PRESS RELEASE
January 26, 2007
ESSEX COUNTY EXECUTIVE DIVINCENZO WELCOMES OVER 750
TO FIRST-EVER PROJECT HOMELESS CONNECT DAY
One-Day Program Surveys Homeless Residents
and Provides Link to Essential Services
Newark, NJ – Essex County Executive Joseph N. DiVincenzo, Jr. welcomed over 750 homeless residents to the first ever Project Homeless Connect Day in Essex County on Thursday, January 25th. The goals of the day-long event were to take an accurate census of homeless residents and provide them with an opportunity to learn about and receive available social and health-related services.
The Essex County Branch Brook Park Roller Skating Rink in Newark was transformed into a one-stop center where representatives from more than 45 social service and faith-based organizations informed homeless residents about emergency shelters, legal services, counseling, child care support and much more. In addition, information was available about welfare and general assistance, employment, job training, education and other services to help homeless residents get their lives back on track. Blood pressure and vision screenings, drug addiction treatment and health care information were among the booths that promoted wellness.
The Community Food Bank of New Jersey provided free meals and students from the Essex County Vocational School ’s Culinary Institute in West Caldwell passed out homemade baked goods and snacks. Students from the Vocational School’s beautician program and Statewide Cleaning Service provided free hair cuts. And everyone’s spirits were lifted when the Voices of Newark Gospel Choir from Essex County ’s Newark Tech staged a mini-concert that was enjoyed by all.
“Project Homeless Connect Day was our opportunity to reach out to our homeless residents, provide them with some hospitality and show them we care about their well-being,” DiVincenzo said. “I want to thank the various groups that partnered with us to conduct the Point in Time Survey, create a welcoming atmosphere at the roller rink and serve as advocates for the homeless,” he added.
“Project Homeless Connect Day is not only raising awareness about homelessness, but it is helping the County strengthen our partnerships with municipal governments and service providers for the benefit of the homeless,” Essex County Director of Citizen Services Anibal Ramos, Jr. said. “The information and feedback we received from our homeless and partners will help us develop a more effective 10-year plan to address homelessness in our communities,” he added.
Essex County is mandated by the federal Office of Housing and Urban Development to conduct a “Point in Time Survey,” which is a one-day count of individuals and families who are homeless and living on the street, in emergency shelters or in transitional housing. HUD utilizes the statistics gathered in the Point in Time Survey to determine how federal aid to help the homeless is distributed.
On the day of the survey, which was Thursday, January 25th, Essex County employees organized by the Essex County Division of Community Action, along with a team of volunteers from social service and faith-based groups, visited parks, soup kitchens, shelters and other areas where homeless congregate to conduct the Point in Time Survey. Homeless residents were then provided with free transportation from NJ Transit and shuttle buses from the County and agencies to the one-stop site at the Essex County Branch Brook Roller Rink.
The County had personnel from its Division of Community Action, Division of Community Health, Division of Welfare, One-Stop Center and Division on Aging at the roller rink to provide information and link homeless residents with assistance programs. Other organizations that partnered with Essex are as follows: American Red Cross; Apostles House; Catholic Charities; Churches in Cooperation, Inc.; City of Newark; Community FoodBank; Council for Airport Opportunities; Covenant House of NJ; East Orange General Hospital Path Program; East Orange School District; Goodwill; Essex-Newark Legal Services; Goodwill; Integrity; Jewish Vocational Service; New Community Harmony House; Newark Public Schools; Newark YMCA; Positive Health Care, Inc.; Programs for Parents, Inc.; Project Live Inc.-Path Program; Salvation Army; Social Security Administration; Special Audiences; Statewide Cleaning Service; The University Hospital-UMDNJ; United Community Corporation; Urban Renewal Corp.; Veterans Administration; and Vision of Hope Community Development Corp.
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