Support New Community: Help Us Touch More Lives

Steed Amegbor, an Irvington resident, will be graduating from Stevens Institute of Technology in the spring.
Steed Amegbor, an Irvington resident, will be graduating from Stevens Institute of Technology in the spring.

Dear Friends of New Community,

Have you ever wondered, “How many lives does New Community touch?” Earlier this year, we launched a project to find out.

Dubbed as Project Green Thumb, New Community’s department leaders tracked how many lives we touched as a community development corporation serving a vast range of needs by counting the number of people served during the month of August 2016.

One of the lives that New Community has impacted over the years is 22-year-old Steed Amegbor of Irvington. Steed is currently studying at Stevens Institute of Technology in Hoboken. Raised by a single mother, Steed was born in Togo in West Africa and came to the United States during his junior year of high school. Through the financial assistance of the Monsignor William J. Linder Scholarship, he was able to enroll at St. Benedict’s Preparatory School in Newark and receive a rigorous education to prepare him for college.

But Steed needed help. At a time when most of his peers at St. Benedict’s were planning their college applications and studying for the SATs, Steed was just starting to learn English (his native language is French). He received intensive guidance from knowledgeable teachers and attentive counselors, one of whom pointed him to Stevens Institute of Technology. Steed will be earning his bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering in Spring 2017, completing a five-year program that included several internships related to his major.

“I didn’t know anything about engineering back then, but I knew I wanted to do something with applied science,” said Steed, who graduated from St. Benedict’s in 2012 with a special recognition for his achievement in mathematics. Born more than 5,000 miles from his college campus, Steed said he “absolutely could not imagine” being where he is now and credited the scholarship with providing an educational opportunity during a crucial period of transition in his life. “It was definitely a great help,” he said.

Steed said his dream is to work for Google and that dream is possible because of supporters like you.

Steed’s story represents just one “touch” that New Community has made since its founding in 1968. Project Green Thumb illustrates our present day impact and while the numbers may astound some people, the results will be no surprise to those who are familiar with New Community’s work. In a single month, New Community touched 42,000 lives.

That’s more than half a million touches each year. Lives touched just like aspiring mechanical engineer Steed Amegbor.

We ask for your support to help New Community to continue touching lives. Our mission is to improve the quality of life for inner city residents to reflect individual God-given dignity and personal achievement. Our mission must remain alive and grow to give people—such as youth, homeless veterans, job seekers, and single mothers—hope for the future. Every gift is valued and the return on your investment will be counted many times over in the lives you touch. Touch a life today by sending us your donation in the giving envelope enclosed or by making a secure online donation at newcommunity.networkforgood.com.

May God bless you for giving. It really does make a difference and we are so grateful.

With Sincere Appreciation for Your Generosity,

Monsignor William J. Linder

Founder and Board Chairman

New Community Corporation

P.S. Online giving is easy and secure at newcommunity.networkforgood.com or you can mail a check to the Monsignor Linder Scholarship Fund, 233 West Market Street, Newark, NJ 07103.

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