 A SAFE HAVEN
Just before Christmas in 1995, the people of Christ Church, Hackensack, became aware that a number of people were
sleeping on the streets and in the parks near the church on any given night. These were the hard-to-reach homeless
-- the addicted and the mentally ill -- who did not meet the criteria for participation in existing shelter programs.
Working with The Interreligious Fellowship for the Homeless that Christ Church had helped to found several years
before, and now supplies and schedules a corps of volunteers, the church opened a safe haven for its homeless neighbors
less than one month later. Known as Peter's Place (named after a longtime advocate for the homeless in Bergen County),
the facility in the church's Parish Hall began sheltering and feeding 25 people each night during the six coldest
months of the year. This initial effort soon led to discussions about how the congregation could further its service
to the community, and one year later Christ Church CDC as formed.
The work of Peter's Place has continued to grow beyond trying to respond to the basic needs of the homeless. In
August 1997, Christ Church CDC's Advocacy and Referral Service began operation with a staff of Community Advocates
who seek to assist homeless and near-homeless people year-round by helping them to access benefits, housing, medical
and psychiatric care, and any other "next step" that might be appropriate. The CDC also initiated the
first joint case review meetings, at which the various service providers gather at one table to coordinate their
efforts. Outreach was also begun to the Bergen County Jail to coordinate plans for prisoners being released.
Addressing the Gaps
Christ Church CDC was formed out of a response to an emergency need in the community, and addressing gaps in service
became a focus for its mission. Rather than duplicate existing services, the CDC seeks to identify unmet needs,
the places where people fall through the cracks. Practicing hospitality, building creative partnerships, marshaling
resources, encouraging volunteer efforts -- these are the watchwords. As demonstrated through the Peter's Place
program, the emphasis is on individual advocacy, guidance, and mentoring as a way of fostering dignity, achievement,
and independence for each person served.
The CDC is governed by a volunteer Board of Directors that brings together members of the parish, low-income neighborhood
representatives, and people from the community-at-large who have interest and areas of expertise. In December 1998,
Christ Church CDC employed its first full-time executive director to oversee the growth of its programs.
Looking Ahead
The creation of Peter's Place brought to light the need for a more comprehensive program for services to homeless
persons. Christ Church CDC has been a strong voice advocating for a "one-stop" center where a range of
services, from shelter to medical care, might be provided. The Bergen County Office of Community Development and
the Department of Human Services have endorsed this proposal, and are working with the CDC to create such a facility.
Peter's Place and the Advocacy and Referral Service will be located there, as will offices for other service providers
such as the local food pantry. This new facility will greatly enhance the CDC's program of services for homeless
people, which has already been honored by County Executive Pat Schuber, who proclaimed May 12, 1997, as "Christ
Church and Peter's Place Day" in Bergen County.
A second area of service was launched in November 1998 in collaboration with Youth Consultation Service. Parenting
classes, offered in a six-week series several times a year, and an ongoing parents' support group are the initial
effort in what is planned to be a broad-based effort to strengthen families. Conversations have been held with
YCS and other Episcopal CDC's and not-for-profit agencies about the creation of a network of neighborhood family
resource centers.
Christ Church CDC continues to explore other avenues of service in the City of Hackensack and its environs. In
a county where the need for affordable housing is critical, the CDC hopes to build on the housing development work
already demonstrated in the Diocese of Newark.
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