Ocean County Board of Chosen Freeholders allocates more than $764,000 to combat homelessness

Programs that help the homeless and prevent homelessness will benefit from an additional $764,364 in state funding following the Ocean County Board of Chosen Freeholders’ unanimous vote to enter into a grant agreement with the N.J. Department of Human Services. Once received, the money will be administered by the Ocean County Department of Human Services to provide assistance to those who are homeless as well as to families that are at risk of losing their home.

“These funds are another way we work hard to care for the needy here in our county,” Freeholder Director Joseph H. Vicari said in a news release.

Photo via Google
The first grant helped with a homeless shelter at
King of Kings Community Church in Manahawkin.

According to Freeholder Gerry P. Little, liaison to the Department of Human Services, a similar grant allowed the county to care for more than 6,528 individuals and families last year. The funding provided emergency shelter and housing to 2,065 individuals and families. Another 1,024 individuals and families received prevention assistance, including back rental and mortgage payments as well as back utility payments and security deposits. More than 2,800 families were also given emergency food, and 619 individuals and families received case management services.

“We’re doing our best to make sure no one has to live on the street or in makeshift shelters,” said Little. “On any given night, Ocean County is sheltering more than 6,000 people and families.”

This is the second grant the freeholders have approved this month to help fight homelessness. The group earlier approved a $1.4 million federal grant application for rental housing and assistance, housing rehabilitation, emergency sheltering and the First-Time Homebuyers program. Among the recipients were King of Kings Community Church for a homeless shelter, Interfaith Hospitality Network for a shelter and to provide assistance to homeless families with children, and Hometown Heroes for housing assistance, as well as the Foodbank of Monmouth and Ocean Counties and Ocean County Hunger Relief.

–Kelley Anne Essinger

This article was published in The SandPaper.