You know you want to go!

Click here for information and tickets:
Tickets Fore Charity

The PGA Tour is a non-profit organization that shares the proceeds from each event with local charities like ours.

By sending Volunteers, St. Joe’s and the Coalition will receive a donation.

LEARN MORE AND VOLUNTEER HERE!

Please click here to DONATE NOW

Or, to make a donation the old-fashioned way, mail your check to:

The Elizabeth Coalition to House the Homeless
118 Division Street
Elizabeth, New Jersey 07201

*The Elizabeth Coalition to House the Homeless is a 501(c)(3) charity. All donations are tax-deductible to the extent permitted by law.

It’s Time to Hoop It Up

And Bring Hope to the Homeless!

Tripleheader High School Basketball Classic Features Top Ranked Area Teams

 Saturday, January 26, 2013

5:00 p.m.

Dunn’s Sports Center, Elizabeth NJ

Game Times:

5:00 p.m.  The Patrick School v. Don Bosco Prep High School

6:45 p.m.  Elizabeth v. Passaic Tech High School

8:15 p.m.  St. Mary’s v. Scotch Plains-Fanwood High School

The Elizabeth Coalition to House the Homeless is proud to present The First Annual Greater Elizabeth Area Transportation, Logistics and Distribution Industry Breakfast in special recognition of New England Motor Freight Myron “Mike” Shevell and the Shevell Group of Companies

Register Here to Reserve Your Seat!

Click here for Information on how to Purchase Event Sponsorships!

When: Thursday, September 20, 2012
Time: 8:00 – 10:00 a.m
Where: Crowne Plaza Hotel, 901 Spring Street, Elizabeth, New Jersey

Honorary Chairman is Chris Bollwage, Mayor of the City of Elizabeth with Special Guest Ms. Terriann Moore-Abrams, Assistant Director of Economic Development on behalf of Bill Baroni, Deputy Executive Director, Port Authority of NY/NJ

Meet people from the Transportation, Logistics and Distribution industries as well as the business and service sectors which support them,
Learn about the latest trends and developments that impact New Jersey, and
Support the invaluable work of the Elizabeth Coalition to House the Homeless

For more information or to purchase event sponsorships, please contact Alan Coen, Event Chairperson at TLDBreakfast@yahoo.com

When: Sunday, April 22 from 2:00 to 5:00 p.m.

Where: St. Helen’s Church Auditorium, 1600 Rahway Avenue, Westfield, NJ 07090

Admission: $10 Person, $5 Children (Under 12); Under 2 years – Free

Ticket Information: Please call Sister Maryanne Tracey (908) 355-2060 x202 or Sarah
Johnson (908) 355-2060 x203 or email to Mary Rita Williams at m-r-williams@hotmail.com

Chili Cook Off: Please email Sarah Johnson at coalitionbp@optonline.net for details

Hoops to End Homelessness

18th Annual Elizabeth Coalition to House the Homeless

Tripleheader Basketball Classic

Saturday, January 28, 2012

Dunn’s Sports Center, Elizabeth, NJ

First Game Tip-Off: 5:00 p.m.

The 18th Annual Elizabeth Coalition to House the Homeless Basketball Classic tips off on Saturday, January 28, 2012 as some of the most exciting High School Boys Basketball Teams in New Jersey battle for ranking and take the offense against homelessness. The Classic is a major and vital fundraising event for the Coalition, Union County’s frontline organization responding to the growing numbers of homeless families and individuals in our community.

Buy Classic Tickets Here to attend and score an assist by aiding those most in need of shelter and food.

Please join us to make a full court press against Homelessness!

Game Times:

5:00 p.m. St. Mary’s High School, Elizabeth v. Scotch Plains-Fanwood High School

6:45 p.m. Elizabeth High School v. Franklin High School

8:15 p.m. St. Patrick’s High School, Elizabeth v. Roselle Catholic High School

Tickets are also available at B.B. Miller, 283 N. Broad Street, Elizabeth; and at the door beginning 4:00 p.m. game day.

For more than eight years, Operation Warm Heart, a winter shelter program of the Elizabeth Coalition to House the Homeless and 20 churches throughout the Elizabeth area, has been providing meals and shelter for the homeless during the cold winter months. This year, as an adjunct to the program, they have implemented special collection bins, an idea from Shelley Rothenberg of Westfield, a board member of the Coalition and a retired finance director at AT&T. Shelley contacted organizations throughout Union County-churches, synagogues, businesses, and municipal offices-to place large lime green bins to collect toiletries, blankets, socks, t-shirts, underwear, towels, and backpacks for the homeless. The first wave of collections, from October through December is coming to a close, and the second wave, January and February, is ready to start. So far, she says the response has been tremendous. “I am amazed at the generosity of our communities when you give them a chance to help those in need, not only at this holiday season, but throughout the year.”

Peter Jacob, the coordinator of Operation Warm Heart, who was raised in Union, graduated from Kean University and received a Masters in Social Work from Washington University, has been working tirelessly this season to ensure that the program continues to provide services for the county’s homeless population. “People aren’t always aware of the kinds of products needed by this population. Not only clothing, food, and shelter, but everyday items such as soap, tooth paste, combs, toothbrushes and other toiletries, and backpacks for the kids to put their school books and papers in. All these are necessities. So, if you see one of the lime green bins in your church or synagogue, please add to the collection, or call the Coalition at (908) 355-2060 for more information.”

Linda Flores-Tober, director of the Elizabeth Coalition to House the Homeless, and a recent recipient of Bank of America’s Local Heroes Award, praised both Shelley and Peter for their contributions to the Coalition. “We at the Coalition are fortunate to have such dedicated workers and volunteers to help in our attempt to provide the best services we can to the poor, the marginalized, and the neediest of our citizens.”

Kean University’s fraternities and sororities purchased 40 cots for the winter shelter program coordinated by the Elizabeth Coalition to House the Homeless. The program, Operation Warm Heart (OWH), provides emergency shelter to the homeless from December 1 through March 31.

Emergency shelter wasn’t available on Christmas Day 2002 to Beverly Hennick, a homeless woman who died in Elizabeth from exposure. The Elizabeth Coalition to House the Homeless responded immediately to the growing need to shelter the homeless during the coldest months of the year. Working together with more than 20 churches in Elizabeth, they established OWH.

Now in its 8^th season, OWH receives no government or corporate funding, and relies solely on the charity of churches and private individuals. This year, Kean University’s Greek Senate purchased 40 cots for Operation Warm Heart. The Greek Senate is a consortium of 32 fraternities and sororities that has been donating time and money to a variety of worthy causes for the past 15 years.

Peter Jacob, a Kean University graduate and Coordinator of Operation Warm Heart at the Coalition, reached out to the university’s Greek Senate for their help to purchase the cots for OWH. Alex Louis, Assistant Director of Kean’s Center for Leadership and Service and overseer of the Greek Senate. felt that helping the Elizabeth-based program was definitely worthwhile. He got the executive board of the Greek Senate involved.

Janelle Payne, a senior from South Brunswick and Vice-President in Charge of Multicultural Affairs and Community Service, spoke of the student response. “We are always looking for ways to pay back the community. Every year we collect and donate money to St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital, we do a Breast Cancer Walk to raise money for breast cancer research, and we have a holiday party for the children at the Somerset Hills School and Residential Treatment Center. This was a new challenge and for a worthy cause even closer to home. We took a portion of the dues each fraternity and sorority pays to the Senate and bought 40 cots for Operation Warm Heart. Being involved with programs like this adds so much to our experience at Kean.”

Nicole Monast, a junior from Rhode Island and President of the Senate, agreed. “Many people have a negative stereotype of college students and particularly fraternity and sorority members, and we would like those people to know that our members are committed to service and to doing whatever we can to help those in need. It is deeply rewarding for me and for all my friends in the Senate to be involved in these activities.”

Linda Flores-Tober, director of the Elizabeth Coalition to House the Homeless, described OWH. “At 6 o’clock the homeless (we average around 20 people per day) meet at the Coalition on Division St. and are taken by van to one of the churches in the program. They receive dinner prepared by the church members and spend the night at the church. In the morning, the van picks them up, and they are brought back to the Coalition where they receive case management support. The new cots so generously donated by the Greek Senate will make a great difference in the comfort of our homeless clients. We are truly grateful to these young people and to Kean University.”

Kean University Greek Senate presents the cots for OWH

Linda (left) accepts Local Hero award from Bank of America

Linda Flores-Tober, Executive Director of the Coalition was named a 2010 Bank of America Local Hero for her tireless advocacy on behalf of the homeless in Union County.

Only 5 Local Hero awards are granted annually in New Jersey. Each award is accompanied by a $5000 grant, which Linda will use to upgrade the Coalition’s outmoded and inefficient telephone system, easing client access to services and expediting response time.

The Bank of America Charitable Foundation made the award possible through its Neighborhood Excellence Initiative which honors community leaders. The award was presented during a ceremony at the Newark Museum and recognized local heroes and student leaders who make a difference in communities throughout New Jersey.

“I am inspired by the homeless families that come through our doors everyday. I am in awe of their never-ending hope and faith,” Linda said during her acceptance speech.

Linda (second from left) shares Local Hero award with her family

FEMA is more than rapid assistance to local families in Union County.  It also provides us with a view to how Union County households are hurting in this economy.  Most of the 57 people who came to us were behind in their rent because they lost their employment.  Some had uninsured medical and medication bills that were strangling the family budget.  Others were behind because they had no paid benefit time to cover their own or their child’s illness.  All had incomes below the 250% of the poverty line and were on the edge of homelessness with rent/mortgage, utilities, child care and medical bills. Clearly our neighbors in Union County are struggling to meet their day-to-day bills and the surge on Wall Street has yet to trickle down to Division Street!

1)  HOUSEHOLD ITEMS:

Linens (new if possible): double bed sheets, single bed sheets, bed spreads, blankets, new pillows for sleeping, towels sets, dish towels.

Cleaning supplies (environmentally friendly): all-purpose cleaner, brillo, dish detergent, sponges, furniture polish, toilet bowl cleaner, laundry detergent, mops, brooms, bagless vacuum cleaners.

Paper supplies: toilet paper, paper towels, plastic garbage bags, aluminum foil, sandwich bags, tissues.

Personal items: shampoo, conditioner, body wash or soap, deodorant, tooth brushes, toothpaste, lotion.

Stationary items: postage stamps, computer paper, pens, pencils, notebooks, backpack book bags, pencil cases, scotch tape, etc.

2) OTHER SUGGESTIONS:

Supermarket gift cards, Target or WalMart gift cards, monetary donations (submitted to the Director to be used at her discretion)….or…

Make a Meal: make a casserole dish to be used when we have monthly Hospitality House family dinners, or better yet, come and serve the dinner.  Contact Sister Maryann or Linda for more information.

Babies, babies, babies! We can always use diapers,  baby lotion, baby wipes, baby powder.