FOOD, SHELTER, AND RELATED SERVICES
Food and shelter remain persistent problems in the North Hudson area.  Lack of affordable housing and a growing population of low wage workers have impacted this situation.  A matrix of programs are available to address these needs, directed both to those currently homeless and toward prevention services.

EMERGENCY FOOD AND SHELTER
It is always better to prevent homelessness if possible.  To this end, one-time rent payments are made in order to prevent evictions.  Those already homeless are afforded temporary shelter through a voucher system with area motels.  This activity focuses largely on women and families.  Single men are referred to congregate shelters.

Food vouchers are available for all qualified residents facing no food emergencies.

3,246 people were served receiving 31,106 services.

HOLIDAY FOOD ASSISTANCE
Again this year, our food distribution assisted client families at Christmas as well as at Thanksgiving

3,121 people received food through this completely volunteer effort.

TRANSITIONAL HOUSING
Two (2) groups of homeless families receive assistance through our transitional housing programs.  Those who are TANF recipients require referrals from the Department of Welfare.  Working poor homeless families are also assisted and contact the agency for help directly.  The programs offer temporary housing in rented apartments coupled with intensive casework assistance to return the families to stability and permanent housing.  Program participation is time limited.

20 families were assisted this year.

RESIDENTIAL MAINTENANCE
Focuses on providing home repairs to eligible seniors 60 and over to correct health and safety violations. Capacity is limited.

32 units were repaired.

NEW JERSEY SHARES
This program provided the working poor with assistance in meeting their utility costs.

52 families, who received $22,083. in assistance, benefited from this program.

AFFORDABLE HOUSING
We continue to manage a fully rented affordable housing project.  Union City Renaissance serves 37 families.

IMMIGRATION AND NATURALIZATION
Ours is an area of immigrants. This has always been so.  Increasingly, the newcomers have been Hispanic, beginning with Cubans and more recently encompassing South and Central Americans and Mexicans.  In such circumstances, information, counseling, translation assistance, applications to the INS and much more are real needs.

These form the basis of our program. We have participated in a variety of specially targeted programs including amnesty and targeted visas.  Recently, we have been active in arranging family visits from various countries.  As long as we remain a region of immigrants, these services will continue to be needed.

2,763 clients were given 21,155 services.