IN 1923, A WEALTHY MOORESTOWN RESIDENT NAMED ELDRIDGE REEVES JOHNSON was approached by a member of the local Woman’s Club who was looking for financing to build a community center in the middle of town. Generously, Johnson agreed to donate the money necessary for the project but only if the people of the town would show their interest by creating a maintenance fund for building operations. Within eight months, the community, eager to have such an amenity, raised more than $106,000.
Today, that community center is known as the Community House, a place where people still come to gather, to celebrate and to connect with others.
“We’re really lucky to have this architectural treasure right here in the heart of our town,” Caryn Lynch, executive director of the nonprofit, says. “There’s no other town in New Jersey that has a community center like this.”
Beautifully designed and kempt, the Community House is two-and-a-half stories with u-shaped symmetrical wings, projecting bay windows and a slate tile roof that is original to the structure. It is a combination of English Manor and Colonial style and was built to be sustainable for the long term.
Inside this unique historical building, you’ll find a number of distinct spaces including a grand ballroom, a kitchen, a board room and two multifunctional rooms known as the Clubroom and the Garden room. The west wing of the house, home to the original Moorestown Library, has recently been renovated into a breathtaking event space, appropriately named “The Library.”
As a part of its mission to serve the civic, social and recreational needs of the town, the Community House provides meeting and event space to local nonprofits and organizations at deeply discounted rates.
The Community House is an independent nonprofit organization not part of the township. It does not receive any financial assistance from the local, county, state or federal government. Instead, it subsists on rental fees and donations.
“If you give to the Community House, you are in turn supporting many organizations that do good work for the community,” Lynch says, adding that the Community House has served nearly 100 local organizations in the past year.
With 25,000 square feet of versatile space, the house is ideal for all types of functions from weddings to corporate events, nonprofit meetings and fundraisers, luncheons, receptions, birthday parties and more.
On Sept. 14, the Community House hosted its inaugural House Party fundraiser. The sold-out event was a casual alternative to its popular Wine Tasting fundraiser and a great opportunity for adults in town to come together and enjoy a fun night out. House Party is a cheeky play on the name and set the tone for a night of fellowship and fun. Guests were treated to live acoustic guitar player, a DJ, a cornhole tournament and plenty of food. Lynch says they are already looking forward to next year’s House Party.
Beyond being host to these events, the Community House also puts on its own celebrations for residents to enjoy, including its seventh annual Tree Lighting and Holiday Celebration, which will occur on Dec. 2, and the third annual Children’s Holiday Shop that runs from Dec. 5 to 7 and allows children to discover the joy of giving by having the opportunity to buy inexpensive items for friends and family with the help and guidance of volunteers.
This holiday season consider supporting the Community House by choosing it as the location for your next event or by including the house in your charitable giving with a tax-deductible donation. Those looking to donate can send online donations through the Community House website at TheCommunityHouse.com or directly through the mail.
Community House of Moorestown
16 E. Main Street | Moorestown
(856) 235-0326 | TheCommunityHouse.com
Published (and copyrighted) in Suburban Family Magazine, Volume 10, Issue 8 (October 2019).
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