I have been a resident atProvidence House in Toms River, NJfor the pasttwo months, and I am writing to expose the truth about what happens inside this shelter — a place that claims to support domestic violence survivors, but in reality,harms them through negligence, abuse, and complete institutional failure.
Since arriving, I have seen and experienced things that no survivor should be subjected to. The facility isunsanitary, degraded, and hazardous, and during my stay, it hasfailed both State and Department of Health inspections. These are not minor issues — they arebiohazard-level violationsthat endanger women and children daily. For weeks, nothing was done to address these conditions — until I began speaking up.
Only after I filed complaints and sent emails did things suddenly change.New furniture was ordered, and apainting contractor finally appeared. For two years, despite receiving$750,000 in federal fundsback inJuly 2023, there had been no visible improvements, no renovations, and no urgency. Onlyfour days ago — July 2025 — they finally put out a public bid for renovation.That timing speaks volumes. They only actedwhen they feared accountability.
The staff here are not just neglectful — some are openly abusive. They treat residents withdisrespect, emotional manipulation, and cold indifference, creating an environment that feels more like punishment than protection. I wasdenied shelter three separate times, despite being a legitimate domestic violence survivor. Yet I watched as others who had no DV background — including undocumented families — were accepted. One woman even returned to her home country after staying here, clearly showing the shelter was being used as a general housing program, not a safe haven for abuse victims.
One of the most disturbing incidents I’ve witnessed involved aknown drug addict who overdosed in front of the shelter. Instead of protecting residents, the shelterallowed that individual back inside, putting all of us at serious risk. A worker laterconfided in another resident about what happened, and that resident told me. It wasn’t untilI personally complainedabout how unsafe this was that any action was taken. That situation could have easily ended in tragedy — and the shelter’s response was silence and cover-up.
This is a pattern:reactive, not proactive. Performative, not protective. Providence House has become a place where survivors are overlooked, manipulated, and used to fulfill a quota, while funds are mismanaged and the core mission is abandoned.
I am sharing this not to ask for sympathy or assistance, but becausethe truth needs to be told. Survivors are being mistreated and endangered behind the doors of a publicly funded program, andthe system around it is allowing it to happen.
Providence House is failing. And people are getting hurt.
Thank you for your time to this seriously concerning matter.
The housing organizations in ocean county are all running together to destabilize the vulnerable, especially victims of domestic violence and homelessness. Specifically; the board of social services, the Providence house and AHA.
Something needs to be done. The housing crisis can severely be mitigated if these organizations weren’t a huge systematic failure. I lived through every one of it. I’ve seen it firsthand. This is absolutely horrible and it shouldn’t be happening. The workers are contributing the this crisis.
Signed by – [A current resident of Provident House] – Name withheld for privacy
The views expressed in this letter to the editor are note those Shore News Network.