HomeFront - Who We Are
OUR MISSION
HomeFront is a non-profit agency providing a comprehensive network of services for the poor and homeless in Mercer County, New Jersey. Mercer County includes Princeton, Lawrenceville, Ewing and Trenton. It is racially, ethnically, socially and economically diverse.
HomeFront programs provide emergency shelter and transitional and service-enriched, affordable housing. Our mission is to meet the immediate needs of food, shelter and safety and to help troubled families break from the cycle of poverty. We work with single mothers, single fathers and families with histories of domestic violence, child abuse, drug abuse and welfare. We also work with families who just cannot make ends meet in a declining economy.
HomeFront programs support education and employment for both children and parents. HomeFront helps parents work toward their GED and apply for and hold jobs. We provide preschool, after-school, tutoring and summer camp programs for their children. We work with the whole family.
Our supporters provide donations of money, food, furniture, clothing and other household items to our Food Pantry, Free Store and other HomeFront programs.
OUR WORK
HomeFront helps families with no place left to go. Many of them are single-parent families. Many are homeless. All are poor. Some are fleeing from domestic violence. Some single parents work two minimum-wage jobs and still can’t afford food and rent. Their kids are often troubled and struggling in school. The parents are often not able to provide appropriate supervision because they are busy making a living.
HomeFront provides comprehensive services. We provide emergency food and housing, but we also address the root causes of poverty and homelessness. Parents learn employment and parenting skills. Young children attend our preschool program. Older children get tutoring, summer camp and social activities. We work to find every family a home of their own, where they can be self-sufficient, successful and proud.
A record number of families sought help from HomeFront in 2009 as the economic crisis affected the working poor and increased homelessness. This April, 1059 heads of household came to us for help–a 57% increase over 2008.
OUR FAITH
HomeFront believes that it is unacceptable for any child to be homeless in Mercer County or anywhere in America. We believe that all of us have a responsibility toward the less fortunate. Homelessness and poverty are national, but HomeFront is local. We succeed because over a thousand of our neighbors support HomeFront with investments of time and money. HomeFront has chosen action and hope in the face of problems many call hopeless.
HomeFront believes that Americans have the will, the energy and the heart to help when given a chance. And we carry with us the words of Margaret Mead:
"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.”
Please join us. Change the world.
13,928 heads of households came to our front door asking for assistance
467 families were kept in their homes
280 families each week were given shelter, food or emergency assistance
241 families including 384 children were served in our Emergency Shelter programs
6,419 nights of emergency shelter were provided to working poor families not eligible for any government assistance
76 long-time welfare recipients obtained employment
17 obtained their GED or graduated from high school
15 went on to college or further training
145 children attended one of three free eight week summer camps
120+ children participated in the year round programs on any given day
601 formerly homeless families furnished their apartments with donated furniture
3,518 visits to our FreeStore were made by clients in need of clothing and household items
8,800 food bags were distributed from our pantry
We rely on: