Newark Homeless Shelter Gets Makeover (PHOTOS)

NEWARK, NJ — A decade after its first “extreme makeover project,” the Apostles' House, a shelter for homeless and at-risk families located on Grant Street in Newark, got a welcome facelift earlier this month.

Apostle’s House got a significant renovation in 2007, when several organizations and community stakeholders got together to improve conditions at the Essex County shelter, which provides social services to homeless and at-risk families and individuals in the Newark area.

On May 6, several of the organizations that pitched in for the 2007 effort returned for a second go-round. Improvements included replacing mattresses, bed frames and bed linens, redesigning and redecorating residents' rooms, installing new computers, painting and doing backyard cleanup.

While the repairs took place, volunteers took the residents of the shelter out for a day trip to the Essex County Turtle Back Zoo, according to a news release.

• See related article: Life Through The Lens Of Homeless Newark Photographers

"When we performed the first extreme makeover of the Apostles’ House in 2007, it was an unforgettable experience,” said Donald Shauger, executive vice president of The Shauger Group. “We all were passionate about the project, and there wasn’t a dry eye in the room when we unveiled the renovated shelter to the families who lived there. It’s something that none of us could ever forget, and we are so glad we can once again bring this project to life. The residents of the shelter deserve it.”

• See related article: 9 Homeless People Found Living Under N.J. Highway Overpass

Contributing organizations included the New Jersey Devils; The Shauger Group, Inc.; Bobcat of North Jersey; Atlas Desk & Office Services; Trenk, DiPasquale, Della Fera & Sodono, P.C.; SUEZ North America; Pure Properties; and Inglesino, Webster, Wyciskala, & Taylor, LLC.

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Photos courtesy of DLJ Communications Group