Glass Gardens the family-owned operator of the ShopRite of Newark, has announced a $333,000 investment to jumpstart community-driven improvement projects in Newark’s Clinton Hill neighborhood.
The funding is being delivered through New Jersey’s Neighborhood Revitalization Tax Credit (NRTC) program, a state initiative that allows local corporations to redirect tax liabilities directly into state-approved, grassroots neighborhood development plans.
The capital injection marks a major milestone for Glass Gardens, a third-generation supermarket operator that acquired the ShopRite of Newark just last year in 2025. Company leadership noted that the grant represents a long-term commitment to strengthening economic stability and quality of life in the urban neighborhoods where they do business.
The $333,000 grant will directly fund a diverse slate of community initiatives managed by Clinton Hill Community Action (CHCA), a local nonprofit organization led by neighborhood residents. According to project plans, the funding will be utilized for:
- Affordable Housing: Transforming a previously vacant, blighted lot into modern, affordable housing units.
- Senior Care Support: Launching critical home repair programs designed to help low-income senior citizens safely age in place.
- Arts & Culture: Expanding community art installations and local cultural programs.
- Resident-Led Micro-Projects: Financing neighborhood-level quality-of-life enhancements designed and executed by the residents themselves.
“At Glass Gardens, we believe being a neighborhood grocer means showing up for the communities we serve in meaningful ways,” Terry Glass, co-CEO and co-president of Glass Gardens, said. “We’re proud to support the work of Clinton Hill Community Action and to play a role in the continued growth and vitality of this neighborhood.”
With this contribution, Glass Gardens joins an elite group of roughly 80 New Jersey corporations that have collectively funneled more than $200 million into local municipalities through the NRTC program. Because the NRTC framework requires all projects to be guided by state-approved blueprints created by actual community members, it guarantees that corporate cash aligns with the immediate, organic needs of local citizens.
“CHCA is honored to receive this NRTC investment from Glass Gardens, which is demonstrating a strong commitment to our community,” Khaatim Sherrer El, executive director of CHCA said. “These funds will help us build affordable homes, bring residents together through arts and cultural programs, and empower our neighbors to take an active role in shaping the future of Clinton Hill.”
