HomelessShelterDirectory

The StreetLight Mission - Elizabeth, NJ - Food Assistance

Description: StreetLight Mission is a faith based community outreach center located in the inner city of Elizabeth, New Jersey. We serve people struggling with poverty, mental illness, substance abuse and most of all hopelessness. At StreetLight everyone is welcome! The StreetLight Mission will not deny anyone access to services because of their beliefs, race, religion or sexual preference. People do not need to subscribe to any set of beliefs to receive help. No one will be forced to attend religious services to receive help.

The heart of StreetLight Mission is to change lives, helping each person become a positive, contributing member of their families and communities. We realize that at some time in our life we all need some help. It is our goal to demonstrate the love of God through our actions helping each person choose steps that them to wholeness, becoming productive members of their families and the community. We begin by satisfying physiological needs such as food, clothing, and housing. Then when the person feels safe, it is our hope that they will seek help with more difficult problems they face such as substance abuse, mental illness, abusive situations and joblessness. Following is a highlight of some of the services we offer:

Streetlight begins by providing people with basic life needs such as food, clothing, and housing. In 2011 we served 3,119 people through our food pantry, a 78% increase from 2010. We provided 6,746 food pantries to families in need. Each food pantry provided a minimum of 2 bags of groceries and has many as 6 bags depending on the family size. Each new household is eligible for 24 pantries a year totaling between 48 to 144 bags depending on their family size. Every month we provide groceries to an average of 84 single parent families, a 54% increase over 2010. There was a 53% increase in the number of children and a 77% increase in the number of seniors served in 2011 from the prior year.

In 2011, we gave out more than 16,000 items of clothing, 450 toiletry kits, 300 coats, 150 cases of diapers, and 482 pairs of footwear, blankets, and many other necessities. We assisted more than 50 people obtain identification papers allowing them to obtain jobs and medical care. We hosted 600 people at our Block Party and 550 at our Christmas Party. We provided Christmas gifts to more than 350 children.

With their basic life needs provided for, it is our hope that our guests will seek help with more difficult problems through Streetlight’s recovery mentoring services. These services help our guests deal with more difficult problems such as substance abuse, mental illness, abusive situations and joblessness. Last year we assisted 432 individuals access recovery services. Weekly 12 step recovery meetings host an average of 30 men and women working on their recovery.

We also host a number of weekly classes and meetings to equip people to become productive members of their families and the community.

StreetLight Mission works to activate individuals, organizations, churches, businesses and the government to assist in providing services and resources to care for those in need. We realize that to help those in need we must partner with other agencies throughout the community, county, region, and nation. We have helped found three coalitions: Bridge to Recovery -Union County, Rescue Alliance of New York City and Community Food Coalition of Union County. We also are members of LACADA, Comprehensive Emergency Assistance Services (CEAS), the Prisoner Re-entry Task Force, the Elizabeth Chamber of Commerce, and the Association of Gospel Rescue Missions (AGRM).


Do you have items to donate? Contact The StreetLight Mission at the phone number provided above to see if they can use any items you may have to donate.

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Important:
If you are looking to volunteer for Thanksgiving or any other time, please contact The StreetLight Mission at the phone number provided above.

If you have pictures of the food pantry/food bank/soup kitchen, I will upload them on this page. Please email me with the name of your shelter and the pictures to: HomelessSupport@gmail.com

Do you have items to donate? Contact The StreetLight Mission at the phone number provided above to see if they can use any items you may have to donate.