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Interfaith Neighbors announced this week that it will once again be the recipient of a Wells Fargo Regional Foundation Planning Grant.

According to a news release sent to the Asbury Park Sun on Wednesday afternoon, the award continues a decade of the bank’s charitable support for economic stability, affordable housing, and youth opportunity on Asbury Park’s West Side.

While the amount of the grant has not been released, awards range from $25,000 to $100,000, according to the bank.

Previous data gathered from 2008, 2012, and 2016 awards was used in the information gathering process for the ongoing Choice Neighborhoods Transformation Plan now occurring in the city’s southwest quadrant.

The plan, which aims to transform Lincoln Village and the southwest quadrant into a place of opportunity and economic growth, is funded by a $500,000 Housing and Urban Development [HUD] grant.

“The West Side Choice Neighborhood is at a pivotal point,” HUD officials said in a written statement. “Results from the recent surveys administered by Interfaith Neighbors and Monmouth University show that community is experiencing positive growth, and residents are eager to contribute to the momentum. While  there still are many challenges, residents report feeling more optimistic about the current and future state of their neighborhood,” the Choice Neighborhood report reads.

The Wells Fargo planning grant runs concurrent to the Choice Neighborhood Planning Grant awarded to the City and the Asbury Park Housing Authority. Interfaith Neighbors [IFN] is among the participating partners.

“We at IFN are very excited and thankful to have the continued support of the Wells Fargo Regional Foundation, especially at a time when other planning activities such as CHOICE are underway,” Community Engagement Director Heather Schulze said in the written statement. “The Wells Fargo funds will allow additional resident and community engagement, which when combined with the results of the Choice initiative will lead to a more comprehensive plan to address community issues in a meaningful way.”

Wells Fargo Regional Foundation grants have supported an array of Interfaith Neighbors projects, including the Springwood Center, the development of affordable homes and rental housing, Kula Café, Kula Urban Farm. Funds have also been appropriated to support programs carried out by the nonprofit and its collaborative partners, including the Community Affairs and Resource Center, Boys and Girls Club of Monmouth County, and Big Brothers, Big Sisters of Monmouth and Middlesex Counties.

The public is invited to an updated of the Choice Neighborhood Planning process being held  5:30 p.m. Wednesday at the Asbury Park Senior Center, located at 1201 Springwood Ave.

“The two most important things to know are that all of us are working together and sharing information to create a comprehensive plan, and all of us want resident input, involvement and leadership,” Schulze said said.

Interfaith Neighbors will be gathering input from residents through August by offering a weekly question about community conditions during the free Monday night concerts at Springwood Avenue Park. Those who participate have an opportunity to win a gift card to Kula Café.

Interfaith Neighbors also will seek input from residents through a youth coloring and drawing contest, at the biweekly open mic night and during a series of community focus groups.

“The West Side neighborhood of Asbury Park has what it takes to create a truly actionable plan – access to transit, a new neighborhood park, prime redevelopment parcels, and public housing sites that are ready to be revitalized,’’ said Woo Kim, a senior associate at Wallace Roberts & Todd. The Philadelphia based firm is assisting in the Choice planning initiative and was recently engaged by Interfaith Neighbors to assist with the Wells Fargo Foundation Planning Grant.

According to a Choice Neighborhood Planning report:

35% of residents report living in the southwest neighborhood to be near friends or family

49% of residents reported speaking regularly, for five or more minutes, with at least four neighbors

85% of respondents want to ‘be involved to make my neighborhood safer

56% of residents feel that the community will ‘improve a lot’ or ‘improve some’ over the next three years

And when asked: Compared to three years ago, how has the neighborhood changed 56% said it improved

35% in 2008 compared to 49% in 2016 said they would stay

And, when asked if they were satisfied with living in the community, the number grew from 50% in 2008 to 64% in 2016

For more information about Interfaith Neighbors initiative, email Heather Schulze at HeatherS@interfaithneighbors.org or visit their website.

For more about the ongoing Choice Neighborhood Planning, click here. 

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