For most of us alive today, there has never been a year like 2020. While there has been war and strife, nothing has taken place on American soil (since the Spanish flu) to keep us from gathering with family and friends, enjoying activities and life as we’d like. The pandemic has been the most life-altering, but the year has also been host to heightened protests for racial equity, severe economic struggles for many, and political divisions like none can recall. I suppose we should feel lucky in Princeton that we weren’t also attacked by raging wildfires, like those on the west coast.

Going through trauma and tragedy hardly leaves anyone unscathed. Those scars can be hard to get past or they can be viewed as opportunities. In this month’s issue of Princeton Perspectives, How has 2020 Shaped Princeton?, we look at who has been affected and how.

We start with our Pulse of Princeton, to hear from our community. And we asked, “How has 2020 shaped you?” Click the video to see their viewpoints.

Then we took it a step further and asked even more people. While it’s impossible to know the true reality of all 28,000+ residents, we are able to share with you a snapshot of what several are experiencing in 2020 and the People of Princeton. Using a survey of 80 people, Princeton Perspectives details how they have been affected, what their experiences have been like and how they feel about the world around them.

A sector of that population, the students, have been harshly hit by a pandemic that quickly and dramatically altered the way they learn, the way they are taught, the way they socialize and so much more. But, as our guest writer shows us, they may well be the most resilient of our population. While there certainly have been struggles, there is great optimism in 2020 and the Strength of our Children.

As a whole, how has Princeton fared? Some aspects of our government, businesses and local resources received demands for change in 2020 and others simply had to succumb. But none have endured the year without a fight. In the Face of 2020, Princeton Stands Tall takes a look at the changes that came about this year, the tools that were used to get by and where that leaves everything heading into 2021.

Of course, Princeton is not Princeton without our local nonprofits. We are a town comprised of volunteers and organizations eager to help. Yet, despite the best intentions, it wasn’t easy this year. In 2020: Its Effects on Princeton Nonprofits our guest writer gives us insight into the ways organizations have adapted to provide what they needed for our community.

And lastly, don’t forget to scroll to the bottom of the homepage and check out this month’s Perspectives Revisited, as we give you some current information on articles of the past.

There is a bleak outlook for winter as the country’s top medical experts tell us the worst is yet to come. But the vaccine is rolling out and the best way to cope is to take charge of what you can. In January, Princeton Perspectives will help you kick off the new year with a collection of ways to look ahead, take care of yourself and your loved ones. Though your options seem limited, there is a lot in and around Princeton to look forward to!

2020 is the year we launched Princeton Perspectives and is has been greater than we could have imagined. We thank you for opening your arms to us and for your loyal readership. Please continue to share Princeton Perspectives with friends and family and click here to be added to our distribution list. As 2020 comes to an end, embrace yourself with the wonders of the holidays. Whether you celebrate or not, enjoy the lights, the decorations and the spirit of joy that has come into town. We wish you all Happy Holidays and a very Happy New Year!  See you in 2021!

We’d love to include YOUR perspective! If you’d like to contribute a video for next month’s Pulse of Princeton, click here and provide your name and email address to be contacted.

The happenings of the past year have shaped us all – from the COVID-19 pandemic to the economy, racial justice protests as well as politics – some have felt things more than others.

To understand the dynamics, Princeton Perspectives surveyed 80 local adults. The replies were anonymous but the facts remain clear, 88% of respondents felt strongly that 2020 has complicated their lives in some way. Nearly 80% are maintaining the same financial status this year (with most now working from home) and 55% have had no major health issues, but that doesn’t mean things are simple. Mentally and emotionally it’s been a challenge. Logistically, trips have been canceled, working-from-home get tricky and the expense of more groceries is challenging some.

“Economically, socially, financially, spiritually – everything has taken a negative hit in town. Mental health has also taken a hit,” shared one respondent.

The inevitable uncertainty of what’s to come is hard for many to handle.

“Actions that used to require little or no thought, because they were habitual or safe, now require forethought and greater planning,” noted another survey-taker.

Whether it was the balance of home maintenance, like coordinating pest control and HVAC workers with everyone home or the increased demand to care for children and help with their remote schooling, 2020 has added burdens and changed what had been predictable.

“I’m used to having children in school and a set routine,” stated another. “This year, depending on the week and COVID cases in school, kids may or may not be at school in-person. And that makes planning things as a mom trickier. Also, waiting in line at grocery stores only to find they are still out of Lysol and other cleaning supplies. Then off to another store I go!”

In this new normal we are living in, most of the people polled said Princetonians are doing a great job following protocols and helping to control the spread of the virus. 63% feel the resources and information provided (through the Mayor’s daily email, Governor’s briefings, websites, etc.) have helped them through.

With closures and limitations slowing life down a bit, many are taking advantage of spending more quality time with family, reading more books and enjoying time in nature. There are other beneficial changes, too. People are loving the outdoor dining on Witherspoon Street and around downtown, less traffic on local roadways and more available parking. Several of those surveyed have used the downtime to clean up their house (37%), take better care of themselves (26%), learn a new hobby (13%) and advance their education or career (8%).

With fewer places to go and a decrease in organized activities, one person noted maybe we were not thinking straight before.

This time has been “a pause to stop, breathe, take stock in how unsustainable the pace of so many of our lives may have been prior to the pandemic.”

The slowdown, however, has had its costs. Though 53% say they are willing to dine outdoors at local restaurants, there is an acknowledgement the downtown economy has sacrificed the most in 2020. To help them shop, curbside pick-ups were noted as a beneficial change and 48% said that is their preferred method of shopping today while 41% said they will go into specific stores as needed.

Having a social life, whether out at a town establishment or in other ways, has also suffered. Only one person admitted they would go inside to enjoy a bar today. People really miss being with friends and family, though they’re not willing to risk getting COVID to do so. Nearly three-quarters of respondents told Princeton Perspectives they stay at home much more than they used to. 83% of the people we heard from will only spend time with others outdoors, and 74% are hanging out alone, with their spouse or only within a small bubble of people. They feel this social loss for their kids, too.

“Our kids’ feelings of connectedness to others and independence from adults — no more play dates, walks in town, shopping on their own for a birthday or holiday,” explains a respondent.

67% of those surveyed have kids and 61% have chosen to take advantage of the hybrid model or in-person options for them, as opposed to complete remote schooling (though that number seems to be shifting towards more remote as winter progresses). Many also pointed out the changes in school attendance and school events are negatively impacting their children. When they’re not in school, parents are still finding ways for their children to socialize. Only 4% admitted their children do not play with others at all right now while 64% are permitting only outside play – most of that being within a tight bubble of friends or with only one or two peers.

While most take note of how the pandemic has affected them, there’s also the acknowledgement of the hardships facing others. 51% of those surveyed have donated more to non-profits than usual and 23% have volunteered more this year than in years past, including a heightened need to reach out to those that live alone. Isolation is a word we’ve heard more this year than ever, and something to be concerned with not just for the older generation but for children schooling at home as well.

If you learned at home, that used to be mean you were homeschooled. Today, that term is often confused with remote schooling, children enrolled in a public or independent/private school but learning at home. 2020 surely is a year that has made us redefine words and add new ones into our vocabulary, as one respondent cited.

“I think it would be interesting to look at the new terms everyone now knows after the pandemic: remote learning, hybrid model, social distancing.”

After the death of George Floyd, the terms social justice and racial justice became more commonplace than in recent years. And this re-energized movement has affected many. People gathered worldwide, including thousands by the Princeton gates, declaring a need for change. Yet, 60% of those we heard from said they haven’t seen much change with regards to the impact it’s had around town, noting it takes time. Respondents were fairly evenly divided in their beliefs that the biggest changes so far have occurred in our schools (20%) and with regards to interpersonal relationships (18%). Nearly 40% stated they haven’t seen any positive changes yet and one noted they think things have unfortunately gotten worse since June. One public change locally, which got unanimous school board approval, was the removal of John Witherspoon from the name of Princeton’s middle school.

“Changing the name of the school is a slap in the face of history. At the time slavery was socially acceptable. I am disappointed and do NOT Consider it an improvement,” commented one survey-taker.

Another added, “Changing the name of the school was a waste unless they change programming.”

It was noted in the Perspectives Revisited section last issue that Princeton schools have added several new racial literacy courses and more equity training for staff. The local private schools have also pushed forth new plans for racial equity.

The past year has also seen some major economic ups and downs, On one end, 5% of our survey respondents have lost jobs this year. Local non-profits, like the Mobile Food Pantry and Share my Meals say they have seen an increase in need for food as the months of the pandemic roll on, with 15% of those we surveyed finding 2020 to be financially difficult. On the other end, Princeton has the lowest unemployment rate in NJ and thanks to the strong rebound of the stock market, a handful of people told us they have found the year to be financially beneficial.

Some may say that’s thanks to President Trump, though he’s a leader the majority of Princetonians don’t favor. 57% claim the government has played a negative role in their lives this year and those same people believe 2021 will improve for them once President-elect Biden is sworn in. Living in Princeton recently as a Republican or Conservative-leaning voter has been difficult for several who commented on the survey.

“The inability to freely express your opinions in an open exchange of information and ideas has created a deep divide among friends and social groups,” explained one person.

This is a reality with politics and the pandemic, as the way people distance and when or where they mask-up has pitted more than one family against another. Stress amongst friends and family, caused by these issues as well as the pandemic in general, has weighed on many.

The struggles are real and it is easy to see the negatives. But with the vaccine rolling out and 2021 around the corner, there is hope that 2020 has shaped a different way of thinking that can lead us to better days going forward.

As one person put it, “I think we are more appreciative of what we do have.”

And another regaled, “It has been a challenging year, but Princetonians are resilient!”

In January 1777, Washington’s troops marched from Trenton to Princeton, for a successful attack on the British soldiers. Today, more than 240 years later, the Mercer Oak still stands as a witness to the success of the Revolutionary War’s Battle of Princeton. While life in 2020 has presented a very different type of war, the year has seen several battles and those who call this town home are fighting hard, determined to be the victors once again.

“It has been an overwhelming experience to witness the community pull together to support one another and create unique experiences to keep the downtown vibrant,” say Palmer Square and Nassau Inn Vice President, Lori Rabon. “The creativity, collaboration, hard work and dedication we have seen from each one of our tenants and countless other businesses and community partners in Princeton speaks volumes to their character and the spirit of this town.”

Never seen before, a Winter Village has formed throughout the downtown shopping district and at Princeton Shopping Center. Pop-up cabins selling handcrafted and specialty items take advantage of a safer outdoor space while offering a chance for small business owners to sell their goods. Stores around town are offering discounts if you have a receipt from another, to promote shopping local. For example, spend $20 or more at Toobydoo and Princeton Record Exchange will give you a discount on your purchase there! And igloos, like those outside Yankee Doodle Tap Room and outdoor tents line the streets, creating opportunities to dine safer at restaurants. While curbside pick-up and online ordering were some of the early transformations to the COVID-19 pandemic, local businesses are continuing to adapt in the fight against what 2020 has brought on.

“While they may have turned to e-commerce to help sell their product, they never lost touch with their messaging or deliverance, offering a superb product in the most hospitable way. We have seen boxed meal kits to make at home, alcoholic beverages to go, private shopping experiences (by way of appointment), Zoom shopping, local delivery and more,” adds Rabon.

To pivot their business model and stay afloat, the federal government’s Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) was essential to many. That money, a lifeline, came and was quickly spent. Then some businesses were able to benefit from the Princeton Regional Chamber of Commerce Foundation’s Small Business Resiliency Fund grants offered this summer. While a blessing, not all were able to receive them at that time. While they wait for additional help from Washington, more store owners are grateful for a second round of 13 Chamber Foundation grants just released to assist them. But even more is needed.

“We are working with the Grant committee and the Advisory Committee to consider a winter need and opportunity for additional businesses who don’t meet the original criteria,” explains John Goedecke, Foundation President.

Theo’s of Princeton Salon, an early recipient of the grant, has found it hard to make ends meet but is keeping positive.

“I instantly paid the rent with the grant. I asked the landlord in the beginning if he could give me half the rent off and he agreed,” says Theo Codrington, the salon proprietress. “I always think things will work out. They will work out, whichever way it goes I think it’s supposed to go that way. I’m from the Caribbean, there’s not a whole lot of stress about stuff.”

Theo’s is being flexible with clients, and luckily only has a staff of two. Like other establishments, adaptability has been key. Government restrictions forced Jammin’ Crepes to change its casual dining restaurant was into an online and all takeout venue and they used their grant to help defray those expenses.

“There are the costs that are added, particularly in terms of packaging. When we do our pricing, those materials aren’t built into the pricing to the scale you now need to have to accommodate COVID-safety requirements,” shares Jammin’ Crepes co-owner Kathy Klockenbrink. “The fund was helpful in terms of stemming some of those costs. Then the amount of plexiglass that has to go up, and gloves – we go through more gloves than you’d imagine.”

To help survive the coming winter, Jammin’ Crepes has been working with Princeton Design Guild using vestibule panes from the old Post Office to adapt their interior space. The goal is to provide safety for both their staff and guests, but the local virus numbers will dictate when or whether they open indoors. In all, their 2020 sales are down, but they are grateful for a town that’s behind their success.

“We feel fortunate our customers have been really supportive of us,” offers Klockenbrink. “By being creative and doing other things – we tried Sunday brunches, Friday BBQ dinners, cake sales, expanding our retail products, a lot of holiday packages available now for grab and go and online,” they are staying open.

The grants came about from a partnership between the Princeton Regional Chamber of Commerce Foundation, Princeton University and the municipal government. Princeton Mayor Liz Lempert was part of that team, one of several collaborations Princeton worked on this year.

“We partnered with the library and school district to pull together princetoncovid.org, a centralized place for people to go for trusted information,” Lempert recalls. “With Princeton University and the Princeton Children’s Fund to provide rent and utility assistance; with the [Princeton] Theological Seminary to provide emergency housing for those needing to quarantine; with multiple groups to provide food assistance; with school nurses to help with contact tracing; with the Arts Council [of Princeton] on signage and temporary public art projects” and more.

Collaborations between retail and community are keeping vacant storefronts alive. You can see the Arts Council of Princeton’s latest display, created with Miya Table and Home, as the Princeton Paper Crane Project is in a window on Palmer Square West. There are art gallery displays from the Princeton University Art Museum beautifying windows along Hulfish Street and a Nutcracker display from the American Repertory Ballet is in the former Homestead space.

The municipal government is also working to utilize some vacant storefronts to create further business opportunities for local shops, with Mr. Rogers’ Neighbors Kindness Project volunteers using the space to sell pre-packaged gifts from those local merchants. Lempert was also critical in the decision this summer to turn Witherspoon Street into a “strEATery” by creating a one-way traffic pattern allowing for more outdoor dining areas and curbside pick-up locations. It’s a move many residents have praised and are hoping to maintain.

“This quick redesign happened to coincide with the municipality’s longer-term Witherspoon corridor redesign initiative, and we are now considering making these changes permanent. We plan to create some additional parking on Nassau Street to help make up for some of the spots that were lost on Witherspoon – by converting the underused taxi stand into metered spots,” explains Lempert.

While the outdoor space may have helped many restaurants survive so far, there’s debate whether their advantage is further hurting other Witherspoon retailers, as Jack Morrison notes.

“The outside dining component was very welcomed by the restaurants in town and unfortunately not as much by businesses that rely on convenient access and parking.”

The permanency of such a plan has now created a growing tension in town. Morrison, President of the Princeton Merchants Association (PMA), is sensitive to the issue, while also focusing on his own businesses. Owner of the JM Group (Blue Point Grill, Kristine’s, Witherspoon Grill, Nassau Street Seafood and the Princeton Farmers’ Market), Morrison’s team revamped their operations, with re-tooled on-line dining options and curbside and contactless take-out, to ensure COVID-safe and accessible eating opportunities for guests. He’s also, working closely with the municipality, on behalf of all merchants.

“The PMA initiated weekly Zoom calls in early April, coordinated with the town government, open to the public but primarily business-oriented covering all things related to COVID with resources, support and information. In the early months we had 150+ participants. We now average 85 – 120 participating,” shares Morrison.

Princeton-area businesses have also received help from relationships with the Princeton Regional Chamber of Commerce.

“The Chamber has done a great job of adapting from an in-person, events-based organization to a remote event information and business connection organization,” Goedecke notes.

Adapting is a keyword for 2020 survival and Princeton Public Library (PPL) is another example. Within two days of closing their physical doors in March, the library collaborated with the town and Princeton Public Schools to create princetoncovid.org and it continued to modify throughout the year.

“We’ve done two redesigns of our website since March, one to make it easier for people to connect with our digital resources and the other to give comprehensive information about our reopening plans,” details Jennifer Podolsky, PPL executive director. “Work had already been under way on new digital platforms for programming and our events calendar and we implemented them immediately — and offered a community-wide calendar of virtual events to help other organizations who were virtualizing programming at the same time.”

The library was still eager to physically open and began to offer book pick-ups from the Community Room back in July. In October, it opened all floors to the public, with limited hours and restrictions.

“We’ve known for a long time that libraries are more than just buildings. During the pandemic, a lot more people are learning that. The reality that digital content is becoming ever more important will have to factor in our plans going forward,” adds Podolsky.

Though they began before 2020, discussions about race and racial literacy were common offerings through PPL this year. Mayor Lempert explains, the national and local push for change also shaped municipal practices.

“We have expanded our network for posting jobs, and now advertise with the African American Chamber of Commerce and the National Forum for Black Public Administrators. In addition, the Civil Rights Commission has been working with members of Not In Our Town to develop a racial equity impact assessment that can be used to inform decision making.”

Additional help is also being sought for those in crisis, so people are able to connect to better resources before the police may be called in. Princeton’s Department of Human Services is hiring a new outreach coordinator to meet these growing needs of our community. Changes in financial status, which had been assisted by the eviction moratorium, are also a concern. In the spring, Princeton Children’s Fund managed donations from Princeton University and others to provide emergency assistance for rent and utilities, but those funds were used up by September. Housing Initiatives of Princeton is now working with the town on a new program to offer rental assistance through the winter.

The changing weather will be a test for many around town and several businesses have already fallen victim to 2020. There is hope, however, that through adaptations and collaborations between people, businesses and groups, a light will shine forward and the resiliency learned throughout the year will show our town’s spirit and keep Princeton standing tall.

“It has really encouraged people to be creative and to think outside the box and to not take this lying down,” observes Klockenbrink. “People have said, OK, I can do this and I will figure out how to do this. I think people are figuring out how to do it together. Though sometimes it can seem like a divisive world, people are together.”