On October 23, 2000, Covenant House New Jersey opened its new Crisis/Community Center (the "Center") located at 330 Washington Street in the central ward of Newark, offering a full range of services 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days in a year, for homeless, runaway and at-risk youth age 21 and under.

The facility is a 40,000 square foot building with service areas on the first floor, administrative offices on the second floor and residential facilities on the second and third floors. There are separate floors for males and females and each floor houses a lounge and bedrooms.

The first floor consists of a reception/intake area, a non-denominational chapel, a large multi-purpose room, a day room/socialization area, a technical learning center, educational/vocational classrooms, a health clinic, a full service kitchen and dining area, offices for direct service staff, laundry rooms and showers. The entire building is handicap accessible.

The Center has the capacity to house 45 youths, an increase of 25 youths from our previous location. Most kids who come to Covenant House are in crisis and have been "thrown away" by poverty stricken, severely dysfunctional families. Others have been abused by parents or caregivers and have run away from these situations. Still others are marginally housed, moving from relative to relative or friend to friend. Without guidance or support, virtually all of these young people have dropped out of school and lack the skills to become productive adults.

The Atlantic City Crisis/Community Service Center opened on January 31, 1997. Located at 929 Atlantic Avenue, the Center is a 27-bed facility for homeless youth in crisis and young mothers with children.

The 3-floor building spans 14,000 square feet and includes a health clinic, meditation room, library, cafeteria, residential lounge, computer training center, reception area and administrative offices. All residents are offered comprehensive services through the Community Service Center.

The Community Service component serves resident and nonresident youth in crisis through a variety of programs aimed at helping them set and achieve their goals. These programs include:

• Case Management
• Vocational Assistance
• Educational Assistance
• Parenting Program
• Substance Abuse Prevention
• HIV/AIDS Prevention
• Spiritual Guidance
• Healthcare
• Legal Assistance

For more information about our Atlantic City programs, please contact:

Covenant House New Jersey - Atlantic City
929 Atlantic Avenue
Atlantic City, NJ 08401
Phone: (609) 348-4070

With the Crisis/Community Center, we are able to take the first step in helping these young people who desperately need our help. The Center is the hub of service provisions for youth in residence and those we serve on a daily basis. Immediate needs such as a shower, food and clean clothing are met and a bed is provided if the youth requires shelter. After the youth is stabilized, a service manager is assigned to the youth to work out a goal plan.

The Center allows us to provide enhanced programs and services so that we can better carry out the Covenant House mission of caring for "suffering children of the street" and better address the critical problem of youth homelessness that faces New Jersey.

In the new facility, a major focus is placed on job training and placement. A classroom setting provides computer classes and job readiness skills training. An on-site health clinic recently opened, offering physical and mental health screenings and treatment that would otherwise be done in a doctor's office.

Other services include case management, counseling, legal assistance, educational tutoring and GED preparation and recreational activities.