TOMS RIVER, NJ – Toms River is a growing city; with that growth, homelessness is also growing. Although a plan by township and county officials to build a large government-operated homeless shelter is on the back burner, the Ocean County Homeless Prevention and Assistance Coalition said relief is on the way.
Paul Hulse of Just Believe, Inc. said the shelter would be set up at 415 Washington Street, at Christ Episcopal Church. The shelter will be affiliated with Atlantic Homeless Alliance.
According to the OCHPAC, Jerry Zucker, Housing Recovery Specialist for Atlantic Home Alliance, noted that the day center for the homeless in Downtown Toms River will be opening in a few weeks. Soon after, an overnight shelter will opening ‘further down the road’.
Other service options for the homeless in Ocean County include Family Promise of the Jersey Shore, which hosts homeless in Northern Ocean County, a Day Center by Interfaith Family Services, Ocean Inc, Catholic Charities, Just Believe Inc. and
The group announced the shelter at their April 12th Outreach Subcommittee meeting.
Hulse said he disagrees with the location of the homeless shelter close to the downtown urban center being planned just a few blocks away. A downtown homeless shelter, however, would give residents access to good-paying jobs, public transportation, and government offices.
Initially, members of the Ocean County Board of Commissioners considered building a homeless shelter in Jackson. That plan was quickly shot down after residents, such as a lack of mass transportation and jobs, raised logistical issues.
Commissioners then suggested a homeless shelter on public land south of the Toms River Department of Public Works, but that site also lacked accessible services and transportation.
Last year, Toms River Mayor Maurice Hill pledged to help find a solution for the homeless problem in Toms River.
Hill attended the ribbon cutting at the Toms River Housing and Homeless Coalation’s ribbon cutting on Hooper Avenue, making a promise to work with and help the homeless coalition in town.