Harmony House

Harmony House is the largest transitional housing facility in New Jersey and a national leader in providing effective services to the homeless. It can house up to 102 homeless families, including more than 200 children at any given time.

Located on South Orange Avenue in Newark's Central Ward and built in 1989, Harmony House has won a reputation across New Jersey and nationally for the array of effective and comprehensive services it provides to homeless families and children. Residents are encouraged--and in many cases are required--to take advantage of the childcare, job training and other resources available to them through the New Community Network.

With its "no excuses" environment, Harmony House allows residents to overcome obstacles that would otherwise prevent their families from becoming self-sufficient again. The effective and innovative Harmony House approach of combining safe, livable transitional housing with support services has allowed hundreds of families to move from the despair of homelessness to the dignity of independence. Without question, most residents leave Harmony House much better off than when they arrived.

Harmony House was developed through a partnership between NCC, Hartz Mountain Industries, Inc., the Leonard Stern Foundation, Mutual Benefit Life Insurance Company, the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs and the New Jersey Department of Human Services. The program is funded by grants from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, the Essex County Department of Citizen Services, the Essex County Division of Citizen Action, Essex County Welfare and private donors.

Harmony House's staff provides case management and support services for homeless children and families to assist them in maintaining permanent, stable living arrangements. Families are referred to Harmony House from the Homeless Assistance Unit of Essex County Welfare, the Essex County Department of Citizen Services and various social service organizations. They come from emergency shelters, hotels and motels. Each family is assigned to a Case Manager that assists and supports them, helps them identify barriers and develops a service plan that will help them progress toward independence.

Case Management is at the heart of Harmony House's successful program. Case Managers maintain an average caseload of thirty residents and remain with a family throughout their stay of up to one year. Additional counseling services are provided to all residents as needed.

Harmony House provides a full range of social services to help each family make the transition back to self-sufficiency. The services include: childcare, after school programs, relocation assistance, adult workshops and classes, job training (including GED preparation) and placement, job search training and links to community resources.

Throughout their stay, each Harmony House family is expected to participate in support groups and specialized courses, workshops or seminars that meet their life, social and emotional needs.

A typical list of the workshops and groups an adult resident participates in would include:

• Self-Esteem
• Goal-Setting
• Truth in Renting
• Nutrition and Food Shopping
• The World of Work
• GED Preparation
• Living without Drugs
• Budgeting and Money Management
• Resume Writing/Interview Skills
• Parenting Skills
• Domestic Violence Prevention
• Stress Management

TRANSITION TO WORK

Harmony House residents are immediately referred for enrollment to NCC's Gateway To Work program. Gateway assists TANF and General Assistance recipients in moving from welfare to work. It provides a full range of welfare-to-work services including job search, job readiness training, alternative work experience, job placement and retention services.

Harmony House has been awarded a contract by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to provide job training to sixty persons a year to improve their prospects of obtaining employment. Over the past several years, residents have trained to become Nurses Aides, Home Health Aides, Food Service Workers, Hazardous Waste Handlers, Child Care Providers and Facilities Maintenance Workers.

DAY CARE

There is an on-site childcare center at Harmony House that can serve 80 infants and toddlers. The day care component addresses the developmental needs of pre-school children by providing a safe, nurturing environment in which they can learn and grow. Meanwhile, their parents can work or study knowing that their children are receiving high-quality care.

AFTER-SCHOOL CARE/SUMMER DAY CAMP

School-aged children attend local schools during the day and Harmony House staff works closely with local school officials to make sure its children are in school. After school hours, children residing at Harmony House can visit the on-site youth center, where they receive assistance with homework or participate in educational and cultural activities. Trained youth workers run the youth center with the assistance of caring volunteers.

During the summer months, children can attend an all-day program that includes educational and cultural activities. They also participate in field trips and other special events.

RELOCATION SERVICES

A Relocation Specialist assists families in finding affordable housing once they have completed their stay at Harmony House. A discharge plan is developed that considers the household needs of each family and makes a connection with schools and other services that the children in those families will need. Families are assisted in applying for Section 8 housing certificates after they complete a special course. The Relocation Specialist also offers workshops and information on landlord-tenant laws and the rights and responsibilities of tenants.

A HELPING HAND AND PRIDE

Thousands of families have received a helping hand from the caring staff of Harmony House. Most residents leave with a new sense of pride, self-sufficiency and possibility, proof of the power of caring, renewed pride, inner spirit and community-based support.

For more information, please contact Diane Young: (973) 623-8555 x36 or send an email to dyoung@newcommunity.org