Dear Friends,
In 1982, fires became
front-page news in Hoboken. In response to this displacement of
our neighbors, several faith-based leaders banded together to
form the Hoboken Clergy Coalition. Its main
agenda was to address the issues of these fires, meet the
immediate needs of the victims of this tragic time, and consider
affordable housing opportunities in our community. With the
hard work and dedication of the members of the Hoboken
Clergy Coalition, it founded The Hoboken Shelter.
We are most grateful to
Sister Norberta for her involvement with the Hoboken
Clergy Coalition. When the shelter opened in 1982, she
joined the other Clergy in volunteering her time. Over the
years, she has assumed a variety of roles, from a volunteer to
the Executive Director. In 2005, Sister Norberta retired from
her position of Executive Director to the role of Clinical Case
Manager. Today, she continues to work with the guests of the
shelter and leads our social service delivery programs. We
thank Sister Norberta for her unending enthusiasm, dedication,
motivation, and leadership.
We are truly grateful to
the support of our community to help us further our mission is
to provide a safe haven for adult homeless men and women.
With the help of 3,000 volunteers annually, we shelter
50 people nightly, serve 300 meals daily, and provide such
support services as food, shelter, case management, counseling,
job and life skills training, creative arts workshops, and
emergency homelessness prevention grants. These services help
our homeless guests develop the skills needed to gain
employment, achieve independence, and re-integrate into the
community. Our programs are:
I. Food & Shelter
Program:
We serve 300 meals daily
with dinner to all adults who
arrive at our door every evening at 7:30pm and breakfast and lunch
daily to Shelter Residents. We provide overnight shelter to 50 men and
women nightly. We also provide case management services and clothing.
II. Change &
Independence Program:
The
Integrated Living Program (ILP) has been in operation
since 1998 and was re-developed in October 2008 to become the
Change & Independence Program (CIP). The program provides
job readiness and life skills training in conjunction with
creative workshops to help participants heal from the isolating,
demoralizing experience of homelessness while learning how to
articulate personal goals and build self-esteem. The program is
centered on the following elements: Job & Life Skills Programs
and Creative Expressions Workshops, which include the
following: Job & Life Skills Program, Computer Literacy
Program, Mentoring & Tutoring, Alumni Support Group, Visual Arts
Workshop, Creative Writing Workshop, Movie & Discussion Group,
Spiritual Discussion, Bingo/Chess/Games Workshop, and Music & Movement Sessions.
III. Homelessness
Prevention Program:
The
Homelessness Prevention Program provides security
deposits to Shelter Residents, rental and utility assistance to
people facing imminent eviction, counseling for tenant rights,
and referrals to appropriate agencies.
IV. Permanent
Supportive Housing Program:
The goal is to help our
homeless neighbors move from the street to our shelter to their
own homes. This program consists of two components. First,
through intensive case management services, guests are assisted
with finding and applying for apartments. Additional support
services are provided to former Shelter Residents to help them
become housed and stay housed, which include: counseling for
tenant rights, referrals to appropriate agencies, budget
counseling, food provisions, and furniture and house ware
supplies. Second, through partnerships with affordable housing
programs and government project-based vouchers (PBV) for rental
subsidies, Shelter Residents are provided with their own
apartment along with clinical supervision provided by the
Shelter’s Assistant Director, which include: Independent Living
Skills Training, Information and Referral, Peer Support, Family
& Community Education, and Advocacy.
For over 25 years, we have
been creating community in Hoboken, sheltering 360,000 men and
women, and serving over 1.3 meals! In 2009,
thanks to your help, we successfully helped 97 of our Shelter
Residents move from the street to our shelter to their own
homes! Thank you so much for your partnership with us to end
homelessness. The commitment you have shown to our mission is
sincerely appreciated and your support truly means so much to so
many. Again, thank you!
Sincerely, Jaclyn
Cherubini,
Executive Director
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