Every year, local children and adults create works of chalk art on sponsored squares of sidewalk in order to bring money and attention to their cause.
The York Street Project is a network of four programs based on York Street in downtown Jersey City that, since 1989, have provided services to homeless and economically distressed women and children in Hudson County.
Their ninth annual Chalkfest on July 18 will be held at the foot of Grand Street, near the Jersey City 9/11 Memorial, as opposed to its usual location of Exchange Place. And it’s more than just chalk art.
Approximately 50 children enrolled in York Street Project’s daycare center, The Nurturing Place, will help local artists and volunteers from nearby businesses put chalk to individual 5′ x 7′ sidewalk canvasses. The canvasses are sponsored by local individuals, businesses, corporations, religious groups, and civic organizations.
There will also be hot dogs, balloons, entertainment, and contests.
Jennifer Mehr, director of development for the York Street Project, said last year that they raised $34,000 from last year’s ChalkFest.
As of the end of last week, they had already raised a little over $40,000 for this year’s ChalkFest. But they are still fundraising up to the day of the event.
“Our goal is always is beat our goal from last year,” Mehr said. “So this year our goal is $50,000.”The four components
The York Street Project is comprised of a few facilities all located on York Street: Kenmare High School for women who are continuing their education, St. Joseph’s Home for women with children, the Nurturing Place for day care, and St. Mary’s Residence for single, poor working women.
The programs serve more than 250 women and children each year by providing services that will help them achieve independence in their lives.
But like most social services, they come with a price.
Mehr said the York Street Project operated with a $4.4 million budget in their last fiscal year that ended recently (July 1, 2006 – June 30, 2007). $568,000 came from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development during the 2006-2007 fiscal period. There’s also a $1 million subsidy from the Sisters of St. Joseph of Peace ministry, and the rest come from donors at such efforts as the ChalkFest and their Annual Spring Event.
They also generate revenue from programs and investments. Chalk another one up
Sister Kristen Funari, the York Street Project executive director, looks forward every year to the one-day ChalkFest and the activity it brings to the Downtown waterfront area.
“I think it is one of the best special events we have every year, as it brings life to the local businesses and allows for the kids to interact with them,” Funari said.
She added, “Also, it is one of my favorite events because it is the most informal, as we get to serve hot dogs and Italian ices and hear great music.”
Mehr said that the event “brings out the kid in everyone.” “It’s a very laid back kind of festival,” Mehr said. “And who doesn’t like to draw with chalk?”
There will be not just entertainment and refreshments, but also prizes. A “balloon-pop raffle” will award tickets to Yankees baseball games or gift certificates to local restaurants and shops. How it started
According to Funari and Mehr, the event started under the tenure of the previous executive director, Sister Ann Taylor, when the administration decided to put on an arts festival as a way to raise more awareness of the York Street Project.
Soon it gained notice from the companies that operate in the various buildings within blocks of the 100-plus-year-old brick building that serves as their headquarters.
“This has been a great way of bringing the business community into the serving community,” Funari said. “We have great champions such as Fidelity Investments, Pershing, all great people they have really stepped over the years. I don’t know why God blesses us, but we are really grateful.”
And this year, Mehr said new corporate donors who have come on board for the Chalkfest include Lehman Brothers, Lord Abbott, and Morgan Stanley.
“We have been doing a lot of outreach, which is why we are getting new donors every year,” Mehr said. “But also I think corporations see their employees need something more than coming to work, and they are in close proximity to us to see the kind of work that we do.” Needed now
Monies raised in the new fiscal year, which started last Sunday, July 1, come at an important time for the York Street Project.
“We just completed a two-year study on how our programs were serving the poor,” Mehr said. “While we found that we are doing exactly as needed, we also found there is so much more we can offer.”
She said York Street Project is in the planning stages now through August of formulating programs that will “prepare them better for today’s marketplace” and will also include English as a Second Language (ESL) classes. The York Street Project is still looking for corporate sponsors, artists, and other volunteers to help out at the ChalkFest. For more information, call (201) 451-8225. Ricardo Kaulessar can be reached at rkaulessar@hudsonreporter.com