Resident Leadership in Full Bloom: NJCDC Celebrates Its Spring 2026 Minigrants

This spring, NJCDC’s Neighborhood Activities Fund minigrants program once again put resident leadership on full display.

Last week, NJCDC celebrated the culmination of its Spring 2026 minigrants season with a vibrant showcase event honoring 10 resident instructors whose creativity, leadership, and dedication transformed their ideas into opportunities for hundreds of fellow Paterson residents.

The event brought together more than 150 instructors, students, families, and supporters to reflect on months of free classes spanning arts, culture, entrepreneurship, recreation, and wellness — all designed by residents, for residents.

Supported by the Regional Foundation, NJCDC’s Neighborhood Activities Fund provides Paterson residents with $500 to $1,000 minigrants, along with workshops, mentorship, and organizational support to help them turn community ideas into action.

“This program continues to prove that some of the most powerful solutions already exist within our neighborhoods,” said NJCDC Founder & CEO Bob Guarasci. “When residents are trusted, supported, and given the resources to lead, they create opportunities that strengthen families, preserve culture, and build a more connected Paterson.”

Since the program’s inaugural season in early 2025, NJCDC has invested $30,000 in 30 resident leaders over the course of three seasonal rounds. Together, these local leaders delivered 290 free classes over more than 650 hours across five NJCDC sites, engaging 593 participants — with more than 1,200 families expressing interest in future programming.

“Thank you to the Regional Foundation,” said Cristina Tone, NJCDC Assistant Director of the Neighborhood Help Center. “Their belief in resident-led change made all of this possible. Because of them, 30 Paterson residents turned ideas into action.”

This season’s classes reflected the extraordinary diversity, creativity, and entrepreneurial spirit of Paterson itself.

From photography and dance to music, sewing, athletics, and entrepreneurship, residents of all ages benefited from a diverse range of free programming, with further highlights included below. Each class was rooted in skill-building and in fostering confidence, cultural pride, and meaningful community connection.

For many instructors, the program offered an opportunity to share deeply personal passions while uplifting their neighbors. For participants, it created accessible pathways to new skills, creative expression, and stronger relationships within their own city.

“Each instructor brought something unique and deeply valuable to Paterson,” said Eddie Gonzalez, NJCDC Director of Community Outreach. “They created spaces where residents could discover talents, celebrate identity, and strengthen the bonds that make communities thrive.”

Throughout the showcase, students were awarded certificates of completion recognizing their commitment and growth, while attendees explored displays, performances, and creative projects developed throughout the season. Beyond celebration, the showcase underscored the tangible results that emerge when residents are equipped to lead change within their own communities.

And this is only the beginning.

With funding secured for another two years and new applications opening next month, NJCDC’s Neighborhood Activities Fund will continue expanding opportunities for Paterson residents to lead the future of their own neighborhoods.

By investing directly in resident-led ideas, NJCDC is helping ensure Paterson’s future is shaped by the people who know its neighborhoods best.

Additional details and photos from our Spring 2026 resident-led classes

This season’s Neighborhood Activities Fund cohort brought an extraordinary range of resident-designed programming to Paterson families — each class reflecting the passions, talents, and cultural richness of the instructors who led them:

Paterson’s Cultural Fusion

Instructor: Celine Lugo

Celine Lugo’s Caribbean folk dance classes celebrated movement, identity, and tradition, creating an energetic space where participants of all ages could connect with culture through dance.

Photography & Composition

Instructor: Wander Tapia

Wander Tapia encouraged participants to see Paterson through a new lens, helping aspiring photographers strengthen their technical skills while capturing the beauty and character of their city.

Let’s Get Lit – Candle Class

Instructor: Jennifer Escobar

Jennifer Escobar’s hands-on candle-making classes blended creativity and entrepreneurship, offering residents a space to craft, reflect, and develop practical artistic skills.

Picture Paterson: Reflections in Bloom

Instructor: Jennifer Rivas

Jennifer Rivas guided participants in panoramic and visual storytelling photography, empowering residents to document Paterson through images that reflected pride, growth, and community beauty.

Sewing Project Part 2

Instructor: Gabriela Suriel

Gabriela Suriel’s sewing classes equipped residents with practical skills while building confidence, creativity, and self-sufficiency one stitch at a time.

Empowerment Through Hair Care

Instructor: Jessica Fuentes

Jessica Fuentes combined entrepreneurship and personal care by teaching valuable hair care and barbering skills that promoted confidence, professionalism, and economic opportunity.

Volleyball Clinic

Instructor: Dexter De Los Santos

Through sports, teamwork, and mentorship, Dexter De Los Santos helped young participants strengthen both athletic ability and life skills in a supportive, uplifting environment.

Festejo Fusion

Instructor: Sandra Navarro Davalos

Sandra Navarro Davalos shared Afro-Peruvian dance traditions with Paterson families, offering participants a joyful opportunity to celebrate culture, movement, and community connection.

United Sounds Ensemble

Instructor: Manuel “LITO” Ramos

Through free instruction in Andean wind instruments, percussion, and guitar, Manuel Ramos created opportunities for participants to build musical skill while celebrating cultural heritage and the unifying power of music.

Crafting Friends

Instructor: Elaine Valentin

Through arts and crafts, Elaine Valentin fostered both creativity and connection, building a welcoming environment where participants could form friendships while exploring self-expression.

Together, these resident leaders exemplified the Neighborhood Activities Fund’s mission: empowering Paterson residents to transform personal passions into meaningful opportunities that strengthen the broader community.