Wayne College Students, County To Use AI To Battle Homelessness

WAYNE, NJ — Passaic County and William Paterson University’s (WPU) Cotsakos College of Business have launched an AI Innovation Business Challenge Hackathon that asks students to develop tools aimed at local human services needs.

The effort focuses on homelessness, food access, and public assistance, with organizers stressing the responsible and ethical use of artificial intelligence.

Based on the January 2024 Point-in-Time (PIT) count, there were 710 homeless persons in Passaic County at that time.

The partnership is tied to Passaic County’s Impact Passaic initiative and is funded in part by a gift from the Lenahan Family. Kevin Lenahan, a WPU trustee and alumnus, has supported efforts to expand student innovation and experiential learning opportunities, according to the university.

Students are being asked to tackle three issues identified by Impact Passaic: improving housing readiness for people experiencing homelessness by addressing documentation barriers, helping SNAP recipients meet new federal work and volunteer requirements, and improving food rescue coordination so surplus food from donors is better connected with community organizations.

“This collaboration reflects Passaic County’s commitment to innovation that serves people,” says Passaic County Commissioner Rodney De Vore. “By partnering with William Paterson University, we are giving students the opportunity to apply their skills to real challenges facing our communities while exploring how emerging technologies like AI can be used responsibly and ethically to improve public services.”

Anthony “Tony” Bowrin, dean of WPU's Cotsakos College of Business, said the project also connects education and workforce preparation.

"By partnering with William Paterson University, we are giving students the opportunity to apply their skills to real challenges facing our communities while exploring how emerging technologies like AI can be used responsibly and ethically to improve public services," Bowrin said. "This partnership demonstrates how higher education and public institutions can work together to prepare students for the workforce while addressing complex community challenges."

The university said the hackathon will end with a public showcase at WPU on April 23. Student teams are expected to present their ideas to county leaders, university representatives, and community partners.

Promising concepts may move into further development, according to the announcement, with the goal of turning student proposals into community solutions.

“This partnership underscores our commitment to fostering students’ innovation and critical-thinking skills while using AI thoughtfully to address real-world challenges,” says Sarbjeet Singh Rayat, Director of the Center for Socially Responsible Entrepreneurship and Innovation at WPU.

The university said Professor Balmurli Natrajan of the Department of Community and Social Justice Studies helped lay the groundwork for the initiative through prior research and grant-funded work with Passaic County on human services needs assessments and program evaluation.

The initiative is supported by the Passaic County Board of County Commissioners and Department of Human Services leadership under Executive Director Dr. Arti Kakkar, Deputy Director Francine Vince and Impact Passaic Coordinator Catherine McGowan.

On the university side, the collaboration is being carried out through the Center for Socially Responsible Entrepreneurship and Innovation, the Russ Berrie Institute for Professional Sales and the Global Business and Financial Institute.