Tag Archives: New Jersey Homelessness

News

Mobile Outreach Project: The Rescue Mission’s Van Offers Addiction Recovery Services

By Rebecca Heath

The Rescue Mission of Trenton — armed with a variety of resources and support from local non-profits — provides addiction recovery services through a mobile outreach initiative designed to meet people where they are.

The initiative supports individuals who are struggling with addiction in the Mercer County area, in partnership with Catholic Charities, Henry J. Austin Health Center and Iron Recovery & Wellness Center.

Staffed by peer recovery specialists, the van hits the road six days per week.

The specialists, some of whom have recovered from addiction or faced homelessness themselves, aim to build relationships, while serving as role models to individuals at all stages in their recovery.

The van primarily travels early in the morning to places where people experiencing homelessness tend to congregate.

Since its inception in 2022, the initiative has created a profound impact, and has grown to be an established and trusted resource
in underserved communities throughout the county.

According to The Mission, the initiative delivers coffee, food and clothing, dispenses Narcan kits, provides addiction treatment, ar-
ranges medical treatment and transports individuals in need of
housing assistance to The Shelter.

The Mission’s Behavioral Health Center, which is a state-licensed
treatment facility, offers both short-term and long-term support for individuals battling addiction, according to the organization’s website.

“With the vast capabilities of our unique partnerships, this outreach program is allowing us to provide what is needed, for individuals struggling with addiction — engaging this in their healing process,” said Barret Young, CEO of The Mission.

According to Chalia Perry, peer recovery specialist, the team aims to empower the individuals they serve through consistency and compassion.

“Showing up every single day, I think that plays a big part. … I’m
not in a fancy suit. I’m just me in rare form,” Perry said. “They take
me with all my aspects the same way I take them.”

For Perry, sharing her own experiences with homelessness allows her to develop trust and meaningful relationships with patrons.

“Where somebody else might shy away from them, from giving them a hug or saying hello, we’re there,” Perry said. “This is not just my job,
this is my family. This is what we get up for every day.”

News

New Jersey to Launch Office on Homelessness Prevention

By Jared Kofsky

As chronic homelessness continues to impact thousands of New Jerseyans in municipalities such as Trenton, the question remains what roles government agencies, non-profit organizations, religious groups, and for-profit entities should play in alleviating this crisis. Although the City of Trenton operates the Coordinated Entry and Assessment Services (CEAS) Center and county, state, and federal dollars often fund contracted services at local organizations, the majority of resources serving people experiencing homelessness in Mercer County are ultimately operated by charities such as Anchor House and the Rescue Mission of Trenton.

Now, could changes be coming to how homelessness is addressed on a statewide level?

The Streetlight has learned that the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs (DCA) will be moving forward with the development of a new Office on Homelessness Prevention and that the office will be based in the William Ashby Building in Downtown Trenton. Tammori Petty, the Director of Communications for DCA, confirmed to The Streetlight that the office will coordinate between government agencies and external organizations serving people who are experiencing homelessness or are at risk.

“The office, which will focus on addressing homelessness among all subpopulations, including youth homelessness, has been tasked with implementing a statewide strategy to address homelessness,” Petty explained. “A major part of the Office’s role will be to engage stakeholders across the state, including people with lived experience of homelessness, throughout the development of the state plan.”

At first, according to Petty, there will be three staff members in the office, including a director, a program manager, and a data manager.

Employment postings issued by the State of New Jersey and viewed by The Streetlight show that the director is expected to be paid between $95,000 and $100,000 annually. The individual will lead the collaborative efforts, analyze data, make recommendations regarding the statewide plan, and serve as an “expert resource on homelessness.”

The program manager would administer contracts with local organizations while earning between $70,000 and $85,000, while the data director would make between $75,000 and $90,000 and would issue reports about homelessness in New Jersey.

Applications for all three positions were due to DCA on October 15.

The establishment of the Office on Homelessness Prevention, along with the upcoming New Jersey Homelessness Prevention Task Force that acts as an advisory board for the office, came after legislation was enacted in April that involved appropriating $3 million to the DCA.