Ministry Partners
St. Paul’s Community Development Corporation (SPCDC)
St. Paul's Community Development Corporation (SPCDC) has its roots in St. Paul's Episcopal Church, which has served Paterson, New Jersey, for 200+ years.
St. Paul's was home to Paterson's first Head Start classrooms in 1966. It established the Food Pantry in 1970 and the Emergency Men's Shelter in 1984. In the fall of 1990, it incorporated St. Paul's Community Development Corporation as a separate, nonprofit, 501(C)(3), tax-exempt entity to consolidate and enhance its outreach efforts.
SPCDC's initial objective was to improve service delivery, expand funding possibilities and increase volunteer leadership beyond the Vestry of St. Paul's Church. Today, SPCDC provides various human service programs to more than 5,000 families and individuals annually, including adult basic education, workforce development training, and affordable housing. Over 200 volunteers per year support our full-time staff. The ethnic and socioeconomic mix of our board of directors and staff reflects the diversity of the community served.
Paterson Education Fund
The Paterson Education Fund (PEF) is a not-for-profit organization whose mission is to stimulate community action for change so that the Paterson Public Schools ensure that all Paterson children achieve high standards.
Founded in 1983, PEF’s activities build and nourish a constituency for systematic school reform by educating the community on the importance of high standards and expectations in providing quality education for all children. PEF convenes and brokers relationships between the Paterson school district and private sector entities interested in public education in Paterson.
Paterson Music Project
The Paterson Music Project (PMP) empowers children to achieve their full potential through the joyful pursuit of musical excellence. Inspired by the global El Sistema movement, PMP uses music education as a vehicle for social change in its home city of Paterson.
PMP provides tuition-free musical training to students throughout Paterson after school. Students study a primary instrument and participate in ensemble practice and instrumental sectionals. They receive an average of 6 hours of instruction per week and in addition may participate in an optional private lesson program. Students perform frequently for the community and at an average of 30 events annually.
