TRENTON AREA SOUP KITCHEN (TASK) LAUNCHES FIRST-EVER ENDOWMENT CAMPAIGN

TASK began by feeding sixty hungry people in the basement of a Trenton church in January 1982. Last year we served more 180,000 nutritious meals (more than 3,400 each week).

In addition to meal service, TASK offers various programs to encourage patrons' self-sufficiency and improve quality of life.

TASK depends predominantly on the community at large for support. Since TASK does not receive significant government funding (it's currently less than 3% of our budget) and does not have a substantial endowment, each year we must raise the vast majority of its operating funds.

With this in mind, TASK's board of trustees has decided to launch the Keeping the Bowl Full Endowment Campaign to raise $2,000,000 in endowment gifts by December 2012, which will mark the 30th anniversary of TASK.

"The Keeping the Bowl Full Endowment Campaign will ensure our ability to fulfill our mission for years to come. Some might say that this is not a propitious time to launch a major Endowment Campaign. We disagree. The increased demand for our services triggered by the economic crisis emphasized how crucial it is that TASK be there to feed whoever becomes hungry in our community," indicates Jim Parker, Chair of TASK's Board of Trustees.

According to Dennis Micai, TASK's Executive Director, "TASK is able to seed the campaign with a start-up gift of $500,000 accumulated over the years through sound fiscal management and the success of our TASK FORCE AGAINST HUNGER CAMPAIGN."

The Keeping the Bowl Full Endowment Campaign will be lead by Mara Connelly Taft and Peter Taft, co-founders of Taft and Partners and longtime TASK supporters. The following community leaders have agreed to serve on the Campaign Committee: Spencer Bruno, Ernest Curran, Jay Destribats, Tracey Destribats, Don Dileo, Gregg Edwards, Leslee Geltzer, Brian Malone, Salim Manzar, Beverly Mills, Ray Nowak, James Parker, Michael Rappeport, Steve Richman, Sajid Syed, Marty Tuchman, Peter Wise, and Jennifer Zeigler. Irwin Stoolmacher will be coordinating the campaign.

The kick-off meeting of the Campaign Committee was held at The Chauncey Conference Center at Education Testing Service (ETS) campus on April 16th and was hosted by ETS with a welcome from Yvette Donado, ETS's Chief Administrative Officer.

For more information, or if you would like to make a donation to TASK's Endowment Fund, please click here to download the Endowment Brochure and Donation Form. Please write checks out to TASK. All forms and checks can be sent: ATTN: Endowment Fund, TASK, PO Box 872, Trenton NJ 08605

If you have any questions, please contact Jaime Parker, Community Relations & Development Associate at (609) 695-5456 x 105 or email jaimep@trentonsoupkitchen.org.

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