UrbanPromise Capital Campaign

The Campaign

The 25th Anniversary Capital Campaign is dedicated to specific projects to support the continued growth and quality of UrbanPromise in service to the children and families of Camden. With this campaign, we are dedicated to building and providing safe, engaging spaces and vehicles that draw community members together, give them access to the greater world, and offer them opportunities to find and fulfill their dreams. 

The Spirit Building

• In the spring of 2011 our youth painted a mural entitled ‘Walk in the Light’ on the front of the Eastside building at our main campus in East Camden. At the same time, the building was aptly renamed the Spirit Building to give homage to one of our first summer camps. 

• While structurally sound, this 100-year old, 8,000 square-foot building is desperately under used and in great need of repair. It was originally purchased in 1996, but little has been done to improve the property.

• Staff and students currently work in rooms with inefficient heating, no air conditioning, and inadequate lighting. The building’s current cafeteria and kitchen do not allow for the preparation of healthy food for afterschool program and school students.

• Renovation and modernization would maximize and capitalize on the building’s space. As funds are raised, additional projects can begin; some are already underway.

• With a fully functional Spirit Building, UrbanPromise will be able to double the size of the afterschool program, serving an additional 100 children each day. The space will provide increased opportunities for exercise and movement.  

Technology

The Spirit Building will be a place for community and connection - both locally and . UrbanPromise will use the technology lab as a way of connecting students in Camden with youth in UrbanPromise sites in Malawi, Honduras and Canada. 

Learning Library 
In the face of library closings across Camden, young people for whom access to information and the Internet is already limited, have been cut off even more. On the upper level of the Spirit Building, a digital learning library will serve elementary, middle, and high school students. 

Vehicles 
Given the opportunity to leave their neighborhoods, students are exposed to greater diversity and opportunities. By replacing outdated vehicles used for daily and experiential learning, youth across Camden will have access to the Spirit Building and all that it will offer.
 

Health & Wellness

Maintaining and improving the health of our students and staff 
Children who suffer from poor nutrition during the brain’s most formative years score much lower on tests of vocabulary, reading comprehension, arithmetic, and general knowledge. The Spirit Building would ensure Camden youth have access to nutritious meals and physical activity to improve such test scores. 

Kitchen installation 
Located on the lower level of the building, a once antiquated, non-functional kitchen has been removed and the space is set for new construction. A full industrial test kitchen has been donated by Campbell Soup and is simply waiting to be installed. 

Community food pantry
Included in this project is the creation of a food pantry - in partnership with the Food Bank of South Jersey - which will target low-income families.  

Once completed, the kitchen will enable UrbanPromise to offer: 

• Healthy food programs for nearly 600 students and afterschool program youth 
• UrbanChef: a culinary education and job training program for young adults 
  

Additional upgrades and renovations 

• Bringing all building systems up to current code including installation of up-to-date alarm and fire alert systems 
• Replacement of boys’ and girls’ bathrooms with new facilities including showers for gym class and sports — Renovation of six classrooms/meeting spaces 
• Renovation of the gym with improved lighting and repaired/refinished flooring