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The Fire Administration Building on N 3rd Street in Camden, NJ

Fire Engine at N 3rd St. Fire Administration Building.

History of Camden, New Jersey

History of Camden, New Jersey starts with the introduction of Quakers into the native lands of the Lenape population in the Delaware Valley. Throughout the city's history there have been times of economic growth and development; as well as stagnation and decline. The City of Camden was named after Camden County, which was named for Charles Pratt, 1st Earl Camden, who was a civil libertarian, promoter of the American cause, and a British judge and lawyer. The city was incorporated on February 13, 1828.

The current demographics show Camden to currently be in a population decline, economic decline, and crime rate decline. Once known for violent crime statistics, Camden has seen a decrease in this number since restructuring their police force. Some major changes that have created economic decline revolve around the history of major employers and their interaction with the local population, the changes war brought to the United States over the decades, changes in the crime rates, and the changing face of population demographics. There is an extensive history of cultural growth that includes a location that was once a stop on the Underground Railroad located at the Macedonia African Methodist Episcopal Church, the grave and home of Walt Whitman, as well as the growth and development of multiple higher education campuses. In recent years the development of groups like Camden Community Partnership and Cooper's Ferry Partnership are working in the community for change, including the development of new parks.

Revitalization projects have been met with limited success. Destruction of low-income housing options for business and city development has also limited the availability of housing in the city. The construction of the Ben Franklin Bridge is one event that impacted the face of housing in the northern sections of Camden in the 1920s. Not only was low-income housing destroyed during this construction, but the city was also effectively split by the addition of the highway leading up to the bridge as well.

As the former home of many manufacturing companies, Camden has had a major impact on the history of the county, state, and country. This impact is such that it has defined itself as a city in its own right and not just a suburb of the larger Philadelphia, which is located just across the Delaware River to the west. Some of the important parts of American history that parallel Camden history include: the changes of gender roles in factories as the war pulled men overseas; the changes of the minority demographics as the Civil War moved slavery out of the norm and civil rights changed the face of segregation; and the impact of immigration on the populations that settled here and how they grouped together as families and ethnicity groups.

Camden, New Jersey

Camden is a city in Camden County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. Camden is part of the Delaware Valley. The city was incorporated on February 13, 1828. Camden has been the county seat of Camden County since the county was formed on March 13, 1844. The city derives its name from Charles Pratt, 1st Earl Camden. Camden is made up of over 20 neighborhoods. The city is part of the South Jersey region of the state.

The City of Camden has a long history that starts with the local indigenous Lenape population, who are believed to have inhabited this area 13-15,000 years prior to the first European settlers. Quakers eventually settled in the area at the end of the 17th century and the start of the 18th century, drawn by promises of religious freedom, fairer taxation, and more representation in government. The area was not popular for settlement until the Camden and Amboy Railroad came through in the second quarter of the 1800s. In Camden, there is also a location that is tied to the Underground Railroad, which was the first stop on the Philadelphia to New York route and operated through the Macedonia African Methodist Episcopal Church. Established in 1832, this church stands as the oldest African American institution in the city.

One of the largest population booms came from the founding of a preserving company known as The Campbell Soup Company. This brought jobs to the area, encouraging people to move into the city for transportation considerations. Other major manufacturing companies moved into the area during the last half of the 1800s. The growth of Camden continued until the 1950s with the help of the “big three” employers that maintained facilities within the city: RCA, Campbell’s Soup, and New York Ship. Drastic changes in the way workers went from disorganized to unionized increased labor costs to a point where the big three moved away from Camden in the mid-to-late-20th century.

From a thriving industrial city to the flight of much of the population to suburbs, Camden has survived a number of changes to its demographics. Once known for violent crime, the restructuring of the police force in 2013 has been credited for the decrease in that number. As of January 2021, violent crime was down 46% from its high in the 1990s and at the lowest level since the 1960s. Overall crime reports in 2020 were down 74% compared to 1974, the first year of uniform crime-reporting in the city.

Although revitalization efforts have been met with limited success so far, there are a number of philanthropic groups that are active in Camden. Projects such as the redevelopment of the waterfront area brought three tourist attractions to the area: the USS New Jersey, the Freedom Mortgage Pavilion, and the Adventure Aquarium. The city is the home of Rutgers University–Camden, which was founded as the South Jersey Law School in 1926, and Cooper Medical School of Rowan University, which opened in 2012. Camden also houses both Cooper University Hospital and Virtua Our Lady of Lourdes Medical Center. Camden County College and Rowan University also have campuses in downtown Camden. The "eds and meds" institutions account for roughly 45% of Camden's total employment.

Philanthropy

Philanthropy

Cathedral Kitchen in Camden

Camden has a variety of non-profit Tax-Exempt Organizations aimed to assist city residents with a wide range of health and social services free or reduced charge to residents. Camden City, having one of the highest rates of poverty in New Jersey, fueled residents and local organizations to come together and develop organizations aimed to provide relief to its citizens. As of the 2000 Census, Camden's income per capita was $9,815. This ranking made Camden the poorest city in the state of New Jersey, as well as one of the poorest cities in the United States. Camden also has one of the highest rates of childhood poverty in the nation.

Camden was once a thriving industrialized city home to the RCA Victor, Campbell Soup Company and containing one of the largest shipping companies. Camden's decline stemmed from the lack in jobs once these companies moved overseas. Many of Camden's non-profit organizations emerged during the 1900s when the city suffered a large decline in jobs which affected the city's growth and population. These organizations are located in all Camden sub-sections and offer free services to all city residents in an attempt to combat poverty and aid low income families. The services offered range from preventive health care, homeless shelters, early childhood education, to home ownership and restoration services. Nonprofits in Camden strive to assist Camden residents in need of all ages, from children to the elderly. Each nonprofit organization in Camden has an impact on the community with specific goals and services. These organizations survive through donations, partnerships, and fundraising. Volunteers are needed at many of these organizations to assist with various programs and duties. Camden's nonprofits also focus on development, prevention, and revitalization of the community. Nonprofit organizations serve as resources for the homeless, unemployed, or financially insufficient.

Camden Churches Organized for People (CCOP) began in 1995, and is an arrangement between various congregations of Camden to partner together against problems in the community. CCOP is affiliated with Pacific Institute for Community Organization (PICO). CCOP is a non-religious, non-profit organization which stresses the importance of social change instead of social services when addressing the causes of residents and their families' problems.

Camden Dream Center is a faith-based educational organization that focuses on teaching students in Camden about STEM and the skills required to work within the IT and IoT careers. Their current community education programs include "Camden Dream CDF Freedom School," "Innovative Literacy Lab," "Girls in Camden Code," and "STEM Enrichment Program." In addition to these educational programs they also run a week-day food pantry, help getting health and childcare, and help with social justice and legal aid.

Camden Habitat for Humanity, Metropolitan is a housing specific organization that helps low income families buy homes on affordable terms. This program - which started in 1986 - has helped 55 local families purchase homes. They have also given over 1 million dollars to Camden's tax base, and provided job training for over 500 volunteers through the Community Works Experience Program.

Camden Lutheran Housing, Inc. (CLHI) was founded in 1986 and has been serving North Camden since then. Most of the staff hired at this organization are from Camden, ensuring that their work for community improvement stays within the community by creating jobs. Through the 1990s CLHI helped rehabilitate homes along the 400 block of State Street, helping to preserve historical architecture within Camden City. Their organization also helped develop two rental communities on previously industrial land between 1997 and 2005. Part of their work to increase the beauty of Camden, in addition to their work on housing issues, includes projects such as Block Supporter Initiative, Decorative Board Up, Change the Message, and North Camden Community Gardens.

Cathedral Soup Kitchen, Inc. is a charity in Camden, NJ that was founded in 1976 and as of 2021 serves over 100,000 meals annually. This organization serves the community by also offering supportive services which helps community members with counseling, obtaining an identification card, and creates jobs in the area to help encourage financial independence. Furthermore, they run a program called "Culinary and Baking Arts Employment Training Course" that runs for 15 weeks three times a year and helps those who graduate from their program find job placement using their new skills.

Catholic Charities of Camden, Inc. is a faith-based organization that advocates and uplifts the lives of the poor and unemployed. They provide services in six New Jersey counties and serve over 28,000 people each year. The extent of the services offered exceed those of any of Camden's other Non- Profit Organizations. Catholic Charities Refugee

Center for Family Services Inc offers a number of services and programs that total 76 free programs. Founded in 1920, this organization has celebrated its centennial birthday here in Camden. With over 1,600 volunteers and employees, this program offers services in areas like Addiction and Recovery, Counseling and Behavioral Health, Housing, Victim Response, Child Development and Learning, and Workforce Development. Their mission statement reads, "The mission of Center For Family Services is to support and empower individuals, families, and communities to achieve a better life through vision, hope, and strength. The vision of Center For Family Services is for all people to lead capable, responsible, fulfilled lives in strong families and healthy communities."

Center for Aquatic Sciences (The) was founded in 1989 and continues to promote its mission of "education and youth development through promoting the understanding, appreciation and protection of aquatic life and habitats." Education programs include programs for school groups in on-site classrooms and aquarium auditorium as well as outreach programs throughout the Delaware Valley. The center also partners with schools in both Camden and Philadelphia to embed programs during the school day and to facilitate quality educational after-school experiences.  The center's flagship program is CAUSE (Community and Urban Science Enrichment). CAUSE is a many-faceted science enrichment program for children and youth. The program was initiated in 1993 and has gained local and regional attention as a model for comprehensive, inner-city youth development programs, focusing on intense academics and mentoring for a manageable number of youth.

Cooper Grant Neighborhood Association is located in the historic Cooper Grant neighborhood that once housed William Cooper, an English Quaker with long ties to Camden. His son Richard Cooper along with his four children are responsible for contributing to the creation of the Cooper Health System. It offers community service to the citizens living in the historic area that include activism, improving community health and involvement, safety and security, housing development, affordable childcare services, and connecting neighborhoods and communities together. The Cooper Grant Neighborhood Association owns the Cooper Grant Community Garden. Project H.O.P.E organization offers healthcare to the homeless, preventive health Care, substance abuse programs, social work services, behavioral health care.

^{Creative Money Works, Inc is a 501c3 charity that was founded in 2007 in Camden, NJ that helps with getting food to the children of low-income families through their “Feed Our Children NOW!” program. They also support children with education in financial literacy. In 2015 they attempted to break a world record with Guinness Book of World Records which resulted in 40,000 lbs of food which they redistributed between 20 Camden charities.}

Heart of Camden Organization (The) offers home renovation and restoration services and home ownership programs. Heart of Camden receives donations from online shoppers through Amazon Smile. Heart of Camden Organization is partners with District Council Collaborative Board (DCCB). Heart of Camden Organization's accomplishments include the economic development of various entities such as the Waterfront South Theater, Neighborhood Greenhouse, and a community center with a gymnasium. Another accomplishment of Heart of Camden Organization is its revitalization of Camden, which includes Liney's Park Community Gardens and Peace Park.

Neighborhood Center (The) - one of Camden's most prominent and longest-running organizations, with a span of 103 years - is located in the Morgan Village section of Camden. The Neighborhood Center was founded in 1913 by Eldridge Johnson, George Fox Sr., Mary Baird, and local families in the community geared to provide a safe environment for the city's children. The Neighborhood Center was created to assist the numerous families living in Camden in poverty. The Neighborhood Center also has an Urban Community Garden as of the year 2015. Many of the services and activities offered for the children are after school programs, and programs for teenagers are also available.

Ronald McDonald House of South New Jersey is located in Camden off of Mickle street. This charity helps families with medically vulnerable children find housing and treatment. The first house location in New Jersey opened its doors in 1983 with a total of 10 bedrooms available right near Cooper University Healthcare. In 1998, they moved to a location that has 25 bedroom suites and multiple amenities for the families they serve over a total of 40,000 square feet.

VolunteersofAmerica.org helps families facing poverty and is a community based organization geared toward helping families live self-sufficient, healthy lives. With a 120 years of service the Volunteers of America has dedicated their services to all Americans in need of help. Home for the Brave is a housing program aimed to assist homeless veterans. This program is a 30-bed housing program that coincides with the Homeless Veterans Reintegration program which is funded through the Department of Labor. Additional services include; Emergency Support, Community Support, Employment Services, Housing Services, Veterans Services, Behavioral Services, Senior Housing.