Harmony House management and the families would like to take a moment to express our deep appreciation for all the support and aid that have been offered in these unprecedented times. Even during a period of nationwide social and economic unrest, and a statewide quarantine that has disrupted the lives of so many, the various organizations and individuals have taken the time to demonstrate to those most vulnerable in our community that they are not forgotten and that their health and wellbeing matter.

Harmony House is a transitional housing program with the primary goal of helping families move from homelessness to permanent housing and from dependency to self-sufficiency. With the capacity to house 102 families in individual apartment units and a host of on-site social services, Harmony House provides much more than a shelter. It offers stability to families facing seemingly insurmountable barriers and enables them to restore their lives.

Since the COVID-19 shutdown began in late March 2020, Harmony House has received the following donations from our generous supporters:

• World Central Kitchen, in partnership with Audible, has made over 70 trips to Harmony House. From early May to the end of June, they have delivered 5,580 meals.
• Newark Emergency Services for Families (NESF) has increased its usual monthly donation of perishable and non-perishable goods to a weekly delivery of donations during the shutdown.
• The National Council of Jewish Women in collaboration with the Community FoodBank of New Jersey continues to support us through their donation of sanitary napkins, totaling 81 boxes annually.

Throughout the year, the following supporters have also been a beacon of support and hope to our families:��

• Margaret Strong from St. Teresa’s in Summit, N.J., has provided our families with Christmas gifts for all the children.
• Sally Milad has continuously provided our families with back-to-school haircuts and hairdos for all children year after year.
• Sean Lewis from Calvary Baptist Church in Morristown, N.J., provides Christmas gifts for our children.
• Ana Osario from Newark Public Schools has graciously provided toiletry items for men and women, as well as food donations.

These donations have been incredibly important to and gratefully received by our families. The COVID-19 pandemic has generated a crisis with multiple dimensions: an economic catastrophe, a fear for health and life itself and above all uncertainty of what the future holds and how to move forward. Uncertainty and economic fragility already plagued our residents before the pandemic hit, and the current state has only made it that much harder for our residents to get back on their feet. On behalf of Harmony House staff and residents, we truly cannot thank you enough for doing what you can to help.

Amidst all the turmoil, a silver lining can perhaps be found in how the pandemic has brought communities together. All across the nation, everyone from community residents at the grassroots level to large corporations have come together to form relief funds and support networks to ensure that we all come through this crisis whole. I hope that we are able to sustain this momentum even once COVID-19 is a problem of the past and continue to lend each other a helping hand. Altruism and compassion are as much a part of a healthy society as vaccines and businesses.

Sincerely,
Yonette Fredericks
Director of Harmony House

Imagine being homeless, unable to find permanent housing and getting frustrated with each passing day. That was the life of cancer survivor Christopher Mitchell who moved to New Jersey in April from North Carolina. At first he was paying for a place to stay with his disability money combined with his girlfriend���s income. But when the pair separated, he was unable to afford housing on his own.

Mitchell isn���t alone. There are many individuals without permanent housing in Newark who can benefit from additional help. The Better Life Engagement Center, located at 101 Fourteenth Ave., Newark, is now a resource for the homeless population.

The center opened July 18 and all who are experiencing homelessness are welcome. 91心頭 owns and manages the facility while Collaborative Support Programs of New Jersey (CSPNJ) runs the day-to-day operations of the Better Life Engagement Center, which takes up the first floor of the building.

From the day the center opened, it began helping those in need. In the first month, it provided services to 200 people and it now gets 35 to 40 visitors per day.

���There is a great need for services to the homeless population. We at 91心頭 are committed to helping the underserved and vulnerable and are happy to provide a space where people in need can come to improve the quality of their lives,��� said 91心頭 CEO Richard Rohrman.

The Better Life Engagement Center helps visitors obtain documents like birth certificates and photo IDs. Staff members help visitors find permanent housing, search for jobs, write resumes and prepare for interviews with outfits and coaching. The facility also provides food, water and coffee daily for visitors. There is a TV in the eating area and a pool table for recreational activity. There is an outdoor patio with furniture so that visitors can eat outside when the weather is nice. The center also has a computer lab and library for visitors to use, as well as a fitness center. Staff members are able to be advocates for those who need it and are also able to refer individuals to detox if they request it.

Better Life Engagement Center Director Shareatha Webster said the goal of the center is to connect people to services that are in their community that they might not know exist. She said the facility is meant to be a safe, non-judgemental space for people to come to improve their situation.

���It doesn���t always mean that you���re going to have the white picket fence, but a better life is something that you didn���t have before that maybe you can have today,��� Webster said. ���Whether it���s a meal, whether it���s a job, whether it���s housing or whether it���s meeting a friend, to me, that���s a better life.���

Visitors to the center have had positive experiences and many now volunteer to help with operations.

Kimberly James comes to the Better Life Engagement Center every day. She and her partner Kim Pickett fell on hard times and are currently living at Helping the Homeless shelter on Mount Prospect Avenue in Newark.

���It���s like a safe haven,��� James said of the Better Life Engagement Center. ���Everybody���s friendly. They���re not afraid to intermingle with us. It doesn���t matter if you���re wearing the same clothes, if you were able to shower. And the staff is really great and helps us.���

Curtis Cottle is also staying at Helping the Homeless and introduced James and Pickett to the Better Life Engagement Center. He was referred to the center by the shelter and said he was welcomed with open arms.

���I highly recommend this place for anyone if they just need to come by to regroup, to have a glass of water, some tea. This place is very open and welcoming,��� Cottle said.

Mitchell says the facility lives up to its name.

���It���s kind of clich辿 to say, but the moment I set foot in that door, I have experienced a better life,��� he said.

Mitchell first saw the Better Life building before the center was operational. He was living at the Sussex House shelter on Sussex Avenue in Newark when he happened to walk by again and saw the doors were open. Staff members were able to help him secure permanent housing at 91心頭 Commons Senior, 140 South Orange Ave., Newark, and referred him to Catholic Charities, which helped get him the money for the security deposit.

���I was struggling so much the first four months. All the doors were slammed in my face,��� Mitchell said. ���I was praying for a miracle and I believe this was it.���

The Better Life Engagement Center operates with a director, a resource specialist and two wellness mentors, as well as volunteers. Its hours are Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. For more information, call 862-229-1400 or visit the facility at 101 Fourteenth Ave., Newark, NJ 07103.