HomeFront

Since its inception 25 years ago, HomeFront has worked to break the cycle of poverty and end homelessness in Central New Jersey, serving thousands of Mercer County families. In the past year alone, almost 14,000 heads of households walked through our front door looking for help. HomeFront’s mission is to end homelessness in Central New Jersey by harnessing the caring, resources and expertise of the community. It works to lessen the immediate pain of homelessness and help families become self-sufficient. HomeFront gives its clients the skills and opportunities to ensure adequate incomes, and strives to increase the availability of adequate, affordable housing. HomeFront helps homeless families advocate for themselves individually and collectively.

Started by volunteers providing meals for families living in welfare motels, HomeFront has since developed a holistic array of services for clients who are either homeless or at high risk of becoming so. On any given night, it provides emergency shelter, transitional housing and permanent service-enriched housing to over 450 people, two-thirds of them children. Some of itsr many services include case management, homelessness prevention services (including back rent & utility assistance), emergency food, free clothing and household goods at its FreeStore, affordable housing searches, job placement and readiness skills.

Special programming for children includes HomeFront's award-winning pre-school program, summer camp, after-school tutoring and other recreational, enriching and educational activities. It has established collaborations with congregations, corporations and organizations, who assist in our mission of returning families to independence.

HomeFront utilizes all segments of the community to accomplish its mission of providing comprehensive programs which enable formerly homeless families to become independent, contributing members of the community. More than 1,200 volunteers work with the organization each year to provide families with everything from food, goods and services to assistance in locating jobs and housing. Without these dedicated and caring volunteers, many of its programs, such as week-night tutoring program and hot meals for motel families, would not be possible.