Housing First in Cumberland County
The Cumberland County Housing First Collaborative
Ending Homelessness by 2020
Ending Homelessness by 2020
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The Cumberland County Housing First Collaborative (CCHFC) 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, Inspira Health Network, CompleteCare Health Network, Volunteers of America Delaware Valley, and the Cumberland County Jail and government.
As of the week of June 10, 2018, we have housed 50 chronically homeless individuals since June 12, 2017. This was made possible with the support of New Jersey Department of Community Affairs, Inspira Health Network, Ocean First Foundation, and the TD Charitable Foundation, along with countless community donors and volunteers. The Collaborative uses a comprehensive strategy to find homeless individuals permanent housing. Housing is be coupled with wrap-around services to keep them off the street and pointed toward fulfilling and productive lives. The Housing First Philosophy includes low barrier program admission criteria with no preconditions of treatment completion, sobriety and/or abstinence, clean criminal or credit history, and income. The Housing First Collaborative will seek to serve the hardest to serve the population that may have multiple barriers to obtaining and maintaining housing. Referral Site Location Information:
Gateway Community Action Partnership 110 Cohansey Street Bridgeton, NJ 08302 (856) 451-6330 Resources for Independent Living 614 E. Landis Ave 1st Floor Vineland, NJ 08360 (856) 825-0255 |
EligibilityIndividuals eligible for the program are identified by Inspira Health Systems, Cumberland County Jail, Resources for Independent Living, and Gateway Community Action Partnership. Eligibility requirements include a diagnosable substance abuse disorder and/or serious mental illness and/or development disability and/or chronic physical illness or disability, along with a demonstrated period of homelessness for at least 12 continuous months or 12 cumulative months during at least 4 separate occasions in the last three years.
We are currently in phase 2 of the campaign to end homelessness in Cumberland County by 2020. Phase 2 utilizes a Rapid Rehousing (RRH) approach. The goal of RRH is to help individuals and families exit homelessness and return to permanent housing as quickly as possible. RRH projects utilize the Housing First philosophy by providing temporary financial assistance, combined with housing location and housing stability case management services to help homeless individuals and families obtain permanent housing and achieve stability. At this time, individuals need to have a source of income to support rent as Phase 2 of the Housing First Program only provides support up to $2500 per chronically homeless individual/household. Read more here... |
The Housing First Collaborative:
Thank you to our Special Housing First Sponsors:
Inspira Health Network, Ocean First Foundation, TD Charitable Foundation