Youth Displaced By NY Crane Collapse Get Warm Welcome In Newark

NEWARK, NJ — When a fire caused a crane to come crashing down in New York City earlier this week, more than 200 firefighters and emergency personal responded to the scene to put out the blaze and evacuate nearby buildings. One of them was the Covenant House New York location – a place of much-needed respite for over 100 young people who have been impacted by homelessness or trafficking.

“Miraculously, the crane did not hit our facility and none of our youth and staff were injured,” the New York chapter of the national nonprofit reported, sharing a nail-biting post that detailed the “loud crash and the smell of fire” that accompanied the collapse.

But with the evacuation, there came another urgent question: Where can 119 young people find a temporary place to sleep, eat, and get ready for work or school?

Luckily, a network of local resources and nearby sister Covenant House facilities had their backs – including the Covenant House location across the Hudson River in Newark, New Jersey.

Another nearby youth-oriented nonprofit – the All Stars Project – was the first to step up to the plate, offering a safe space at their facility a few blocks away. Covenant House then began contacting city partners, agencies, elected officials and its other sites in New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Washington D.C.

By that evening, every young person was safely relocated to temporary accommodations offered by providers in the Runaway and Homeless Youth network in New York City, while others were relocated to Covenant House facilities in the Bronx and New Jersey.

Several of the youth found a warm welcome in the Brick City, Covenant House New Jersey reported:

“[On July 26], a devastating crane incident caused Covenant House New York to be evacuated, displacing all 119 residents and 20 staff members. We are incredibly grateful that none of them were hurt, but the building will remain closed for up to a week. Here at Covenant House New Jersey, we’ve opened our doors with open arms and hearts, welcoming the displaced residents to our Newark location. Our staff is working tirelessly, providing shelter, food, and loving care to these brave young people.”

It isn’t only staff members who are showing a much-needed friendly face to the displaced New York youth. The young people living at the Newark location have eagerly embraced their peers, creating a community that shows “absolute respect and unconditional love,” Covenant House New Jersey reported in a social media post.

Are you a Garden State resident who wants to pitch in for the relief effort? Learn more about how to donate or volunteer for Covenant House New Jersey here.

Send local news tips and correction requests to eric.kiefer@patch.com. Learn more about advertising on Patch here. Find out how to post announcements or events to your local Patch site. Don’t forget to visit the Patch Newark Facebook page.