By: Gabrielle Mills, Follow South Jersey Contributing Writer
MAYS LANDING, N.J. – Nonprofit organizations are the backbone of communities all across New Jersey. COVID-19 and the aftermath of quarantine have only added to the expenses of these organizations. Recently, in an effort to help south Jersey nonprofits in their pursuits, Atlantic County’s Office of Cultural and Heritage Affairs has awarded 26 South Jersey nonprofits $212,316 in aid.
According to Atlantic County’s website, the grants are being awarded to organizations that “provide access to quality art and history experiences that will enhance the quality of life for county residents and visitors.”
ArtC and Mighty Writers are two of the nonprofits benefiting from these grants. ArtC, a performing and visual arts focused nonprofit, hopes to inspire the next generation of filmmakers through their outreach programs.
ArtC defines itself as “a coalition of individuals representing a cross section of skills.” whose purpose is to “to give voice to a small but powerful population, the serious artists in southern New Jersey.”
“The goal is to shine a light on the arts of south Jersey,” says executive director, Bill Horin. “We do it through documentaries, stories, [and] promotion.”
AHA or “Actors Helping Actors” is one of these programs. The initiative brings in industry professionals to mentor aspiring actors in south Jersey. ArtC hopes to use the grant toward their upcoming film festival.
“This grant will help tremendously,” says Horin.
Mighty Writers, a literacy focused nonprofit has multiple after school programs aimed at helping children better not only their writing skills but also excel in all areas of education. According to their website their mission is to enable children and teens to “think clearly and write with clarity.”
Among the afterschool programs are initiatives designed to uplift children and teens in Camden. “Mighty Men,” “Teen Fellowship,” and “Girl Power” are three of these programs.
Recently the Mighty Writers started a video game coding club. The club enables young people to become familiar with and learn the technology behind some of their favorite games.
Program Director Derrick Gallashaw says the coding club is “a way to get them to use something they love and see what happens behind the scenes.”
The other 24 nonprofits benefiting from Atlantic County’s grants represent multiple forms of artistry, including Eagle Theatre, Inc., MudGirls Studios, and the Historic Organ Restoration Committee.
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