Heart of Camden (HOC), has completed their project for which they received the $100,000 Impact100 South Jersey 2023 Core Mission Grant. HOC’s mission is to enhance the quality of life of the South Camden community through programs for housing restoration, economic expansion, and community development. The grant funds were used to expand services and programs at the Michael J. Doyle (MJD) Fieldhouse, making a tangible difference in the lives of women, children, and families in South Camden and in the region.
Approximately 5,000 people were impacted during the 24-month grant period. The MJD Fieldhouse is a community center built and managed 7 days a week by HOC. It is equipped with a 6-court basketball gym, a community room, a food pantry, a black box theater, and nonprofit offices/meeting space. With support from Impact100 SJ, usership at the MJD Fieldhouse increased by over 25%. HOC was able to maintain long-standing services/programs, like their 3x/week food pantry, 1x/week diaper distribution, 2x/week open gym, and annual clothing distributions (jackets/coats, winter pajamas). They also added family yoga, community meditation, martial arts classes, journaling, youth circus camp, and more.
HOC hosted events that brought the community together in positive ways.They held their annual Easter Egg Hunt and Trunk or Treat, while adding two new annual traditions — the Waterfront South Block Party and a December Holiday Celebration/Community Awards Banquet.
HOC formed new partnerships with the Trenton Circus Squad (circus camp), Project Little Warriors (family yoga), and In-Lighten-Us (meditation, martial arts, journaling). With the Impact100 SJ core mission grant, they’ve been able to enhance the community’s experience at the MJD Fieldhouse, and for that they are extremely grateful.
HOC shared one young man’s experience participating in the Trenton Circus Squad program and the impact it had on him:
“Javon is 11 years old. He lives in Waterfront South, around the corner from the Michael J. Doyle Fieldhouse. He is a “regular” at Heart of Camden’s community open gym nights. He can often be seen riding his bike through the community. Everyone knows him!
Javon stops at the gym almost every night to see what’s going on. If you’ve ever been to a basketball game at MJD, he’s probably been there watching on the bleachers, too. It seems like the gym has been a big part of his life, and we at HOC love that.
In 2024, Javon heard about a new program at the MJD Fieldhouse — Circus Camp. He jumped at the opportunity to be there. The Trenton Circus Squad partnered with HOC to create a Camden Circus Squad focused on teaching acrobatics, juggling, balance, performance, and teamwork to local kids. Javon is a founding member of the group. During the grant period, Javon attended Circus Camp (summer 2024) and after-school Circus Camp (late
2024 and early 2025), practicing his skills regularly and also bonding with his instructors and fellow students.
In May of 2025, Javon and his fellow Camden Circus Squad went BIG TIME when they got to perform in the Big Top Tent on the Camden Waterfront, along with real life professional circus performers. For many of these young people, it was their first time leaving their neighborhood. Javon was so excited, he literally did flips during the performance.
A HOC staff member drove Javon and a few kids home that night. They said the experience was “the best night of their lives,” and that they wish they could have stayed there forever. This was a reminder to the HOC team, as well as the Trenton Circus Squad’s staff, of the impact of the youth-based work is doing.
With leveraged funds, the Trenton Circus Squad will continue offering programming at the MJD Fieldhouse beyond the grant period.
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