Housing, Food & Utility Assistance

Emergency Food and Nutrition Network

The Emergency Food and Nutrition Network (EFNN) coordinates the bulk food collection and distribution through a network of 80 faith-based food pantries and shelters in the Archdiocese of Newark. The program provides training and assistance to a network of food pantries.

In addition, the EFNN administers federal emergency funds for pantries in Bergen, Hudson, Union and Essex counties. The program also sponsors other wonderful programs and projects throughout the year to support Christ’s mission to feed the hungry. Our department’s goals are based on Mathew 25:35 “For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in.”

During the holidays we offer two wonderful projects: Operation Rice Bowl supports Catholic Relief Services towards global changes with hunger during Lenten season. It encompasses our call to pray, fast and give alms. During the Christmas season, we coordinate the Help a Family at Christmas project, in which donors are linked with needy families who would not be able to celebrate without outside support.

Because of the effective networking system, the EFNN Program assists the pantries with other goods beside food: personal care products, school supplies and toiletries. Other essential functions of the EFNN include client advocacy, participation on regional local boards concerning hunger and providing education about the hunger issue to the community.

If you are seeking food and nutrition assistance, please know that EFNN Program is NOT a single operating public pantry. However, we can offer you directions to one closest to you in the counties that we service. If you are seeking to donate toward our pantries or become a NEW pantry we service, please contact us for more details.

Our operating hours are Monday - Friday 8:30 AM - 4:30 PM and staff can be reached during this time.

Location: 505 South Avenue East Cranford, NJ 07016 • Phone: (908) 497-3903

LOW-INCOME HOME ENERGY ASSISTANCE PROGRAM (LIHEAP) and UNIVERSAL SERVICE FUND (USF)

Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Newark is partnering with the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs to provide utility assistance for residents of Bergen, Essex, Hudson and Union counties.

Another Chance Homelessness Prevention

This program provides temporary housing assistance in northern NJ to ex-offenders
released from correctional facilities who do not have an approved residence on record.

Location: 619 Grove Street Jersey City, NJ 07310 • Phone: (201) 656-7201

Housing Counseling

This program offers free HUD-certified housing counseling services for those experiencing homelessness and renters who live in Bergen, Hudson, Essex and Union Counties. Our office is located in East Orange but we can meet at a mutually agreed upon location. Catholic Charities provides counseling programs that address a wide range of financial and housing challenges.

How does it Work?
Housing Counselors provide helpful information about programs and resources that are available to those experiencing homelessness and renters. We provide education about homelessness prevention, fair housing, tenant / landlord laws and so much more. We provide information regarding emergency shelters, emergency services and transitional housing and lease terms; rent delinquency and budgeting for rent payments. As part of the counseling process, counselors will ask questions and collect specific information from clients to develop a customized counseling plan specific to the needs of the client. The counseling plan may include individualized or group counseling services.

Phone: (973) 266-7942 or (862) 233-3293

Parish Access Centers (PAC) – Rental Assistance

The Essex-Union PAC and the Hudson-Bergen PAC build strong partnerships among Catholic Charities, the parish communities, and the community by connecting people with the services they need. The programs help people to identify and access community services and provide emergency assistance to families in economic crisis.

(800) 227-7413 – Free, personalized information and referral services.

Locations: 2201 Bergenline Avenue Union City, NJ 07387 • Phone: (201) 325-4813
                         505 South Avenue East Cranford, NJ 07016 • Phone: (908) 497-3966
                         47 Miller Street Newark, NJ 07114 • Phone: (973) 266-7991

Port Authority Homeless Outreach

Year round, a team of trained outreach staff conduct nightly sweeps of the four Jersey City PATH stations to engage homeless persons seeking refuge from the elements. They are offered a place to sleep at St. Lucy’s shelter in Jersey City, as well as services, referrals and information to break the cycle of homelessness.

Phone: (201) 656-7201

Canaan House Services

Canaan House is a full-service, permanent, supported, independent living facility, with 12 apartments, designed to meet the special needs of homeless people living with HIV/AIDS and a severe and persistent mental illness (SPMI) and/or chemical addiction. Canaan House provides a full continuum of care including 24/7 staff on site and 24/7 crisis intervention and emergency services.
Phone: (201) 434-3939

Franciska Residence

Residence with HIV/AIDS Support Services
Franciska Residence is a 24-month transitional shelter for men and women living with HIV/AIDS who are homeless in Hudson County. Houses up to 12 men/women. Services are provided in a safe, caring environment designed to strengthen coping mechanisms so that they are prepared for a permanent living situation. The program makes the necessary referrals and linkages to substance abuse, mental health, and LGBTQ support groups. Franciska Residence fosters a healthy living environment and allows individuals to fully rehabilitate themselves to move into secured permanent housing.
Phone: (201) 653-3366

Good Shepherd

Good Shepherd is a permanent, supported, independent living facility, with 5 single room occupancy units (SRO’s), designed to meet the needs of homeless men living with HIV/AIDS. Good Shepherd provides a full continuum of care including 24/7 staff on site, 24/7 crisis intervention and emergency services. Residents have access to an array of services including case management, mental health services, substance abuse services, benefits management services, nutritional education, food preparation, and vocational rehabilitation services.
Phone: (973) 799-0484 or (973) 799-0485

St. Bridget’s Residence

St. Bridget’s Residence is an 18-month transitional residence and emergency shelter that provides housing and supportive services to Essex County men and women who are homeless and living with HIV/AIDS. Housing up to 20 men/women, clients have access to educational workshops on nutrition, health and wellness, stress reduction and other life skills areas. The program has a case manager, mental health clinician, substance abuse counselor and a nurse on site to address all clinical needs. St. Bridget’s accepts referrals from Ryan White, and HOPWA. St. Bridget’s Residence fosters a healthy living environment and allows individuals to fully rehabilitate themselves to move into secured permanent housing.
Phone: (973) 799-0484 or (973) 799-0485

St. Bridget’s HIV/AIDS Support Network

St. Bridget’s HIV/AIDS Support Network provides supportive services to people living with HIV/AIDS, as well as their families and significant others. Based on individual needs, clients can access:

• Educational workshops on nutrition, health, stress reduction and other life skills areas
• Referrals to mental health and/or substance abuse counseling
• Advocacy services
• Recreational activities

Phone: (973) 799-0484 or (973) 799-0485

Hope House

Emergency Shelter for Homeless Families (Men, Women, or Couples with Children)
Hope House helps families become self-sufficient by giving them an opportunity for decision making and for assuming responsibility for improving their situation under the supervision, support, and guidance of shelter staff. Hope House accepts pregnant women in their last trimester. The program works closely with other programs and agencies to provide mental health and Veterans Services. Hope House Emergency Family shelter accepts homeless Hudson County families that are referred from Hudson County Division of Social Services or Garden State Episcopal Coordinated Re-Entry Housing program. Housing up to 20 families and their children, the program offers short-term supervised residence, including three meals a day, assessment/planning, case management, housing, education, food, and clothing, supportive individual counseling, educational workshops, instruction in parenting skills, referral to community resources, assistance with job and housing placement, and referrals for mental health and substance abuse services.

Location: 246 Second Street Jersey City, NJ 07302 • Phone: (201) 420-1070

Miller Street Pathways to Housing Center

Pathways to Housing Emergency Shelter is a supervised 24-hour, 7-day-a-week, year-round emergency shelter facility for single women, men, and families ages 18 and over, offering emergency housing and nutritious meals for those in need. Pathways to Housing provides food, clothing, case management, substance abuse, mental health, linkages to crisis and intervention, employment services and many more. The goal is to stabilize by rehabilitating the client’s life and securing permanent housing. Pathways to Housing is a 145-bed facility and is one of the largest emergency shelters for single men, women and children in the State of New Jersey, and the only one in Newark.

Location: 47 Miller Street Newark, NJ 07114 • Phone: (862) 343-1177 Ext. 391001

Riviera Emergency Housing

In partnership with the City of Newark, CCAN manages the Riviera Emergency and Transitional Housing Program, a 130-bed emergency shelter for men and women.

Phone: (862)  229-4461

St. Bridget's Emergency Shelter

St. Bridget’s Emergency Shelter is a 10-bed facility for men No women can be housed on the emergency side as per DFAB living with HIV/AIDS. The facility is part of the St. Bridget’s Network which provides a drop-in center, emergency housing, transitional housing, and permanent housing so that people living with HIV/AIDS can access the care and support they need to stabilize their health and help them address any issues that may impact their independence and well-being. Self-referrals must obtain voucher from Essex County Division of Family Assistance and Benefits (DFAB) to enter program.

Phone: (973) 799-0484 or (973) 799-0485

St. Lucy’s Emergency Shelter

St. Lucy’s Emergency Shelter is a supervised 24-hour, 7-day-a-week, year-round emergency shelter facility for single women and men offering emergency housing and food for those in need. St. Lucy’s offers an array of services including case management and substance abuse treatment services. St. Lucy’s Emergency Shelter accepts Hudson County homeless men or women over the age of 21. Housing up to 115 Case-Managed beds and 35 Outreach/Walk-in beds, for a total of 150 beds, the shelter provides three meals a day, clothing and outreach services for unsheltered individuals. St. Lucy’s facilitates a Drop-In-Center during the week, from 9am to 3pm, for any Hudson County Resident Without Addresses where they partake in clinical groups, workshops, educational and recreational activities and there is a computer station for resume writing, job search, etc. St. Lucy’s offers showers and has a pantry program for individuals in the community who are not seeking shelter. The program works closely with other programs and agencies to provide mental health and Veterans Services. Upon intake, clients meet with clinical staff to assess their current situation. Once their needs are determined, clients are referred to one or more of the following services: welfare, SSI, unemployment, job training and job search, education and mental health and addiction-treatment programs. All clients are referred to the Hudson County Division of Social Services and Garden State Episcopal Coordinated Re-Entry Housing Program for permanent housing placement.

Location: 619 Grove Street Jersey City, NJ 07310 • Phone: (201) 656-7201

St. Rocco’s Emergency Family Shelter

Emergency Shelter for Homeless Families with Children (Men, Women, or Couples with Children) St. Rocco’s Emergency Family Shelter helps families become self-sufficient by giving them an opportunity for decision making and for assuming responsibility for improving their situation under the supervision, support, and guidance of shelter staff. The program accepts homeless Essex County families that are referred from Essex County Division of Family Assistance and Benefits (DFAB), City of Newark, and the Essex County Social Services for the Homeless (SSH) program for working families. St. Rocco’s also has a Prevention Program for Essex County residents at risk for eviction or needing assistance with paying overdue Public Service bills. Housing up to 15 families, the program offers short-term supervised emergency shelter, including three meals a day, assessment/planning, case management, housing, education, food, and clothing, supportive individual counseling, educational workshops, instruction in parenting skills, referral to community resources, assistance with job and housing placement, and referrals for mental health and substance abuse services.

Location: 368 South 7th Street Newark, NJ 07103 • Phone: (973) 286-4175

Substance Use Disorder Housing

This program provides four months of housing at St. Lucy’s Housing Complex with case management services for people with substance use disorder.

Location: 619 Grove Street Jersey City, NJ 07310 • Phone: (201) 656-7201

St. Jude’s Oasis

Permanent Supportive Housing for Families that are Homeless
St. Jude’s Oasis is a permanent supportive housing program for homeless families with children under the age of 18, many of whom are ineligible for entitlement and benefit programs. The program has five three-bedroom apartments located in the downtown Jersey City area. St. Jude’s Oasis seeks to help homeless families stabilize their housing situation in the community. To qualify for the program, the Head of Household must be homeless and have a disability. Once in the program, each family is assigned a caseworker to determine needs including job training, education, employment, housing, and mental-health or substance-abuse counseling. The caseworker will support each family and offer referrals and linkages to ensure the family is successful.

Phone: (201) 656-7201

The Apartments at St. Lucy's
The Apartments at St. Lucy’s is a permanent supportive housing program for single men and women who are ready to transition through Catholic Charities other housing programs. Each apartment comes with a 20-year Jersey City Section 8 Voucher, that is facility based. The apartments have a designated elevator and are completely furnished, complete with washers and dryers, central air, and an intercom system. Tenants pay 30% of their monthly income towards rent and the voucher covers the remaining balance and are also responsible for their own utilities.

Phone: (201) 656-7201

Need Help Paying Your Utility Bills?

Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Newark is partnering with the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs to provide utility assistance for residents of Bergen, Essex, Hudson and Union counties.

To schedule an appointment for a representative to assist with submitting an application please call 973-266-7954 or email LIHEAP-USF@ccannj.org.

Applications may be submitted online by creating an NJ.gov account at the link below:

NJ DCAid Online Application Portal.

Low-income residents of the State of New Jersey can apply for financial assistance via the online portal or have an agency representative submit an online application to assist in paying for their heating and energy costs. Applicants who submitted their application online should submit their UAP application ID to LIHEAP-USF@ccannj.org to begin the review process.

To be eligible for this program, individuals must be residents of Bergen, Hudson, Union or Essex Counties and meet specific income guidelines and provide all required documentation. Applicants must submit all required documentation for the application to be in a SUBMITTED status for processing, any applications submitted with missing required documents are not considered as submitted and will not be reviewed until all required documentation is submitted.

Required Documents

• Social Security cards for all household members **(undocumented individuals who may provide a passport)
• Renters must provide Full lease agreement (all pages) or Tenant Verification Form, or if you own you must provide a Mortgage Statement or Tax bill
• Full utility bills (Elizabethtown Gas, PSEG, JCPL, or Oil receipt)
• Proof of INCOME for everyone in the household over the age of 18
• Examples:
  • Pay stubs must be consecutive, provide 4 pay stubs if paid weekly, provide 2 pay stubs if paid bi-weekly or bi-monthly.
  • Self-employed individuals must provide their Schedule C Profit and Loss Statement
  • Homeowners who rent must submit Schedule E showing home expenses deductions
  • SSI, SSD, or SSA award letter, Pension paystub, General Assistance award letter from Social Services
  • For persons receiving assistance from friends or family, and have an income less than $500 a month, a Family contributions letter and the Monthly Expense Report will be required as proof of household support.

Click the link below to download required verification forms and program requirements if needed:

Physician Certification Form
Landlord Tenant Verification Form
Affidavit of Zero Income
Household Monthly Expense Report
Required Documents List
Fair Hearing Acknowledgement

Completed required forms must be returned to Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Newark through any of the following methods:

1. Via email at LIHEAP-USF@ccannj.org (Preferred method)
2. By appointment – 47 Miller Street, Newark, NJ
3. Standard U.S. mail – 47 Miller Street, Newark, NJ (copies only)
4. Online: https://dcaid.dca.nj.gov (for those who have a NJ.gov user account)

Low-Income Home Energy Assistance — Heating
Households eligible for LIHEAP can have their heating costs deferred during the winter months. Benefits are provided on a one-time basis per application period and are not continuous. Applications must be submitted annually, even if one was submitted the previous year and the household was approved.

The LIHEAP application period runs from October 1 to June 30. Households should be aware that processing completed applications takes 4-6 weeks, so submitting the application early will result in receiving benefits sooner.

Low-Income Home Energy Assistance — Cooling
Those eligible to receive cooling assistance must provide proof that at least one person in the household has a medical necessity for air conditioning during the summer months. Benefits are given on a one-time per application period basis. Applications must be completed every year, even if you were approved in prior years. A doctor's note must be provided to receive a $300 credit towards the cost of cooling.

The application period for the Cooling Assistance Program is October 1 through June 30.

Universal Service Fund
Households eligible to benefit from the Universal Service Fund may receive a monthly credit towards utilities costs that are above 2% of the household’s annual income. Qualifying households receive a monthly credit for twelve months that totals this cost.

Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Newark accepts applications for the Universal Service Fund year-round.

Re-Certifications
Clients who have previously applied and been approved should receive an annual recertification form via email to shorten the application process.

If you believe you are eligible for re-certification and have not yet received a form or would like more information on our programs please contact us:

Phone: 973-266-7954
Email: LIHEAP-USF@ccannj.org
Online: www.ccannj.org

Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Newark
Energy Assistance
47 Miller Street
Newark, NJ 07114

Americo Soria, Program Supervisor
Email: asoria@ccannj.org
Ph# 973-266-7954