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We provide havens for homeless families
among interfaith houses of worship
within Somerset County. We help
homeless families plan their transition to
independence – HOMELESS NOT
HELPLESS. We connect families with
needed resources along their path to
independence.
2016
Annual
Report
http://www.ihnsc.org/
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Empowering Homeless Families to Obtain and Maintain
Independence
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From the Executive Director Reflecting on the past year, the
Interfaith Hospitality Network of Somerset County is so
thankful
to all of our many loyal supporters who recognize the importance
of working together on finding
a permanent solution to homelessness. We have the ability to
help and give hope to homeless
families with children because of you.
Homelessness does not have a typical face and the ‘working poor’
is a growing reality across the
nation. Physical and mental health needs go unmet for families
sleeping ‘couch to couch’ and in
their cars. Food security doesn’t exist and working parents who
do not make a livable wage,
struggle with providing basic needs. IHNSC is dedicated to bring
awareness and resources to
these families by providing a well-rounded continuum of care
that supports relapse prevention.
With 90% of our families maintaining independence over the past
five years after transitioning
from our emergency shelter, IHNSC continues to be a driving
force in the fight against
homelessness.
With much gratitude,
Alyssa Martini, Executive Director
P.S. IHNSC is celebrating serving homeless families with
children for 25 years in 2017!! Make
sure to stay connected and join us in celebrating this exciting
milestone.
Staff Board of Directors Alyssa Martini, Executive Director
Steve Vollers, President
Karen Donohue, Director of Volunteer Services Bill Jonat, Vice
President
Ginger Torgrimsen, Case Manager Kathy Rue, Secretary
Kristana Hunter, Financial Case Manager Gary Survill,
Treasurer
Elyse Schoepp, Mental Health Counselor Sharon Howard
Roberta Snead, Weekend Support Staff Dottie Driscoll
Richard Freeman, Van Driver Christine Petrane
Lee Matyola
Donna Delayo
Bob Foley
Kate Sarles
Stephanie Nolan
Dr. Angela Toia
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Our 2016 Program Impact IHNSC’s continuum of care provides
structured services and basic needs that support the
prevention of relapse back into homelessness. This well-rounded
program approach accesses
clients to crucial supports that enable stability and
independence, while creating client
empowerment.
Emergency Shelter provides nights, meals, basic needs and
intensive case management, financial counseling, mental health
evaluation and recommendation to families who are
homeless.
10 families served
30 individuals, 18 children
8 single mothers, 2 intact couples
6 adults secured employment while in shelter
6 families moved to independent housing
690 hours of case management
Sunrise House accommodates families who were previously in our
Emergency Shelter and have
prepared themselves for independence but find themselves stalled
by the search for permanent
affordable housing. Individualized case plans are continued and
basic needs are subsidized as
families work on educational and employment goals.
2 families served
3 adults, 1 child
2 adults employed
1 child attended Daycare Plus
615 hours of case management
Phase 2 offers 18 months of continuing case management
and support to clients who have left our Emergency Shelter
and/or Sunrise House for their own independent housing.
This fills an identified gap in services to support
previously
homeless families to prevent relapse(s) into homelessness. 21
families served 51 individuals, 29 children
18 single mothers
12 adults employed
715 hours of case management
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Phase 3 provides permanent affordable housing with Section 8
rental assistance to previous
clients of the Emergency Shelter. This program is a response to
the long waiting lists for state
rental assistance that can prevent families from moving to their
own apartment.
2 families served
5 individuals, 3 children
2 adults employed
160 hours of case management
Sound Minds provides all clients, juvenile and adult, with
psychiatric evaluation, mental health
counseling, and crisis intervention. Our counselor provides
direct services to clients at our host
congregations, as well as in-home counseling.
109 individuals, 61 children accessed to mental health
services
29 individuals, 14 children participated in consistent
counseling
4 families participated in family therapy
No mental health hospitalizations
Rapid Re-housing serves clients who achieved independent
housing. Clients receive Homeless
Trust Fund assistance and are considered at high risk of relapse
back into homelessness. Clients
receive individualized case management, financial counseling,
basic needs support and mental
health services.
11 families served
25 individuals, 13 children
12 adults employed
520 hours of case management
Daycare Plus provides children, ages infant through age 5,
to licensed and age appropriate child care and preschool at
the
Somerville YMCA at no cost to the parent(s). We offer this
program service in partnership with the YMCA who provides
50% of tuition scholarships to our referred children. IHNSC
funds the additional 50% while offering case management
and transportation to and from the program.
1 child enrolled in daycare
1 child completed program
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Resources 2,495 nights of
shelter provided
7,305 meals
served
2016 Volunteer Impact
L
In 2016, you responded to the
needs of 44 families!
109 individuals,
61 children
Shelter 17 host
congregations
14 support
congregations
Time Over 1,000 volunteers
9,469 hours of volunteering
All donated
food and basic
need supplies
were used for
every IHNSC
family
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Immaculate Conception Church
Johnson & Johnson Somerset County
Companies Fund
Kelly, Sidney
Lamington Presbyterian Church
Liberty Corner Presbyterian Church
Liquid Church
Martinsville United Methodist Church
Middlebush Reformed Church
North Branch Reformed Church
Peapack Reformed Church
Pluckemin Presbyterian Church
Rotary Club of Branchburg
Somerset County Community
Development Block Grant
Somerset County Department of
Human Services
Somerset County Homeless Trust
Fund
St. Charles Borromeo Roman Catholic Church
St. Joseph’s Parish
St. Luke’s Episcopal Church
St. Matthias Catholic Church
The Arthur E. and Elizabeth B. Roswell
Foundation
The Horizon Foundation for New Jersey
The Merck Company Foundation
The Provident Bank Foundation
The Roman Catholic Church of St. Bernard
Clairvaux
The Wawa Foundation, Inc.
TRUiST Employee Giving
United Reformed Church of Somerville
United Way of Central Jersey Employee Giving
United Way of Northern New Jersey
United Way of Portland Employee Giving
Vollers Family
YourCause Employee Giving
Our Learning Opportunites IHNSC feels strongly that it is
important to engage interns in learning opportunities and provide
them
with a well-rounded approach to social work, as well as other
volunteer opportunities. In 2016, IHNSC
participated in supervising 12 students.
Social Work Interns
Senior Field Work
Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ
One student completed 450 hours of field work and graduated with
a Bachelor in Social Work degree
(BSW). One student completed 250 hours of field work and will
complete the internship in 2017.
Junior Field Work
Seton Hall University, South Orange, NJ
One student completed 80 hours of field work and successfully
transitioned to senior year towards a
BSW.
Reach Senior Option Program
Hillsborough High School, Hillsborough, NJ
Two students each completed a semester working as mentors to
IHNSC emergency shelter children, as
well as working on social work projects.
Service Learning
Raritan Valley Community College, Branchburg, NJ
Seven students participated in service learning opportunities by
volunteering time at host congregations.
Our 2016 Major Financial Contributors
Basking Ridge Presbyterian Church
Benjamin, Dottie
Bishop Janes United Methodist Church
Bradley Gardens Reformed Church
Catholic Solidarity Team Rice Bowl Grant
Congregational Church of Bound Brook
Evangel Chapel
Frazier, Norman
Good Shepherd Lutheran Church
Greenhorn, Ellen
Hazen, Phyllis
Hillsborough Reformed Church
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Our Client Inspiration 2016 has proven to be a year of
perseverance and resiliency for many of our clients. One client
who has truly used this year for self-reflection and action is
Jasmine. Having previously
completed goals in the Emergency Shelter, Jasmine transitioned
to Sunrise House in order to take
advantage of the “stepping stone” approach towards affordable
housing that this program offers.
Jasmine became employed full-time as a security guard and
enrolled in a full-time surgical
technician certification program. Jasmine’s son, Tyshawn,
attended our Daycare Plus Program at
the Somerville YMCA and started kindergarten as a well-prepared
student. While finding a
healthy life balance between employment,
education and family, Jasmine is working her way
towards independence. Participation in case
management and financial counseling remain
a priority, as Jasmine continues to use new and
learned life skills that will help her find and
maintain independent housing. Jasmine continues
to be an inspiration to staff and reminds us how
important it is to provide the programs that we do.
Stay connected in 2017 as Interfaith Hospitality Network of
Somerset
County celebrates serving homeless families with children for 25
years!
Please join in our celebration as we continue to invest in the
lives of
homeless families in Somerset County.
Celebrating 25 years of service in 2017!
ihnsc.org Contact Us:
(908) 704-1920 phone
(908) 864-0967 fax
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