Founded in 1981, Isles is a community development and environmental organization in Trenton, New Jersey with a mission to foster self-reliant families and healthy, sustainable communities.
Individuals and organizations can use Isles’ services to strengthen their families and improve their communities.
These services include:
- Youth education
- Gardening
- Homebuyer, foreclosure, and financial services
- Green job training
- Lead and healthy homes testing and clean ups
- Weatherization
Earn Your High School Diploma
Want to take control of your future? Earn your high school diploma or GED at Isles Youth Institute, where job training and life skills are vital parts of education. Students aged 16-24 receive:
• Job training and certifications
• Internships and job placement
• Leadership development
• Small classroom settings
• Life skills, mentoring, and more!
Submit this form or call 609.341.4751 for more information.
Grow Your Own Fresh Food
Want to get involved in community or school gardening? We provide technical support, workshops, social events, supplies, and resources.
Services include:
• Gardening workshops
• The “Incubator” training garden
• Site evaluations and soil testing
• Seeds, seedlings, fertilizer, compost, and tool loans as available
• Facilitation of water and land access
• Technical assistance
• Cooking workshops
• Nutrition education, and more!
Submit this form or call 609.341.4729 for more information.
Buy a Home
Buying a home can be hard, especially your first. Isles trains and counsels you through the process. Services include:
• 1-on-1 credit, budgeting and housing counseling
• Information about mortgage options and qualification criteria
• Help finding down payment and closing cost assistance
Workshops: Attendees at our full-day First-time Home Buyer Workshop learn about all aspects of the buying process and earn the certificate required for many financial assistance programs.
Submit this form or call 609.341.4714 for more information.
Save a Home
Falling behind on mortgage payments or facing the loss of your home can be frightening. Who can you trust to help you? Isles is a HUD certified housing counseling agency with no ties to credit or mortgage companies. We work for you and offer free foreclosure prevention services. We will help you:
• Understand your situation and mortgage options
• Review your credit and develop a household budget
• Establish a plan of action
• Negotiate with the lender/servicer of your loan if necessary
• Find helpful additional resources
Submit this form or call 609.341.4783 for more information.
Make My Home Safe for Kids
If you have old windows and doors, a leaky roof or if you received a lead abatement order from the City, Isles Lead and Healthy Homes Service might be for you. We’ll assess your home for lead and other structural issues. Our free home check-up will:
• Test your paint, tap water, and soil for lead.
• Assess other indoor issues that affect asthma or other health conditions.
• Give you tips on how to keep your home lead safe and healthy.
If you qualify, we may be able to replace your roof, windows, doors, interior walls damaged by moisture and address other health and safety issues in your home.
Submit this form or call 609.341.4756 for more information.
Save Energy and Money
Isles Weatherization program provides FREE home energy improvements and conservation education to qualifying low-income households. Common home services include energy audits, insulation and air sealing installment, and ventilation upgrades. To see if your home is eligible for our weatherization services and to learn more about our repair work visit isles.org/weatherization.
Call 609-341-4744 or email [email protected] for more info.
Train for a Green Job
Isles offers industry-driven training in energy and environmental fields for:
• Unemployed and underemployed individuals seeking green jobs
• Workers wishing to advance their skills and certifications
• Employers seeking customized training for their employees.
We are a Building Performance Institute (BPI) Testing Center and New Jersey’s training center for the National Center for Healthy Housing, providing training for workers as well as community members.
Training opportunities are posted on our calendar. Submit this form or call 609.341.4730 for more information.