To the Editor:

We, Community Park School parents, would like to extend our heartfelt gratitude to everyone who purchased a Princeton Perks discount card over the past months. Back in December 2020, a CP parent had the bright idea to create the Princeton Perks card, which entitles holders to special deals at some 80 local restaurants, shops, and services throughout 2021, to help fill a fundraising gap felt by parent teacher organizations everywhere this year. We hoped to also drum up traffic for many of our favorite establishments. Thanks to you, nearly 1,500 Perks cards are now in circulation around town, and the parent teacher organizations of Princeton’s public and charter schools raised a combined $17,500. 

While the idea may have germinated at CP, it was a collaborative effort from the start. We could not have launched the card without the help of parents from Littlebrook, Riverside, and Johnson Park elementaries. And we’re equally indebted to parents at Princeton Charter School, Princeton Unified Middle School, and Princeton High School, who added their energy and ideas as the program expanded. It was a true delight to work together and we hope this is just the start of a new era of cooperation among our schools.

We also sincerely thank those businesses who, without hesitation, stepped up to take part in the program. The list of participating businesses grew organically from our personal networks, and new ones continue to join every week. It’s free for any local business to participate. Visit  princetonperks.com for the latest list of businesses and their discount offers. (And for those Princetonians who didn’t hear about the program till now — we’re sorry we missed you! We hope this will be an annual fundraiser and that we can offer a new card for 2022.)

Now that New Jersey is reopening after this long pandemic winter, please don’t put your Princeton Perks card in a drawer! And if you’ve hesitated to use your card because you think you’re helping businesses by not taking a discount, please don’t hold back. None of these businesses would have joined if they didn’t want you to use the discount. Instead, your card should be a reason to patronize your favorite places even more frequently, or to splurge on a more expensive item, or to try someplace new. Get out and shop and eat and enjoy!

Many thanks again for our town’s continued commitment to public schools and local businesses during these unprecedented times.

Danny Freund
Stonewall Circle

Amalie Leano
Alexander Street

Nicole Pezold Hancock
Jefferson Road

Georgette Stern
Dorann Avenue