About Us

Stand Up for Salem champions historic preservation in the City of Salem through multi-year efforts to restore vacant historic buildings for repurpose into office spaces, workforce development sites and small business incubators. The façade of Finlaw building at 199 E was saved and the office building which houses state offices was built behind it. New Jersey’s first JC Penney department store was shuttered and, with funding from NJ Historic Trust and the Neighborhood Revitalization Tax Credit program, the building was reopened as an historic trades training center, the Salem Building Arts Center. The Fenwick Building at 219 E Broadway was purchased by Stand Up for Salem’s largest donor, Mannington Mills, and a small business incubator was created in the upper floors of the building, with Stand Up for Salem offices on the ground floor. With funding from grants and donors, smaller projects to restore or refresh historic buildings have also been undertaken. Salem’s 350-year history is important to Salem County and south Jersey so the leadership of the organization continues to champion historic preservation.

Stand Up for Salem seeks to stimulate local business opportunities by participating in the local merchant’s association monthly meetings and working to help address the group’s concerns and that of individual business owners. We offer grant writing training specific to small business opportunities and this year hosted an eight-week Small Business Academy, offered by the African American Chamber of Commerce. We organize and advertise our Small Business Saturday on the weekend of Thanksgiving providing music, food, and giveaways for shoppers. We offer grants for façade improvements for shopkeepers, line the streets with flags and holiday banners and keep flowers in planters along the main thoroughfare. We also hire local contractors for our home repair and lead remediation programs. We are always networking to tell Salem’s story and attract new businesses and visitors.

Positive community growth happens when people feel safe, connected, and proud of their home. Stand Up for Salem has recurring and stand-alone initiatives every year to bring the community together, support families, encourage participation, and beautify Salem City.

Our annual block party is held on the first Friday evening of June to celebrate the end of the school year with free activities and food for Salem residents. We close a block of Market Street, play tunes from Martin Luther King Park, blow up large bouncy houses, bring in basketball games, line the sidewalks with local non-profit vendors, and provide a safe, fun evening yearly for almost twenty years. Our Summer Concert Series from May to September brings free two-hour concerts to the center of town, with attendees bringing chairs and picnics to enjoy tunes and an evening breeze.

Through our Neighborhood Revitalization Tax Credit funding, we provide subgrants to non-profit partners who offer community support activities like the Senior Ball, family splash days in the summer, workforce training, and community organizing meetings. Our community garden on Hires Avenue is a place to grow produce and grow community. Established in 2012, it has continued to expand and offer more nutritious food and connections. Our sponsors at PSEG Nuclear help us each year.

In 2025, we will focus a lot of effort and funding on celebrating Salem’s 350 th anniversary while our ongoing homeowner repair and lead remediation programs provide direct support for families.

Planning for, funding, and inviting collaboration on a Memorial Park with engraved bricks on Hires Avenue, street tree planting along Broadway and Market, and the clean up and rehabilitation of an old park along the river are all intended to continue to expand our mission focus on cultivating positive community growth.