By JOSEPH SAPIA
ASBURY PARK – Over the last several weeks, Asbury Park’s Hope Academy Charter School has received $16,000 in grants.
A $10,000 grant from the Rumson-based Mary Owen Borden Foundation will be used to buy a new server for the Grand Avenue school’s computer system.
“Getting funding for equipment” — versus curriculum — “is very challenging,” said Denise Rodriguez, the school’s grants administrator.
The Borden Foundation’s grant was the school’s third from the foundation in the last few years.
The TD Bank Charitable Foundation provided $5,000 for implementing a new social studies curriculum for 6th to 8th grades.
“It allows us to purchase whole new curriculum,” Rodriguez said. “We’ll be able to utilize this program for several years.”
Rodriguez said the school usually does not seek grants for one-time projects. Regarding TD grants, the school has received them four years in a row, Rodriguez said.
Macy’s department stories provided $1,000 for creating in-house guides for the state-required aptitude tests. This is the second time the school has received a Macy’s grant.
Overall in 2012 and 2013, the school has received 12 grants, totaling approximately $45,000. Additionally, during that time, the school has received three non-monetary grants: providing 40 gallons of paint; staffing to re-design the school website; and a computer, camcorder and software.
Rodriguez noted the importance of grants for the kindergarten to 8th grade school of about 200 students.
“It really has empowered the school to be able to offer innovative programs for the students we, otherwise, wouldn’t have the money for,” she said.
The school is in need of money for more computers, re-surfacing the playground and taking field trips, Rodriguez said.
