Bringing Literature and Poetry to Underserved Communities
People are stories.
“We are honored to bring literature & poetry to underserved communities — light to darkness — and have been doing this successfully for over 50 years thanks to the generous support of the communities we serve,” Executive Director Debra Lampert-Rudman shared recently. “In fact, in 2024, we brought literature to over 5,000 lives.”
By sharing literature and poems, we inspire others to share their stories
People & Stories/Gente y Cuentos’ successful, and trademarked, methodology, which is largely unchanged since its inception by Princeton resident Sarah Hirschman in 1972, provides oral readings and guided discussions of enduring short stories and poetry.
“In these eight- or 10-week programs, offered in English and Spanish, our trained coordinators invite participants to connect their own varied life experiences to the universal themes found in great literature,” Lampert-Rudman added. “Many of these programs also feature visits from poets and authors, inviting participants to write their own stories.”
“I never thought I could read a book, and now I feel like I could write one” — FCI Ft Dix participant
Participants range from men and women who may be experiencing homelessness, recent immigrants, incarcerated or engaged in re-entry to society, or transitioning in residential treatment or development centers, or low-income seniors in residential settings, among others.
Many of the individuals People & Stories/Gente y Cuentos serves are reading at or below a 5th grade level, have not completed high school, or are economically disadvantaged or marginalized in some way. Programs are offered in-person at partner sites, and occasionally virtually, at no cost to participants solely through the generosity of supporters and sponsors.
People & Stories/Gente y Cuentos programs help others thrive thanks to individual, corporate, state, federal and community support. Consider making an end-of-year donation at this link.https://weblink.donorperfect.com/peopleandstoriesdonation
People & Stories/Gente y Cuentos expresses its gratitude this year for the generous support of New Jersey Council for the Humanities, New Jersey State Council on the Arts, The Poetry Foundation, The National Endowment for the Arts, The National Endowment for the Humanities, Princeton Area Community Foundation, The Kauders Foundation, Edward T Cone Foundation, and others for their recent and ongoing support.
People and Stories/Gente y Cuentos has recently moved to its new location at 475 Wall Street, Princeton, New Jersey and is open Monday through Thursday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and by appointment. Most programs are held at partner sites and other locations, as well as virtually. For more information, call 609-882-4926 or visit peopleandstories.org.
