Bring The Ave Back to Life: Help Transform History Into a Place You Can Walk, Feel, and Celebrate!

There was a time when walking down Springwood Avenue felt like moving through the heartbeat of Asbury Park. On a single stretch of “The Ave,” you could buy fresh groceries, hear the snip of a tailor’s scissors, grab a hot meal, and end the night swaying to live jazz and blues drifting from clubs that lit up the street.

Springwood Avenue was the West Side’s main street—an economic and cultural powerhouse built by diverse families, entrepreneurs, and dreamers. It was a place where community meant everything, where people invested in one another, and where culture flourished. Springwood Avenue wasn’t just a street. It was a world.

But in 1970, that world changed.

The West Side community, primarily comprised of African American residents, faced decades of racial discrimination, inadequate housing, unfair employment, and limited opportunities for youth, causing an eruption of seven days of civil unrest. When the smoke cleared, Springwood Avenue—the community’s cornerstone—lay in ruins. For decades, empty lots replaced storefronts, memories replaced music, and silence replaced the swing of jazz.

Yet the spirit of Springwood Avenue never died.

Today, Springwood Avenue Rising, an Interfaith Neighbors initiative, is working to honor that spirit—to honor the people, joy, resilience, and history that made this corridor extraordinary. The Springwood Avenue Heritage Walk is a virtual tour that documents the thriving businesses, culture, and stories of those who have called The Ave home.

Now, we are ready for the next step—to bring history from the screen to the street.

And we need your help.

Why Your Support Matters Now

Interfaith Neighbors was established in 1988 to address the growing issue of homelessness. The civil unrest broadened Interfaith Neighbors’ mission to address racial inequities and create systemic change, aiming to build a healthier, more resilient community.

With your donation, we will:

● Build a permanent, accessible physical heritage walk where community members, students, and visitors can experience Springwood Avenue’s history through markers, art, installations, and public spaces that encourage gathering and learning.

● Honor the contributions of diverse individuals and families who shaped Asbury Park and whose stories have too often been overlooked.

● Revitalize a corridor that was once the economic engine of the West Side, using creative placemaking to strengthen community connections, support local identity, and foster economic opportunity.

● Transform years of community collaboration and cultural memory into a living, breathing place that celebrates resilience and inspires future generations.

Springwood Avenue’s story is one of enduring strength. Decades later, the people of Asbury Park continue to share their stories. They never stopped envisioning what The Ave could be again.

And with you, that vision can finally rise.

By supporting this effort today, you are not just funding a project. You are restoring a legacy.

Donate today and help transform Springwood Avenue’s powerful history into a place that will uplift generations to come.