Isaiah House Family Shelter Announces 30-Year Anniversary

Inclusive homeless shelter based in East Orange, NJ, to host fundraising event on October 11; goal is to raise over $75,000

East Orange, NJ – October 4, 2018 – Isaiah House, an inclusive homeless shelter for vulnerable individuals and families, is celebrating its 30^th anniversary with a fundraising event on Thursday, October 11, 2018. Attendees will have the opportunity to meet with Isaiah House leaders and support their work to reduce the prevalence of homelessness, hunger, and unemployment throughout Essex County, including the Oranges and Newark.

As East Orange’s only family shelter, Isaiah House provides at-risk individuals and families with temporary and permanent lodging, food, social and financial services. Over the past 30 years, the shelter has provided a safe-haven to more than 10,000 Essex County families and individuals considered “most fragile” – devastated by unemployment, illness, drug addiction, teenage pregnancy, fires and crises.

“One of our proudest accomplishments is that unlike other agencies and shelters, Isaiah House works diligently to ensure that the family unit remains intact,” says Zammeah Bivins-Gibson, executive director, Isaiah House. “Whatever the family make up, parents can remain together with their children at Isaiah House rather than having to separate and stay in multiple places. Our unique approach is based on a firm belief that individual progress and development is enhanced and augmented by the assistance of loved ones.”

Isaiah House offers life skills training, household and money management training, job search assistance, tutoring, medical referrals, and on-site drug and alcohol support groups. The shelter also provides a community food pantry, on-site daycare for residents, and funds and rental subsidies to prevent homelessness.

One of the shelter’s featured programs is Brothers with Brothers, a program for young men in crisis. “I was homeless for a whole week, I didn’t know who I could turn to until my friend told me about the Brothers with Brothers program at Isaiah House,” says Yadley Marcellus, who credits Brothers with Brothers for helping him get his future on track.

“Isaiah House is often the only option for fragile families threatened by crises, and we help people all over Essex County, not just the poorest towns. Due to dramatic cuts in government funding, without financial assistance, we risk losing a community treasure that has been home to thousands and changed many lives for the better,” continues Bivins-Gibson.

The anniversary celebration will be held from 7 to 10 p.m. at Par 440 Restaurant at 440 Parsonage Hill Rd. in Short Hills, NJ.  Click here to register: https://www.isaiahhouse.org/30th-anniversary. Sponsorship opportunities are also available.

ABOUT ISAIAH HOUSE

Isaiah House, located at 238 N Munn Ave in East Orange, New Jersey, opened in 1988 as a family homeless shelter serving Essex County communities. Over the past 30 years, Isaiah House has provided more than 10,000 at-risk members of the community with shelter, food, financial and social support, all while making sure that the family unit is never separated. Isaiah House offers comfort and hope for families and individuals in crises through services like life skills training, household and money management, job search assistance and more. For more information, please visit: https://www.isaiahhouse.org/

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