more and better education and those who can't afford regular schooling. It also provides a launching point for volunteer work.
This non-profit art gallery was established in 2002 to provide a venue for local artists, provide scholarships, provide educational opportunities and give teachers some tools to help promote local students artwork. The artwork it promotes is Ibero-American Art in various forms. Take some time to visit the gallery on the web and in person.