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Mercer Cares

Basic Needs Resources for Students

¾«¶«´«Ã½ is committed to student success. That includes providing assistance for students in many ways to ensure their basic needs are met.

¾«¶«´«Ã½ has a dedication to student success. Our commitment includes providing assistance for students dealing with attendance issues, missed work, food insecurity, or unexpected behavioral changes, such students may be candidates for assistance.

 

Are You Experiencing Food Insecurity?

The ¾«¶«´«Ã½ Campus Food Pantry can help.

Visit our Food Pantry 

You can overcome academic and non-academic barriers to success.

¾«¶«´«Ã½ sees students as people first – not just individuals who take classes and move on. We’re here to help you overcome academic and non-academic barriers to success.

¾«¶«´«Ã½ seeks to:

• Assess and respond proactively to incidents of student behavior that pose safety threats to students and/or the campus community.
• Assess and respond appropriately to students who are struggling academically, socially, or nutritionally.
• Provide training and resources to assist the college community in identifying such behaviors.
• Work with faculty to provide sustainable in-class support and/or resources.

** Please Note: The ¾«¶«´«Ã½ Office of Student Affairs is a central point of contact for determining intervention. However, our Office of College Safety and Security is always the first line of contact in a crisis or emergency situation. The Office of College Safety and Security locations and contact information are as follows:

West Windsor Campus
Student Center (SC)
Ground Floor, Welcome Desk
609.570.3503

James Kerney Campus
Kerney Center (KC 202)
Main Building
609.570.3175
Trenton Hall
609.570.3140

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Basic Needs Resources

Whether you’re in need of food, health care, financial aid, or other assistance, ¾«¶«´«Ã½ has assembled a resource of many on-campus services and community-based organizations that can help you reach your educational and life goals.

 

On-Campus Parental Support (Lactation Rooms)

• West Windsor Campus Lactation Room, KC 116
• James Kerney Campus (Trenton) Lactation Room, LB 203

 

College Student Resources

• ¾«¶«´«Ã½ Foundation Mercer (Emergency) Fund
  • Students may apply for funds when they are experiencing substantial financial barriers or obstacles, and have exhausted all other resources to fund their academic pursuits. The ¾«¶«´«Ã½ Foundation Emergency Fund disperses generous donations from alumni, employees, community partners, and friends to support your success.

• • The State of New Jersey Basic Needs Information Hub has an area on its website dedicated college students. It helps connect individuals with State programs and community-based services that can provide critical access to food, housing, shelter, childcare, transportation, financial aid, and more. 

Food Insecurity

The reports that about 3.8 million college students experience food insecurity each year. A majority reported multiple instances of eating less than they should or skipping meals because they couldn’t afford enough food.

• ¾«¶«´«Ã½ Campus Food Pantry
  Food insecurity cuts across all demographic statuses, enrollment levels, and geographic locations. The ¾«¶«´«Ã½ Food Pantry addresses this issue on campus.
  • West Windsor Campus
    • Monday and Tuesday, 10 a.m. - 3 p.m.
  • James Kerney Campus (Trenton)
    • Wednesday and Thursday, 10 a.m. - 3 p.m.

Community Food Pantries

• 
  Many Mercer County neighbors turn to the Arm In Arm Hunger Prevention program for support in difficult times. When faced with food insecurity, low-income people representing up to 5,000 households are served through our food pantries and mobile pantry each month.
  • 48 Hudson St., Trenton
    • Monday and Wednesday, 9:30 a.m. - 12 p.m.
  • 61 Nassau St., Princeton
    • Monday and Wednesday, 11 a.m. - 4 p.m.
      • Tuesday 1 - 7 p.m.

Arm in Arm Mobile Food Pantry

• 2751 Brunswick Pike (Mercer County Library), Lawrenceville
  • Monday, 2 - 4 p.m.
• 142 E Hanover St., Trenton
  • Tuesday, 9:30 a.m. - 12 p.m.
• 301 Euclid Avenue, Trenton (Fountain of Life Center)
  • First and third Wednesdays of each month, 10 a.m. - 12 p.m.

• 433 Bellevue Avenue, Trenton (Capital Health)
  • Second and fourth Wednesdays of each month, 10 a.m. - 12 p.m.
• 1 Justice Samuel A. Alito Jr. Way, Hamilton (Hamilton Twp Library)
  • First Thursday of the month 2 - 4 p.m.
• 875 New Willow St., Trenton (Trenton Housing Authority)
  • Second Thursday of the month 10 a.m. - 12 p.m.
• 150 N. Clinton Avenue, Trenton (Jerusalem Baptist Church)
  • Fourth Thursday of the month 10 a.m. - 12 p.m.
• 611 Parkway Avenue, Ewing (Calvary Church)
  • Second Friday of the month 3 p.m. - 5 p.m.
• 2400 S. Broad St., Hamilton (Light of the World Church)
  • Third Saturday of the month 10 a.m. - 12 p.m.
• 1599 S. Broad St., Trenton (Iglesia de Dios Pentecostal Church)
  • Last Saturday of the month 11 a.m. - 1 p.m.

• 
  HomeFront seeks to end homelessness in Central New Jersey by harnessing the caring resources and expertise of the community.
  • 1880 Princeton Ave., Lawrenceville
  •  989.9417
    • Monday and Thursday, 10 a.m. - 2p.m.
    • Tuesday, 2 p.m. - 6 p.m.

• 
  Mercer Street Friends is a nonprofit organization that provides food for those who are food insecure, support for families, and educational opportunities that lead to better tomorrows. 
    151 Mercer St., Trenton
    396.1506

• 
  The Hopewell Valley Mobile Food Pantry, a service of the Hopewell Valley YMCA, provides groceries and fresh produce to neighbors experiencing food insecurity. 
  • 62 South Main St., Pennington
  • 737.3048
    • Wednesday, 10 a.m. - 12 p.m.

 

• 
  New Jersey’s Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) provides food assistance to families with low incomes to help buy groceries through a benefits card accepted in most food retail stores and some farmers markets.

 

Housing, Shelter, and Home Assistance

• 
  The Rescue Mission of Trenton’s goal is to help put an end to homelessness – one person at a time.
  • 98 Carroll St., Trenton
  • 695.1436

 

• • 1880 Princeton Ave. Lawrenceville
  • 989.9417

 

• 
  Amani House is a 25-bed emergency housing program. serving single adult men experiencing homelessness.
  • 518 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., Trenton
  • 393.3168

 

• 
  The NJ Department of Community Affairs oversees programs that prevent homelessness and help people move out of temporary shelters and into stable, permanent housing. 

 

• 
  If you or someone you know is struggling to keep their home warm, please know that assistance is just a phone call away.
  • 510.3102

 

• 
  This program offers property tax relief to New Jersey residents who own or rent property in New Jersey who meet certain income limits.

 

• 
  The New Jersey Department of Community Affairs’ Office of Eviction Protection oversees programs and services in eviction prevention and diversion, including rental assistance programs, social services support, and expanding access to counsel to low-income tenants facing or threatened with eviction. 

 

Job Resources

• 
  New Jersey's One-Stop Career Centers offer the most services and provide the most direction for jobseekers. They are staffed with qualified employment counselors to provide guidance for jobseekers. 
  • 26 Yard Ave., Trenton
  • 989.6523

 

• 
  New Jersey’s Vocational Rehabilitation Services enables eligible individuals with disabilities to achieve an employment outcome consistent with their strengths, priorities, needs, abilities, and capabilities.

 

Mental Health and Personal Safety

• The ¾«¶«´«Ã½ Counseling and Wellness Center
  ¾«¶«´«Ã½’s Counseling and Wellness Center has licensed counselors who are dedicated to helping you achieve your academic, career and personal goals.

 

Technology Services

Office 365, which is included with your ¾«¶«´«Ã½ student email account, allows you access to online versions of Microsoft Office apps such as Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. However, full versions of Office for Mac or Windows are available for install. Please visit:

• /student_services_technology.shtml

 

Your ¾«¶«´«Ã½ account also includes access to OneDrive, with 1 TB of online storage, that can be synchronized across mobile devices and computers.

Transportation

• ¾«¶«´«Ã½ Shuttle
  ¾«¶«´«Ã½ has a free shuttle service for all students, faculty, and staff weekdays during Fall and Spring semesters between our West Windsor Campus and either our  James Kerney Campus (Trenton) or  (Lawrenceville). The shuttle also has stops at our residential partnership housing at and . Learn more. 

 

Military & Veteran Students

• ¾«¶«´«Ã½ Military & Veteran Services Office
  The ¾«¶«´«Ã½ Military & Veteran Services Office helps veteran, military, and dependent students become successful at the College so they may embrace its broad range of educational and cultural activities.

 

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Outside the Classroom

The ¾«¶«´«Ã½ Counseling and Wellness Center

¾«¶«´«Ã½’s Counseling and Wellness Center has licensed counselors who are dedicated to helping you achieve your academic, career and personal goals.

/student_services_counseling.shtml

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Need a Lift?
¾«¶«´«Ã½ has a free shuttle service weekdays during Fall and Spring semesters between our West Windsor Campus and either the James Kerney Campus or Quaker Bridge Mall. Learn more.

/student_services_shuttle.shtml

 

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The ¾«¶«´«Ã½ Foundation Emergency Fund
You can apply for emergency educational funds if you are experiencing financial barriers or obstacles, and have exhausted all other resources to fund your academic pursuits. Learn how.

/mercer-fund.shtml

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Meet the Student Support Team

¾«¶«´«Ã½’s Student Support Team helps you overcome obstacles enroute to achieving your education goals. 

Dekia Gray, Ed.D.
Dean of Students, ¾«¶«´«Ã½

• D. Higher Education/Higher Education Administration, Wilmington University, 2018
• A. Counseling, Cairn University, 2007
• A. Psychology, The College of New Jersey, 2002

Dekia Gray, Ed.D. joined ¾«¶«´«Ã½ as Dean of Students in 2025. She has prior experience as an Adjunct Assistant Professor at Wilmington University, an Adjunct Associate Professor at University of Maryland Global Campus, Dean of Students with Bucks County Community College, and as a member of the adjunct faculty at Cairn University. She is also a Licensed Professional Counselor serving clients in the greater Willingboro, NJ area.

 

 

Marvin A. Carter, Ed.S.
Assistant Dean of Students and Campus Culture and Belonging, Deputy Title IX Coordinator

• S. Mental Health Counseling, The College of New Jersey, 2015
• Ed. Higher Education/Higher Education Administration, Commonwealth University-Bloomsburg, 2013
• A. Psychology, Seton Hall University, 2011

Email: carterm@mccc.edu
Phone: 609.570.3407
Office: UC 113

Marvin A. Carter, Ed.S., joined ¾«¶«´«Ã½ as the Director of Campus Culture and Belonging in 2021. He previously served as Associate Director of Intercultural Engagement and Inclusion at The College of New Jersey (TCNJ), Academic Advisor at Rutgers University – New Brunswick, Resident Director at TCNJ, and Graduate Hall Director at Commonwealth University-Bloomsburg.