For Immediate Release: Contact: (609) 633-8507
December 14, 2012 Kristine Brown
Christie Administration Awards Homelessness Prevention Grant to Robins’ Nest, Inc. During Season of Service
Award totaling $400,000 provides assistance and stabilization services to individuals and families at risk of homelessness
TRENTON, N.J. – New Jersey Department of Children and Families’(DCF) Commissioner Dr. Allison Blake today presented a Homelessness Prevention Grant Award to Robins’ Nest, Inc., a non-profit agency serving children and families. The grant, totaling $400,000 in funding, is to provide assistance and stabilization services to individuals and families at risk of homelessness.
“I am so grateful to know that this grant will help ensure that our most vulnerable children, individuals and families maintain one of the most basic of all needs, a safe and secure place to call home,” said Commissioner Blake.
This fall, the Department of Community Affairs (DCA) awarded 11 Homelessness Prevention and Rapid Re-Housing grants totaling $3,767,448 in both state and federal funding to nonprofit organizations across the state, including Robins’ Nest Inc.
The grants will be used to provide temporary rental assistance and stabilization services to assist individuals and families living on the streets or in emergency shelters obtain permanent housing. The organizations can also use the grants to assist households in imminent risk of homelessness due to an eviction.
“Robins’ Nest is proud to partner with the State of New Jersey to work to end homelessness,” said Dr. Anthony DiFabio, President and CEO of Robins’ Nest. “Particularly during these difficult economic times, the Homelessness Prevention and Rapid Re‐Housing Program is critical to prevent families and individuals from becoming homeless, or to re‐house those who have become homeless.”
Today's event is part of the Christie Administration's second annual Season of Service. Last year, Cabinet members participated in approximately 60 events across the state -- from serving meals on wheels to shut-ins and helping to serve and stock food pantries to stuffing care packages for military service members overseas and holiday letter writing to troops abroad to collecting and delivering coats to homeless shelters.
Governor Christie has emphasized the importance of community service since his inaugural in 2010. Today, approximately 1.5 million New Jerseyans contribute about 170 million hours of service each year, bringing a positive influence to neighborhoods and communities throughout the Garden State through local groups, houses of worship and civic organizations.
DCF’s New Jersey’s state child welfare agency, was created in July 2006 as the state’s first Cabinet agency devoted exclusively to serving and safeguarding the most vulnerable children and families in New Jersey. DCF includes the Division of Child Protection and Permanency, Division of Family and Community Partnerships, Division of Children’s System of Care and Division on Women.
To learn more about Robins’ Nest visit http://www.robinsnestinc.org/
