Grants awarded to various Camden agencies

Six Camden agencies that help the city's at-risk youth, homeless and parolee populations received a boost this week in the form of federal and state grants.

The New Jersey Department of State announced Wednesday that its Office of Faith-Based Initiatives would distribute $1.2 million to organizations dedicated to serving the Garden State's "most vulnerable" residents. The recipients are:

Hopeworks 'N Camden and the Hispanic Family Center. $25,000 each for services to support at-risk youth, including gang prevention programs, homework assistance and tutoring, and promoting entrepreneurial initiatives.

New Life Community Development Corp. $20,000 to help disabled seniors live independently.

Catholic Charities. $23,000 to support English as a Second Language programs.

Koinonia Family Life Inc., $100,000 for its Camden Dream Center on Haddon Avenue, which aids re-entering offenders with transportation, substance-abuse recovery and support services, employment services and case management.

In addition, the U.S. Housing and Urban Development will provide $65,000 to Camden's Center for Family Services. The money — out of $13.5 million the agency awarded New Jersey programs — is expected to go toward the center's Supportive Housing Program.