A mother and daughter were recently reunited in their new home! On March 23, Cumberland County Housing First Collaborative (CCHFC) celebrated at a “Welcome Home” Party for another HomeBLESSED neighbor. After four years of homelessness, our homeBLESSED neighbor is now reunited with her daughter in their new home. Thank you to the volunteers and donors who make Housing First possible in our community.

CCHFC is a unique consortium of social service organizations, faith-based institutions, and government officials committed to tackling the problem of chronic homelessness in Cumberland County. The guiding agency of this collaborative is the M25 Initiative. The other partners of the collaborative include Gateway Community Action Partnership, PRAC of Southern New Jersey, Rural Development Corporation, Acenda Integrated Healthcare, Inspira Health, CompleteCare Health Network, Cumberland County Government and Correctional Facility, and Cumberland County Guidance Center.

As of March 23, CCHFC has housed more than 120 chronically homeless individuals since June 12, 2017. This was made possible with the support of New Jersey Department of Community Affairs, Inspira Health Network, Ocean First Foundation, and the TD Charitable Foundation, along with countless community donors and volunteers.

The Collaborative uses a comprehensive strategy to find homeless individuals permanent housing. Housing is coupled with wrap-around services to keep them off the street and pointed toward fulfilling and productive lives.

The Housing First Philosophy includes low barrier program admission criteria with no preconditions of treatment completion, sobriety and/or abstinence, clean criminal or credit history, and income. The Housing First Collaborative will seek to serve the hardest to serve those that may have multiple barriers to obtaining and maintaining housing.

Get involved, donate, and volunteer at: m25initiative.org.