Get Involved
Help Fund This Documentary
We are raising funds for this important project and we desperately need support for legal, accounting and general operating expenses. Ultimately, we hope to raise $200,000 to complete this independent film, which will be publicly available for distribution to schools, universities and NJ Public Broadcasting stations.
We have made a lot of progress, but still need to raise enough money for the next and final episode. No donation is too small and you can also help spread the word by sharing this page and by inviting your friends on Facebook to like Truehart Productions.
Fundraising Status
Updated September 12, 2022
Truehart Productions is grateful for the support via donations and state level grants. As you can see we have a long journey ahead to make this documentary a reality and appreciate your help!
Total Donations Received: $35,000
Total Public Television Funding Received: $160,000
Total Grants Awarded: $35,000
June 23, 2021 | $15,000 Grant by the New Jersey Council for the Humanities.
June 22, 2022 | $20,000 Grant by the New Jersey Council for the Humanities.
Documentary Milestones
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April 2019 – Director Andrew Schmertz hired as the film's Director
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September 2019 – Truehart Productions organizational meeting in Pennington, NJ (see photo)
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October 2019 – First board of trustees meeting
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November 2019 – Registered with the NJ Division of Revenue as a non-profit corporation
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January 2020 – Ridgeley Hutchinson appointed to the NJ PBS Community Advisory Board
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January 2020 – Internal Revenue Service designates Truehart Productions as a 501c3 non-profit organization
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February 2020 – NJ PBS Letter from General Manager John Servideo of PBS’s interest in the documentary
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May 2020 – Facebook page developed
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May 2020 – Private donor fundraising begins
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September 2020 – GoFundMe fundraising page established
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December 2020 - $12,000 raised
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December 2020 – Production of the trailer begins
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March 2021 – Emmy Award winner Bill Jersey agrees to be a consultant
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March 2021 - Charles Yedlin offers a $1,500 matching grant which generated another $1,500 in contributions for a total of $3,000 in donations.
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April 2021 – Production of the trailer completed and released on YouTube
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May 2021 – Private donor John McDonald contributes $5,000
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June 2021 – NJ Council for the Humanities awards Truehart Productions a grant for $15,000
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September 2021 – www.truehartproductions.org website launched
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February 2022 – Signed agreement with NJ PBS to co-produce Part 1 “The Price of Silence, The Forgotten Story of New Jersey’s Enslaved People​
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March 2022 – Private donors, Margret S. Griffin and Scott G. Sillars donate $10,000
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March 2022 – Shooting begins for Part 1, on location at the Old School Baptist Church
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May 2022 – Signed agreement with NJ PBS to co-produce Part 2 “The Price of Silence, The Lasting Impact of Slavery in New Jersey”
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June 2022 – Part 1 is aired at 8:00 pm NJ PBS
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June 2022 – NJ Council for the Humanities awards Truehart Productions a grant for $20,000
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July 2022 – Shooting begins for Part 2, on location at the East Brunswick Public Library
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August 2022 – The Price of Silence, Parts 1 and 2 are aired in succession at 8:00 and 8:30 pm on NJ PBS
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