Bridges Outreach
On November 28, 2023, the City of Newark announced a huge 57.6% reduction in the number of unsheltered homeless from the previous year. While many organizations contributed to this accomplishment, much credit can be given to the tireless work of Bridges Outreach.
Their skilled and diverse outreach team hits the streets in all times of day and night and in all weather to reach those most in need of assistance, and has cultivated the reputation of being the leading outreach and engagement team in the City of Newark. Many on the outreach team have lived experienced with homelessness, which allows them to build trust and confidence among their unsheltered neighbors.
In 2022 HFNJ provided Bridges Outreach with $100,000 to support a project titled A Holistic Approach to Ending Homelessness. This grant supported Bridges Outreach’s efforts to fully engage the chronically homeless in Newark, with an ultimate goal of obtaining and maintaining clients in permanent housing.
Case managers and outreach specialists had 7,174 on-the-street engagements during the project period, with 2,149 different individuals. 71 clients ultimately received permanent housing. Through Project Connect, which links clients to healthcare resources, 21 clients were referred to general healthcare providers; 13 to Rutgers Behavioral Health; and 166 were referred to substance abuse treatment.
Bridges Outreach is now a key partner with the City of Newark in implementing the city’s “Build for Zero” strategy to ending chronic homeless in the city. They will be involved in helping to strategize how to renovate Newark Penn Station (and the homeless drop-in offerings in the neighborhood) to best achieve this goal.