Community Outreach

Coming Soon: Asbury Park’s Got Talent! Learn more HERE.

Community Outreach

Interfaith Neighbors’ [IFN] Community Outreach plays an integral part in offering valuable programs to assist area residents in meeting life’s basic necessities. To build a strong relationship, it is important for our communities to know who Interfaith Neighbors is and what we’re all about.

Community Outreach Specialist Diane Shelton

IFN works in communities to build relationships and partnerships.  Our Community Outreach Specialist acts as a liaison between the programs offered by IFN, local community programs and services, and community members.

IFN has learned from its grantors, its philanthropic peers, and others in the field of community revitalization.   Receiving the valuable input of Westside residents in all planning processes is ongoing through neighborhood surveys, interviews, and presence at community gatherings and meetings.

Commencing in April 2016, youth, adults and community service organizations came together to successfully identify community strengths, challenges, and to discuss strategies for the submittal of the Wells Fargo Regional Foundation Planning Grant. This collaboration propelled IFN action and the eventual award of a Wells Fargo Regional Foundation Implementation Grant.

Community Collaboration: Westside Mural Campaign, 4th Project

Project 4 was completed on September 8, 2023 by local self-taught artist Zalika Foy, a native of  the Asbury Park & Neptune communities, who is also known as Urbaan Misfit.  The successful project was in collaboration with Sam Salaaf, owner of Sheffield’s Market, corner of Prospect and Bangs Avenue in Asbury Park which serves as the hub for quick grocery shopping and prepared foods for the local community and has been in business over 25 years.   Sheffield’s has long been the essence of the Westside Community and the Pandemic highlighted the importance of such a corner store. 

A public-facing, narrative-shaping work that recognizes individuals whom the Ms. Foy was familiar with since childhood and felt added to the history of Asbury Park’s Westside community during the past 25 years: Nina Summerlin, Founder & President of Westside Citizens United; Michele Burrell, Owner/Operator of the Technical Academy of Dance; Tyrone Smith, one of the best basketball players in 1985 who played a major part in influencing Asbury Park youth up until his passing in 2021; Valerie Roberts, Owner/Operator of Eddie’s Barber Shop, one of the oldest black businesses in Asbury Park that remains on Springwood Avenue; and Rufus Edwards, who was a huge part of the Asbury Park music scene in the 1950s and well known in every club.