Eastern Pacific Development, in collaboration with the Cumberland Empowerment Zone and Gateway Community Action Partnership, is planning a ground-breaking event for the River Grove Apartments, 68 affordable residential rental properties in the Southeast Gateway Neighborhood in the City of Bridgeton on Wednesday, July 31 at 11 a.m. The event will be held at the recently completed community center, 44 Spruce St., Bridgeton, and was the first step in the 68-unit, River Grove Apartments that include 34 duplexes all containing three-bedroom apartments, 52 units will have attached garages. The project includes 40 rental units subsidized by project-based rental or operating subsidy provided by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the remaining 28 units will be rented at market rates. Financing for the project will be generated through New Jersey Housing Mortgage Financing Authority Low Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) program. USDA has also committed a $3 million Permanent Loan, at an interest rate of one (1%) percent per annum, amortizing over a 33-year term. In addition, the City of Bridgeton has provided a Payment in Lieu of Taxes, a PILOT, at five (5%) percent per annum. The Project is located in the Southeast Gateway Neighborhood, a low-income census tract in which the median family income, $22,027, is 41% of the median income for the Metropolitan Statistical Area (“MSA”) that includes Cumberland County. The designated redeveloper for the Project is Eastern Pacific Development. With more than 25 years in the business of development and construction, Eastern Pacific Development, the Developer, and Brookfield Construction, the General Contractor, both of which are solely owned and managed by Hans Lampart, have been successfully developing, building and operating affordable housing for senior citizens, as well as families. Both companies founded by Lampart, specialize in the highest quality affordable housing and apartment complexes for seniors. Eastern Pacific and Brookfield look forward to working with communities on the benefits and needs of affordable housing, which can often utilize some of the community’s older, and often, deteriorated buildings and apartment complexes. Construction funding is being provided by a construction loan from TD Bank and Equity from Enterprise Community Investment, Inc. Since its inception in 1999, the Cumberland Empowerment Zone Corporation (Co-Developer) has helped attract more than $270 million in public and private funding for the advancement of companies and their employees and for the preservation of communities and their neighborhoods. By supporting local businesses and economic development projects directly with initial investments now surpassing more than $27 million, the Cumberland Empowerment Zone Corporation program continues to be recognized as one of the most successful Empowerment Zones in the nation. The Cumberland Empowerment Zone Corporation committed its support to Gateway Community Action Partnership 12 years ago toward the revitalization of the Southeast Gateway neighborhood of which the River Grove Apartments’ project is a component of that effort. Tri-County Community Action Agency, Inc., (T/A Gateway Community Action Partnership (Gateway CAP)) (Co-Developer) is a 501(c)(3) entity and is the federally designated Community Action Partnership for Cumberland, Gloucester, and Salem counties in southern New Jersey. Gateway CAP operates programs in six core areas: child care, health services, literacy, housing, nutrition/education, and social services serving more than 50,000 clients annually in not only Cumberland, Gloucester, and Salem counties, but Atlantic, Cape May, Camden, Mercer counties (southern New Jersey), as well as, Philadelphia. Our signature programs: Head Start and WIC are the largest programs of their type in New Jersey. Recognizing a need for affordable and amenable housing for migrant families Gateway CAP was inspired to co-develop the River Grove Apartments, in partnership with Eastern Pacific Development and the Cumberland Empowerment Zone. The vision expanded to include meeting the affordable housing need of Bridgeton’s low-income families. The Southeast Gateway neighborhood was ideally targeted as the River Grove Apartments’ location as a substantial part of the revitalization effort that was initiated in 2005 through financial support from Wachovia Regional Foundation, now Wells Fargo Regional Foundation.

Gateway's Spring Gardens Senior Housing Complex and Alzheimer's Adult Daycare hosted their first annual Seniors With Style Fashion Show on May 25, 2918. Participants walked the runway showcasing their spring/summer fashion attire. Ms. Helen Morris won first place in the fashion show.

Scenes from the Fourth Annual Gateway Golf Classic, held May 17, 2018 at Stockton Seaview Hotel and Golf Club

Fearsome Fivesome: Residents at Spring Gardens Senior Housing show their support for the Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles.

More than 200 people participated in a Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service in Bridgeton on Monday. A diverse group representing entities that included the New Jersey State Police, Bridgeton Police Department, the Cumberland County Prosecutor’s Office, local elected officials, several area churches and the community in general helped clean Code Blue warming centers and make sandwiches for Code Blue guests as a way of recognizing the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Scenes from Gateway Community Action Partnership's 30th Anniversary Gala at the Adventure Aquarium in Camden on Nov. 9, 2017

Gateway Community Action Partnership held a ribbon cutting ceremony at 9 a.m., Wednesday, September 6 at its new Pleasantville Head Start center, 49 S. Main St., Pleasantville. The event officially opened the new 5,000 square foot center that features three classrooms and indoor and outdoor play areas for 38 children in Early Head Start and Head Start. The new center, built by RPM Consulting in collaboration with the City of Pleasantville and the Pleasantville School District, increases enrollment by eight children and adds an Early Head Start component in one classroom to go along with two Head Start classrooms. Ten people will be employed at the center, which is under the direction of Site Director Andrea Ramsey. The facility continues the agency’s work with the city and other community partners to improve Pleasantville. through development and new construction

On Aug. 24, 2017, Gateway Community Action Partnership formally launched the new Healthy Food Express - Bridgeton’s Mobile Feeding Bus, a summer feeding program that will help nourish hungry area youngsters. The bus is made possible, in part, by a generous grant from the OceanFirst Foundation, which will present a check for $10,000 during the ceremonial event. The Healthy Food Express summer feeding program is aimed at plugging the food insecurity gap when children are out of school during the summer months. When schools close in the summer months and during winter and spring break periods, many of the county’s neediest children are left without enough food to eat. The Healthy Food Express summer feeding pro-gram will bring healthy, nutritious meals to these children. These meals will be delivered to congregate feeding sites such as churches, schools and civic buildings. In instances where no facilities are available, children will be permitted to eat their meals aboard the bus or on outside tables and chairs

The Southeast Gateway community in Bridgeton NJ came together on July 10 for a Community Day event hosted by the Greater Bridgeton Family Success Center. The event also included the presentation of an $85,000 planning grant to Gateway CAP from the Wells Fargo Regional Foundation. Funds will go toward a planned revitalization project in the neighborhood.

Highlights of The 2017 Gateway Golf Classic held at Stockton Seaview Hotel and Golf Club on May 18, 2017

Multicultural parade celebration- Hamilton 1 Head Start, combined with fatherhood initiative/end of the year fun day.

Bancroft President/CEO, Toni Pergolin and AllRisk Founder & CEO, Frank Messina visit Gateway and tour Mill Creek Urban Farm

Scenes from the 2017 Gateway Head Start Volunteer Luncheon held at Adelphia's in Deptford on April 27, 2017.

Gateway Community Action Partnership celebrated the American Dream of Homeownership on DEC. 7 with a 10 a.m. ribbon cutting on the first of 10 new single family homes on South Avenue and Eagle Street, in Bridgeton’s Southeast Gateway Neighborhood. The affordable, quality homes all include three bedrooms, 1.5 baths, living room, dining room, kitchen, appliances and central air, all with a starting price of $77,500. First-time homebuyers with an income of at least $31,620 (household of two) are eligible. Requirements for Mill Creek Crossing home ownership includes attending home buyer classes, have a permanent income, qualify for a mortgage, have a credit score of at least 580 and be a U.S. citizen. Applicants must meet U.S. Housing & Urban Development (HUD) guidelines and be approved by the NJ Housing Affordability Service (HAS). The project is funded by the NJ Department of Community Affairs through the Neighborhood Revitalization Tax Credit (NRTC), HUD, the City of Bridgeton and the Cumberland Empowerment Zone as well as Wells Fargo and TD Bank. For an application or additional information on Mill Creek Crossings homes on South East Avenue, call 800-457-3188. For ribbon cutting event questions, call 856-497-6621.

Holiday celebration "Around the World" at Hightstown Head Start Dec. 2016

The staff and students at Hammonton and Landisville Head Start wore pink in observation of Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

The Holly City FSC held a Back to School Event on August 26, 2016. Holly City FSC partnered with Oakview Apartments for the 6th year to bring the community of Millville a back to school bash! We had music, food, a bouncy house, community organizations, children's undergarment giveaways and backpack raffles. What a success this event was! Thank you to all of the organizations who came out; Scratch Coalition from the Southwest Council, Big Brothers Big Sisters, Millville Fire Department, Connecting Families to Communities, Lowes, South Jersey AIDS Alliance, Pathstone, United Healthcare, Weisman Children's, and Make a Move.

On July 27, 2016 the Holly City Family Success Center hosted it's first Play Streets Event in Millville. This event hd been in the making since January. For the 6-week duration of Play Streets the FSC partnered with the Millville Police Department, Millville Housing Authority, Millville Public Schools, Millville Public Library, the Holly City Development Cooperation, Cumberland County Positive Youth Development Coalition and 5 different churches in our area

Bridgeton at-risk residents need food. Bridgeton needs youth willing to become the future leaders of our community. Gateway Community Action Partnership, through the funding of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, is currently operating a pilot program that addresses both. In the "Bridgeton Youth: Helping to Feed, Learning to Lead" program, teenagers are going door-to-door in the city to provide information about federal programs that provide free food to children and adolescents during the summer and where to get the food. The goal is to more than double the number of residents who applied last year to 2,000. The actions of the teenagers, dressed in their white or green T-shirts displaying the program name, increase the chance that residents will receive the nutrition they need. They are also helping with meals at feeding sites. While the nutritional aspect is extremely important, developing the youth as leaders is a key aspect of the program. Through their daily activities, the guidance of adult team leaders, and team building activities, the youth are learning new skills, gaining confidence and becoming aware of the issues facing their community. As part of the program, the youth spent a weekend in June at Camp Okanickon in Medford receiving training in leadership and community organizing. There is interest in expanding this program to other communities in New Jersey. Albert B. Kelly, Gateway's President and CEO and the Mayor of Bridgeton, addressed the youth on the first day of the program, stressing the importance of this initiative. "I want to show the state that this is something we are taking seriously," Kelly said. "We all know people in our community who do not have enough food to eat. They go to school hoping to get decent meals. But when school is out, they don't have that opportunity. We want to be sure they get decent meals. People outside of Bridgeton believe in what we are trying to do here. I want you to believe in it, also."

Gateway Community Action Partnership held a Summer Youth Job Fair on June 15 in the Everett P. Marino Center in Bridgeton. More than 250 youth attended to seek opportunities in administration, maintenance, child care, outreach, social services, summer feeding and clerical.

The Cumberland County Positive Youth Coalition (Bridgeton Group) kicked off its Bridgeton Area Summer Food Service Program with fun, food and activities Thursday, June 9 at the ALMS Center in Bridgeton. Those in attendance learned about the different feeding sites that will provide free meals to children 18 years and under throughout the summer months. Community information tables were also available. There were also a variety of fitness activities. Among the partners in this event were: Gateway Community Action Partnership, ShopRite, New Jersey Department of Agriculture, United States Department of Agriculture, Inspira Health Network, Bridgeton Area Police Athletic League, Century Savings Bank, and Community Food Bank of New Jersey.

Gateway Community Action Partnership senior leadership members, staff, project partners, elected officials and community members participated in another significant milestone in the construction of the $22-million Gateway Early Education Center in Atlantic City with a “beam topping ceremony” on Wednesday, June 1. Those in attendance signed the last steel beam to be placed on the building and watched as it was hoisted to the top of the three-story building in the heart of Atlantic City (1433 Bacharach Boulevard). The 43,787-square foot, three-story center is scheduled for completion in May 2017 and will provide quality early childhood education for approximately 300 children and employ 80 Head Start teachers, aides and support staff. The center replaces four Atlantic City centers severely damaged by Superstorm Sandy.

Spruce's Fatherhood Initiative, the students engaged in various games and activities with their fathers including twister, basketball, bean bag tossing, pie in the face contests, and soccer. The day was filled with laughs, friendly competition, and lots of fun.

For Hammonton's Fatherhood Initiative, the students spent time in the sun painting birdhouses and jewelry boxes with their fathers. This time allowed for bonding, fun, and implementing creative ideas.

Highlights of the 2016 Gateway Golf Classic, May 12, 2016 at Stockton Seaview

Parents were invited to come and participate in a obstacle course in our playground to celebrate the end of the ‘Exercise’ study 4-21-16

Gateway Community Action Partnership’s Mill Creek Crossings program’s dream of making the American Dream of homeownership a reality for area residents held a groundbreaking ceremony on April 26 at 2 p.m. on Eagle and Grove streets in Bridgeton. Mill Creek Crossings homes are being built on South Avenue and Eagle Street in Bridgeton and all 10 units include three bedrooms, 1.5 baths, living room, dining room, kitchen, appliances and central air. Starting price is $77,500 and first-time homebuyers with an income of at least $31,200 (must have at least one dependent) are eligible. Construction will begin this spring and all 10 units are slated for completion by September. Applications are now available at Gateway’s administrative offices, 110 Cohansey St., Bridgeton. Pre-requisites for Mill Creek Crossings home ownership include: attend home buyers’ classes, have a permanent income, qualify for a mortgage, a credit score of at least 580 and be a United States citizen. Applicants must meet U.S. Housing & Urban Development (HUD) guidelines and be approved by the NJ Housing Affordability Service (HAS). Project funding is being provided by the NJ Department of Community Affairs (DCA) through the Neighborhood Revitalization Tax Credit (NRTC) program and the U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development.

Students at the Galloway Head Start participated in nutritional activities on April 18, 2016 to celebrate “Family Friday” during the Week of the Young Child. Parents were invited to come in and help the students learn about healthy foods, while preparing healthy snacks hands-on. Students learned how to make garden salad and fruit salad and then enjoyed their self-made snack!

Spruce Head Start chose "TWIN DAY" as our Staff Spirit Day Theme. 4-16 Pictured is: Site Director Annalysa Coleman and Food Service Worker Bonnie Emanuel in the Blue Shirts Teacher and TA Rosa Vargas and Karol Munoz in the purple shirts Teacher and TA Diane Ireland and Chimere Mitchell in the pink shirts.

Spring bags donated to the Hightstown Head Start Center children from the St. Paul's Lutheran Church in East Windsor

Staff at the Hightstown Head Start Center in Mercer County recently performed a production of the Three Little Pigs for their students.

Children from Gateway's Vineland II Head Start had a tremendously successful trip to the Barn Studio of Art in Millville in March 2016. They discussed a famous painter and the elements of nature in his watercolor paintings by acting out a poem. Then they had opportunity to explore painting at an easel while setting on a stool. Finally, children took a small nature walk and discovered early spring teardrop flowers and heard different birds singing. By the pond they got to see gold fish as they walked over the small wooden bridge. Children also walked into an outside "room" created by growing bamboo.

Students from Friends School in Mullica Hill visit Gateway's Mill Creek Urban Farm on 3-8-16

Galloway Head Start musical instrument study. We had parent and family visitors come in and discuss their musical instrument. They allowed the children to watch them preform and learn hands-on by playing musical instruments. To conclude the study, the class and staff participated in a musical march!

Hamilton I Head Start Fashion Show. The children studied about clothes and concluded the study theme with a fashion show.

Cheryl Chadwick Early Learning Center students participate in their annual Kazoo Parade on January 28, 2016 in Bridgeton, NJ.

Spirit Week at Germantown-Lehigh EHS, 1-2016. Building team work, professional morale and effective communication along with staff togetherness displays a strong agency. Parents witnessed the fun engagement between each staff member and children were laughing and questioning why we dressed or looked a certain way. Overall, it was more than just fun, engaging activities and laughable moments; it was a pilot of things to come.

Gateway Community Action Partnership, in conjunction with community partners, held a Food Summit at Cumberland County College’s Luciano Center on Jan. 20, 2016. The “Need To Feed” Food Summit’s goal was to bring community members together to discuss solutions to increase availability of meals for approximately 11,000 at-risk children in Cumberland County living below the poverty level ensuring their access to healthy, nutritious meals all year long. Albert B. Kelly, CCAP, president & CEO of Gateway and City of Bridgeton mayor, opened the summit with a number of keynote speakers, including Rev. Dr. Robin Weinstein, pastor of Bethany Grace Community Church, Douglas Fisher, NJ Secretary of Agriculture and a Bridgeton native, NJ Assemblyman John Burzichelli, Adele La Tourette, director of the NJ Anti-Hunger Coalition and Patricia Dombroski, administrator of the Food & Nutrition Services Mid-Atlantic Region.

Gateway Community Action Partnership, in collaboration with Shiloh Baptist Church, hosted a multi-cultural commemorative breakfast in celebration of the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. on January 18 in the Marino Ballroom, 11 Washington St., Bridgeton. This year’s theme was “The Dream In Action” and included a memorable ceremony, guest speaker and musical guests. The event honored local trailblazers who demonstrated Dr. King’s dream in their daily lives with profound impact on the community.

Code Blue leaders pass out winter weather gear and homeless care kits to those in need at St. Teresa of Avila Church in Bridgeton, Tuesday, Dec. 22, 2015. Gateway CAP employees contributed to the effort through a recent sock collection drive.

Ms. Barbra from NJ Transit speaks to Galloway Head Start students about train and train station safety on December 3, 2015.

Middle school students from Friends School Mullica Hill spent the day volunteering and learning at Gateway CAP's Mill Creek Urban Farm

Our first Mercer County Council for Young Children Family Fun Fair. The purpose of the Mercer County Council for Young Children (MCCYC) is to create an environment where parents/families come together at the local level with providers and other community members as active partners to identify and discuss the needs, concerns, aspirations and successes regarding issues that affect the health, education and well-being of children from pregnancy to age 8.

Autumn fun festival we had in Mercer on Saturday October 24, 2015.

The Mayor James Usry Child Care Center, went on our annual Breast Cancer Awareness Walk on Monday, October 19, 2015. Every year we get the children together and we take a walk around the block. The center is located in Atlantic City, NJ. ... Also, the Atlantic City Fire Department came to visit the Mayor James Usry Head Start Center on Tuesday, October 13, 2015. Captain Fonville went over all the important things, for the children to do when there is a fire.

On Friday, October 2, 2015, Firefighter, Israel Mercado, stopped in to teach the children at Hammonton Head Start about Fire Safety and Prevention. The children learned about this topic for the whole month of September. Israel Mercado is not only a local firefighter, but he is the grandfather of our very own student, Gabriella Vasquez.

Gateway CAP's Immunization program hosted a health fair at the Zoo Pavilion on Mayor Aitken Drive in Bridgeton on September 12, 2015 There was music, face painting, food, bouncy rides, giveaways and information.

Two artists volunteered their time to help create a stunning mosaic mural that adds to the warm and welcoming atmosphere at the Holly City Family Success Center in Millville. Neil Patterson, from Philadelphia, and Jacqueline Sandro-Greenwell, the director of Clay College in Millville, worked with 12 students at the center to complete the project over five days.

Gateway Head Start/Early Head Start is accepting enrollment of new students at our centers in New Jersey and at one Early Head Start center in Philadelphia. Gateway has centers in six New Jersey counties: Cumberland, Gloucester, Salem, Mercer, Atlantic, and Cape May. Call 856-497-6694 for more information and/or click on the links below. Staff has been out in public on a recruitment tour to provide information and answer questions.

Gateway held its inaugural Gateway Golf Classic May 14, 2015 at the historic Stockton Seaview Hotel and Golf Club in Galloway Township. Approximately 80 golfers hit the greens while enjoying golf, food and fun.

A ceremonial groundbreaking was held May 19, 2015 for a new, $21 million Head Start center at 1433 Bacharach Boulevard, Atlantic City. The 43,747 square foot, three-story facility will include 20 classrooms, two Head Start playgrounds, one Early Head Start playground and a multi-purpose room as well as administrative and family resource space. Construction on the $21 million project, funded by Superstorm Sandy Relief Funds as coordinated through Head Start Region II, will begin later this year. The project is slated for December 2016 completion with approximately 300 children occupying the center in early 2017.

Hammonton Head Start Family Advocate, Dawn Dudley, planned and organized a Daddy/Daughter Dance for the girls at Hammonton Head Start. Fathers or father figures were invited to share laughs, finger nail painting, snacks, and of course, dancing. In addition, each father gave a small heart-felt speech about their little girl. Pictures were taken and music was played all while enjoying the theme of the popular movie, "Frozen".

Staff and students celebrated Dr. Seuss' birthday by having a crazy Hair Day, a crazy Sock Day, and Green Eggs and Ham. March 4 we had students volunteering from Assumption College , Worcester Ma; and during the week of March 16 we had students from Ohio State University through a collaboration with Center for Faith Justice . March 18 , 41 students from Notre Dame High School volunteered at Hamilton 1 center and donated stuffed animals to all the students.

Vineland II Head Start Teachers Magali Rodriguez and Samantha Vazquez invited local firefighters to speak to Early Head Start students on fire prevention.