The Rural & Suburban Outreach & Education Program is a grant program we administer under the direction of our friends at the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs Housing Unit.

 

The purpose is to connect with individuals and families that may regularly have a more difficult time accessing services due to location, lack of transportation, out of state/out of country placements, and more.  Our outreach specialists connect with consumers in the field, wherever is easiest for the person in need. They will work with applicants to complete necessary applications, follow up with referrals to other needed services, mediate with landlords/family/friends to locate alternate housing solutions, and to provide overall case management that will advance the household toward a self-sufficient and stable housing situation.

​

  Target Populations

​

• An individual or family that does not have sufficient resources or support networks immediately available to prevent them moving to an emergency shelter, unsheltered living situation, hotel/motel paid for by an agency, car, under bridges, in public spaces.

• Families with children or unaccompanied youth who are unstably housed and likely to continue in that state.

• People who are trading sex for housing.

• People who are losing their primary nighttime residence, which may include a motel or hotel or a doubled-up situation, within 14 days and lack resources or support networks to remain in housing.

• People who are staying with friends but cannot stay there for longer than 14 days.

• People who left or are leave home because of physical, emotional, or financial abuse or threats of abuse and have no safe, alternative housing.​

​

 

  What Makes This Program More Accessible?

​

​Outreach and Engagement Specialists will be able to travel out into the field to meet with consumers. This will include:

​

• In their temporary housing situations (hotel/motel, shelter, friend or family members home.

• Consumer's home if not yet homeless.

• Partner agency locations

• Public spaces (coffee shop, restaurant, library, etc.)

• Unsheltered locations (car, under bridge, in tent, etc.)

​

The program is designed to help us meet consumers where they are, both figuratively AND literally to ensure the most thorough, accessible, and swift assistance.

​

​

Important to Know

​

• The program is LOW-BARRIER. This means there is no income limit, we can assist those who are undocumented or underdocumented, and long term NJ residency is not necessary.

• FPWC is not a mobile crisis unit, and we are not certified clinical counselors. (We are housing specialists.) For immediate mental health crisis issues, please continue to use the Family Crisis Intervention Unit services at 908-454-4470.

​

​​

Some Current Agency Partnerships

​

FPWC has incredible partnerships with these agencies that will help to ensure consumers receive swift and necessary assistance from all sides:

​

• Family Guidance Center of Warren County (Center for Family Services)

• Catholic Charities

• Warren County Social Services

• Warren County Division of Disability and Aging

• Legal Services of Northwest NJ

• Easterseals

• Bridgeway

• Project Self-Sufficiency

• DASACC (Domestic Abuse and Sexual Assault Crisis Center)​

​

​