Essex County Homeless Outreach Event: Help, Health, Haircuts

ESSEX COUNTY, NJ — UPDATE: The Essex County Project Homeless Connect Event scheduled for Thursday, March 22 has been cancelled because of the snowstorm. It has been rescheduled to Wednesday, April 18 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Essex County Branch Brook Park Roller Skating Facility in Newark. Our original article follows below.

Here’s your chance to help a homeless resident in Essex County acquire the tools they need to get back on their feet.

On Thursday, March 22, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., more than 65 community and faith-based organizations in the area will come together in a massive outreach event for homeless residents in the county, turning the roller skating rink at Essex County Branch Brook Park into a temporary aid station.

The event will provide homeless people with the opportunity to learn about available social services and health-related programs in a centralized location, county officials said.

According to Essex County officials:

“Homeless residents visiting the Essex County Branch Brook Park Roller Rink will receive a nutritious meal and have access to information about available programs and services specifically geared for homeless clients. Among the services being offered are: public assistance, health screenings, mental health services, emergency services, educational services, veterans services, employment services and free haircuts.”

According to a recent study, Essex County had the most homeless residents in the state for the second straight year in 2017.

With a total of 2,048 homeless people counted, Essex County had a whopping 24 percent of the state's homeless population, according to a report from Monarch Housing Associates, which spearheaded an annual, one-day count of the state's homeless population.

Of the 1,507 homeless households counted in Essex County in 2017, about 273 (18.1%) were families with at least one child under the age of 18 and one adult. These families included 795 persons, 465 children under age 18, and 330 adults, the study stated.

• See related article: Essex County Had Most Homeless In New Jersey For 2017, Study Says
• See related article: Essex County Gets $6M To Combat Homelessness From Feds

Essex County Executive Joseph DiVincenzo Jr. encouraged local homeless residents to attend the event and connect with agencies that can help them to get essential services to get back on their feet.

“An event like this is a tremendous undertaking and we thank our many partners for their participation,” DiVincenzo said. “By combining our resources more efficiently, we can provide assistance to our less fortunate residents.”

• See related article: Homeless Vet Who Helped Woman Buys New Home With Money She Raised
• See related article: 1st 'Safe Haven' Homeless Shelter Opens In Newark
• See related article: NJ Homeless Man Dies In Busy City Square, Nobody Notices: Report

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