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From Code Blue to the Cumberland County Housing First Collaborative, we are writing a new chapter in the history of our county, a history in which we, the people, are joining together to make a positive difference in our community!
The Cumberland County Code Blue program began in Bridgeton, NJ by Bridgeton Mayor Albert Kelly, Dr. Rob Weinstein, Rev. Ellen Rutherford, and Captains James and Maria Stephenson was created to provide "Warming Centers" as a way for homeless persons in the community to find shelter from frigid overnight temperatures during the cold winter months.
A "Code Blue" is initiated when temperatures are 32 degrees with precipitation or 25 degrees without precipitation. Warming Centers are housed by host churches on a rotating basis from 6 PM to 6 AM.
The Bridgeton Code Blue Program developed in December 2013 through several events that transpired in the City in a short amount of time. In November, Dr. Rob Weinstein, Pastor of Bethany Grace Community & Chair of the Human Resource Management Program for Wilmington University, set out to experience homelessness in Bridgeton for 48-hours and then addressed his congregation as a homeless man. He wrote about his experience in a blog post:
“There is no real shelter in Cumberland County, especially for single men. There are very few food services regularly available to the 1 out 6 people who are hungry in our area. During my two days as a homeless person, I could not find a place to provide me with clean drinking water or go to the bathroom.”
And he issued this challenge to his Church and community churches:
“We, the Church, need to be willing to get dirty and wash the feet of the poor and oppressed (John 13) and we need to stop passing the buck to the government. We should not look to the government for answers; rather they should look to us for solutions and actions.”
Following his weekend homeless, Dr. Weinstein met with Mayor Albert Kelly to discuss faith-based options for homelessness. During this discussion, the idea of a Code Blue program emerged. The Mayor sent an email to area Churches to see if they would be interested in helping and he also ordered his administration to begin researching similar initiatives. The goal was to begin a program after the first of the new year.
During the evening of December 9th, 2013, Mr. Joseph Hanshaw, a homeless man in the City of Bridgeton, died after becoming entangled in the pull-down door of the Salvation Army Clothing bin. Police said the 50-years old Hanshaw was apparently looking for a coat or a warm place to sleep when the incident occurred. In the light of this tragic event, Mayor Kelly called on Dr. Weinstein, Rev. Rutherford, and Captains James and Maria Stephenson to immediately put together the City and County’s first Code Blue initiative.
Since the humble beginnings in the fellowship hall of St. Andrews Episcopal Church, Code Blue programs have developed in Vineland and Millville. Vineland's Code Blue program began during the winter of 2014 and has been ably led by Cathy Gardner. During the 2014-2015 winter season, Millville started its Code Blue Season under the initial leadership of Rev. Stephen Harris, Anna Marie Harris, and Renee Brecht.
Beginning in the 2015-2016 Code Blue Season, all three municipal-based programs joined together to form the Cumberland County Code Blue Coalition. The Coalition has been chaired by Dr. Weinstein since its inception. Code Blue is a grassroots movement of churches and community members responding to the needs of our homeless neighbors.
The Cumberland County Code Blue Coalition is a grassroots movement of compassion in action! Our Code Blue program, which houses the homeless in houses of worship during the cold winter months, is 100% volunteer operated and 100% donor funded. Code Blue is funded by community contributions made to the M25 Initiative (501c3). The Cumberland County Code Blue Coalition is not government operated or funded.
The Code Blue Program helped birth the nonprofit, the M25 Initiative. The M25 Initiative is a 501c3 non-profit in Cumberland County, NJ created for the sole purpose of engaging, equipping, empowering, and mobilizing individuals and organizations to engage in innovative and cooperative solutions to alleviate suffering, feed the hungry, end poverty, reduce crime, revitalize a spirit community and transform lives!
M25 stands for Matthew 25:35-36, “For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.”
In his letter announcing the M25 Initiative, Dr. Weinstein wrote:
“It is with great enthusiasm and expectation that we are launching this new non-profit that will allow our community to build upon the success of the Code Blue Coalition that has formed in the cities of Bridgeton, Vineland, and Millville in Cumberland County, NJ… Code Blue serves as God’s ambulance squad in triaging the effects of homelessness in our community, but the M25 Initiative is about changing the system!”
The Cumberland County Code Blue Coalition and M25 Initiative birthed a campaign to end homelessness in Cumberland County by 2020 through the Cumberland County Housing First Collaborative. This Collaborative started on December 9th, 2015, on the second anniversary of Mr. Handshaw’s death.
The Cumberland County Housing First Collaborative is a unique consortium of social service organizations, faith-based institutions, and government officials committed to tackling the problem of chronic homelessness in Cumberland County. The guiding agency of this collaborative is the M25 Initiative, a nonprofit organization based in Bridgeton, which also facilitates the grassroots Cumberland County Code Blue Coalition. The other partners of the collaborative include Gateway Community Action Partnership, PRAC of Southern New Jersey, Resources for Independent Living, and CompleteCare. The collaborative is operating in partnership with the Cumberland County Jail, Inspira Health Network, Monarch Housing, and the Family Strengthening Network.
Utilizing housing vouchers provided by the State of New Jersey in 2016 and coupling it with other resources, the Collaborative is implementing a comprehensive strategy to find homeless individuals permanent housing. Housing is coupled with wrap-around services to keep them off the street and pointed toward fulfilling and productive lives. By the end of 2017, 42 chronically homeless individuals will be moved to permanent supportive housing.
The success of the Cumberland County Code Blue Coalition, M25 Initiative, and the Housing First Collaborative led the Freeholder Board to establish a Homeless Trust Fund in 2016. The Trust Fund provides much needed funds and investment to create the housing and services including Housing First necessary to end chronic homelessness in Cumberland County.
Cumberland County’s Code Blue Coalition has become a model for the State of New Jersey. In 2017, Governor Christie signed into law legislation requiring a state-wide Code Blue Program for all 21 counties.
In 2017-2018, the Code Blue Coalition has begun working in conjunction with the Cumberland County Office of Emergency Management. While Code Blue remains, a grassroots volunteer led and donor funded initiative, our partnership will allow for greater coordination.
The Cumberland County Code Blue program began in Bridgeton, NJ by Bridgeton Mayor Albert Kelly, Dr. Rob Weinstein, Rev. Ellen Rutherford, and Captains James and Maria Stephenson was created to provide "Warming Centers" as a way for homeless persons in the community to find shelter from frigid overnight temperatures during the cold winter months.
A "Code Blue" is initiated when temperatures are 32 degrees with precipitation or 25 degrees without precipitation. Warming Centers are housed by host churches on a rotating basis from 6 PM to 6 AM.
The Bridgeton Code Blue Program developed in December 2013 through several events that transpired in the City in a short amount of time. In November, Dr. Rob Weinstein, Pastor of Bethany Grace Community & Chair of the Human Resource Management Program for Wilmington University, set out to experience homelessness in Bridgeton for 48-hours and then addressed his congregation as a homeless man. He wrote about his experience in a blog post:
“There is no real shelter in Cumberland County, especially for single men. There are very few food services regularly available to the 1 out 6 people who are hungry in our area. During my two days as a homeless person, I could not find a place to provide me with clean drinking water or go to the bathroom.”
And he issued this challenge to his Church and community churches:
“We, the Church, need to be willing to get dirty and wash the feet of the poor and oppressed (John 13) and we need to stop passing the buck to the government. We should not look to the government for answers; rather they should look to us for solutions and actions.”
Following his weekend homeless, Dr. Weinstein met with Mayor Albert Kelly to discuss faith-based options for homelessness. During this discussion, the idea of a Code Blue program emerged. The Mayor sent an email to area Churches to see if they would be interested in helping and he also ordered his administration to begin researching similar initiatives. The goal was to begin a program after the first of the new year.
During the evening of December 9th, 2013, Mr. Joseph Hanshaw, a homeless man in the City of Bridgeton, died after becoming entangled in the pull-down door of the Salvation Army Clothing bin. Police said the 50-years old Hanshaw was apparently looking for a coat or a warm place to sleep when the incident occurred. In the light of this tragic event, Mayor Kelly called on Dr. Weinstein, Rev. Rutherford, and Captains James and Maria Stephenson to immediately put together the City and County’s first Code Blue initiative.
Since the humble beginnings in the fellowship hall of St. Andrews Episcopal Church, Code Blue programs have developed in Vineland and Millville. Vineland's Code Blue program began during the winter of 2014 and has been ably led by Cathy Gardner. During the 2014-2015 winter season, Millville started its Code Blue Season under the initial leadership of Rev. Stephen Harris, Anna Marie Harris, and Renee Brecht.
Beginning in the 2015-2016 Code Blue Season, all three municipal-based programs joined together to form the Cumberland County Code Blue Coalition. The Coalition has been chaired by Dr. Weinstein since its inception. Code Blue is a grassroots movement of churches and community members responding to the needs of our homeless neighbors.
The Cumberland County Code Blue Coalition is a grassroots movement of compassion in action! Our Code Blue program, which houses the homeless in houses of worship during the cold winter months, is 100% volunteer operated and 100% donor funded. Code Blue is funded by community contributions made to the M25 Initiative (501c3). The Cumberland County Code Blue Coalition is not government operated or funded.
The Code Blue Program helped birth the nonprofit, the M25 Initiative. The M25 Initiative is a 501c3 non-profit in Cumberland County, NJ created for the sole purpose of engaging, equipping, empowering, and mobilizing individuals and organizations to engage in innovative and cooperative solutions to alleviate suffering, feed the hungry, end poverty, reduce crime, revitalize a spirit community and transform lives!
M25 stands for Matthew 25:35-36, “For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.”
In his letter announcing the M25 Initiative, Dr. Weinstein wrote:
“It is with great enthusiasm and expectation that we are launching this new non-profit that will allow our community to build upon the success of the Code Blue Coalition that has formed in the cities of Bridgeton, Vineland, and Millville in Cumberland County, NJ… Code Blue serves as God’s ambulance squad in triaging the effects of homelessness in our community, but the M25 Initiative is about changing the system!”
The Cumberland County Code Blue Coalition and M25 Initiative birthed a campaign to end homelessness in Cumberland County by 2020 through the Cumberland County Housing First Collaborative. This Collaborative started on December 9th, 2015, on the second anniversary of Mr. Handshaw’s death.
The Cumberland County Housing First Collaborative is a unique consortium of social service organizations, faith-based institutions, and government officials committed to tackling the problem of chronic homelessness in Cumberland County. The guiding agency of this collaborative is the M25 Initiative, a nonprofit organization based in Bridgeton, which also facilitates the grassroots Cumberland County Code Blue Coalition. The other partners of the collaborative include Gateway Community Action Partnership, PRAC of Southern New Jersey, Resources for Independent Living, and CompleteCare. The collaborative is operating in partnership with the Cumberland County Jail, Inspira Health Network, Monarch Housing, and the Family Strengthening Network.
Utilizing housing vouchers provided by the State of New Jersey in 2016 and coupling it with other resources, the Collaborative is implementing a comprehensive strategy to find homeless individuals permanent housing. Housing is coupled with wrap-around services to keep them off the street and pointed toward fulfilling and productive lives. By the end of 2017, 42 chronically homeless individuals will be moved to permanent supportive housing.
The success of the Cumberland County Code Blue Coalition, M25 Initiative, and the Housing First Collaborative led the Freeholder Board to establish a Homeless Trust Fund in 2016. The Trust Fund provides much needed funds and investment to create the housing and services including Housing First necessary to end chronic homelessness in Cumberland County.
Cumberland County’s Code Blue Coalition has become a model for the State of New Jersey. In 2017, Governor Christie signed into law legislation requiring a state-wide Code Blue Program for all 21 counties.
In 2017-2018, the Code Blue Coalition has begun working in conjunction with the Cumberland County Office of Emergency Management. While Code Blue remains, a grassroots volunteer led and donor funded initiative, our partnership will allow for greater coordination.
LOCATION
31 N. Pearl Street
Bridgeton, NJ 08302 |
OUR MISSION"The M25 Initiative is a 501c3 non-profit in Cumberland County, NJ created for the sole purpose of engaging, equipping, empowering, and mobilizing individuals and organizations to employ innovative and cooperative solutions to alleviate suffering, feed the hungry, end poverty, reduce crime, revitalize a spirit of community and transform lives!"
Phone: 1-844-M25-HOPE 
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