Henson Heritage & Training Center

10/22/2026

What really goes on at the Henson Heritage and Training Center? 🛠️

10/20/2026

The mission of the Henson Center can only work when we have people who believe in it. Today, we'd like to highlight our amazing Board of Directors for their time and talent provided to the program. All of our members are volunteering their time to advise our leadership, while also wearing many hats themselves.

President: Jim Cummings
Vice President: Matt Behr
Treasurer: Andy Field
Members: Charlie Blome, Bill Judd, Bob Lehman, Adrienne Walls

Thank you to this special group of people!

10/15/2026

We've added OSHA Training to our program! This 10 hour safety training from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration teaches students critical safety procedures. This course boosts our student's resumes, as their future employer would not have to cover the cost of this universally required training.

Special thank you to Joseph Moore, instructor from the Eastern Atlantic States Carpenters Technical Centers, for providing this training to our students.

This further cements that the Henson Center is not just a carpentry workshop, but a true workforce development program.

09/24/2026

“As experienced tradespeople retire, and demand for skilled workers continues to grow, we’re challenged not only to fill critical workforce needs, but to inspire a new generation to see the skilled trades as careers of purpose, stability, and long-term opportunity. Expanding participation among women and minorities isn’t simply about broadening access — it’s about recognizing talent that has often been overlooked and ensuring our future workforce reflects the full strength of our communities,” said Todd Pisani, Director of the Employment Success Program at Rutgers CAIT: Center for Advanced Infrastructure and Transportation.

“I am thankful that NJDOL has remained consistent in this shared value and supports our efforts to continue this critical community-centered work.”

Todd has been spearheading the charge for our new partnership with the New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development and and this article highlights the importance of the support they are providing the Henson Center. Thank you, Todd!

Read more here:

NJDOL Office of Apprenticeship and Work-Based Learning has awarded $1.48 million in total grant funding to four organizations working to expand construction career access for women and minority residents across the state.

09/22/2026

Our 14th cohort has officially begun! Yesterday, our new students started learning the basic foundation of carpentry skills. Here they are proudly showing off their “first cuts”!

We can’t wait to continue working with this group for the next ten weeks 🛠️

09/15/2026

Did you know?

, our program’s namesake, was one of six men on Robert Peary’s expedition to discover the North Pole. Using his skills as a carpenter and craftsman, Henson personally built and maintained all of the dog sledges used on the expedition.

When they originally set out this expedition their company included 24 men, 19 sledges, and 133 dogs. That’s a lot of carpentry work! We are proud to carry Henson’s name forward through history, and look up to him as an African-American man to achieve such a monumental feat.

09/08/2026

We are so incredibly proud to announce that for this next set of cohorts, the Henson Center will be supported by the Rutgers Employment Success Program, Rutgers CAIT: Center for Advanced Infrastructure and Transportation, and the New Jersey Department of Labor to help address these challenges and provide individualized support to our students!

RESP's role will be to ensure that our students are able to access, engage in, and complete our training successfully. When a barrier like childcare or transportation may cause challenges for the students, Rutgers will proactively connect them to appropriate supports.

This will help guarantee that participants are able to persist through training and successfully transition into employment. Additionally, RESP’s resources will strengthen and reinforce the workforce readiness and job placement parts of our mission.

This is incredible support for our students that we could not achieve on our own. It is not just ancillary support but central to our success, and we are thrilled to continue this work together!

08/24/2026

The Henson Center is so proud to be part of this incredible community project! Some of our former students came together to help install the cement blocks that are holding each installation. What a feat of community!

Come check one of the installations on our very own property!

08/24/2026

The Henson Heritage and Training Center is thankful to receive a $10,000 grant from South Jersey Resiliency Fund, funded by the Community Foundation of South Jersey!

Their bottom line is that “SJ nonprofits urgently need support at a time when their role is more crucial than ever. These organizations feed, heal, shelter, educate, inspire, enlighten, and nurture residents across diverse demographics”.

We are incredibly honored to be recognized among our community in this way, and will be using this funding to help build the future of tradespeople in South Jersey.

08/12/2026

The Henson Center is now at full capacity until 2027, and we urgently need your help! Pictured are just four out of (an incredible) 62 responses on our program application.

We want to fill our workshop with these South Jersey residents ready to make a difference in their life, career, and community. Unfortunately, due to funding, our cohorts can only hold 12 students at a time, for a 10-week long period.

We’re calling on our community to help us take the next step! Donate today, and your gift will help us get to our future: hiring another carpentry instructor, expanding our program offerings, and opening the door for more students.

Their motivations are real. We just need the resources to support them. Donate today: https://bit.ly/hhtcdonate