Thursday, December 30, 2010

APP article about Tent City and Sunday's snow storm

The Asbury Park Press ran an article in today's paper about how the residents coped with this week's snow storm.  The link is http://www.app.com/article/20101229/NEWS/12290327/Homeless-in-Tent-City-sheltered-from-snow

APP's photographer Pete Ackerman also had a six-photo slideshow about the storm in tent city.  http://www.app.com/apps/pbcs.dll/gallery?Avis=B3&Dato=20101230&Kategori=MULTIMEDIA02&Lopenr=12300801&Ref=PH 

Tuesday, December 28, 2010

Article about homeless in Camden

Here is a link to an article by Jeremy Rosen in the Courier Post online about homeless people in Camden.  As he wrote:  "Be warned. It's not an altogether pleasant journey. But you'll only be reading about it, while others are living it."

http://www.courierpostonline.com/article/20101220/NEWS01/12190344/For-homeless-it-s-a-daily-struggle-to-survive-in-Camden

Saturday, December 18, 2010

Highlights from APP article on homeless and social services

Here are some statistics cited from APP's article on the requests on OC's Board of Social Services:

Freeholder Gerry P. Little: Board of Social Services provides shelter and/or temporary rental assistance to almost 2,000 people every night.

In some cases the demand on social services and welfare programs have increased by 100% since 2007.

Number of people getting general assistance: 2, 762, up 137% since 2007.  (2,006 last year.)

Requests for food stamps 16,580, up 122% since 2007. (11,563 last year.)

Board of Social Services administers more than 70 programs to assist the needy.

Eight counties in NJ take advantage of a recent law that enables them to place a $3 surcharge on documents filed with the county clerk, in order to raise money for a homeless trust.  Ocean County does not.

The full article can be read at the APP Web site: http://www.app.com/article/201012162140/NEWS/12160337?odyssey=mod_related_topix 

Monday, December 13, 2010

Homeless forum in Toms River Jan. 31

The Kiwanis Club of Jackson will sponsor a  homeless forum Monday, Jan. 31 at Ocean County Library's Toms River branch, 101 Washington St.  The forum will begin promptly at 6:30 p.m.
Prior to the start of the meeting groups will set up informational tables where they will distribute literature about their group and answer their questions.
The program will present speakers who are homeless, discuss strategies being used to meet the needs of the homeless, and answer questions from the audience.
The program will end at 8:30 p.m.
All are welcome to attend.
Contact Larry Meegan for more information: LarryM52@aol.com .

Mary & Jospeh: "No Room at the Inn"

The Interfaith Community Action Network of New Jersey present "No Room at the Inn,"  a legislative walk in Trenton Thursday, Dec. 16 at 10 a.m.
The walk links the journey of Mary & Joseph to find a place to stay in the town of Bethlehem with the same struggle of many NJ families to find an affordable home in the town where they work or grew up.
You are invited to join the Interfaith Community Action Network of New Jersey as they walk with Mary & Joseph down State Street in Trenton to the legislative offices at the Statehouse, searching for a room at the inn.
If you are interested in participatin contact DamikaWebb@fairsharehousing.org.
The group will convene at the Housing and Community Development Netowrk of NJ, 145 W. Hanover St., Trenton NJ 08618 @ 9:30 a.m.