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CAMDEN, N.J. – As part of his ongoing commitment to help the residents of Camden, Jon Bon Jovi today visited the future home of Joseph’s House of Camden. Joseph’s House is a new homeless facility that is being partially funded by the Jon Bon Jovi Soul Foundation and is supported by The Joseph Fund – a Camden-based organization created in 2012 to provide fundraising and consultative support to the six ministries served by St. Joseph’s Pro-Cathedral.
Bon Jovi was joined by Camden Mayor Dana Redd, donors supporting the initiative and residents who have benefited from services of The Joseph Fund.
“We remain committed to Camden,” Jon Bon Jovi said about the Soul Foundation’s involvement in this project. “Today we have had the opportunity to see the progress on what a year ago was just a vision. We offer our sincere thanks to all the organizations and individuals involved in making Joseph’s House possible.”
The mission of Joseph’s House is to work collaboratively with others to aid the homeless men and women of Camden by offering a continuum of services including emergency shelter, a range of supportive housing, and access to comprehensive social services. Previously, Joseph’s House operated as a temporary, six-month facility offering food and shelter for the area’s chronically homeless during the winter months. When complete, the new site of Joseph’s House will accommodate 75 adults each night, providing food, shelter and support services for Camden’s homeless population year-round, with a longer-term goal of developing day programs.
“We understand the importance of providing onsite social services in addressing the long-term cycle of homelessness. With this new facility, we will expand those services to more men and women in need and help them secure stable futures,” said John Klein, executive director, Joseph’s House.
“Joseph’s House is designed to connect individuals with services that can lead them out of homelessness. Through help from our community partners, we hope to provide the help necessary for those who visit us to escape poverty,” said Monsignor McDermott, board chairman of The Joseph Fund and pastor, St. Joseph’s Pro-Cathedral, who helped Klein spearhead the transition of Joseph’s House from a temporary facility into a year-round operation.
Joseph’s House will partner with Project H.O.P.E., an organization dedicated to serving the medical and social needs of the homeless population, to provide case management services and health care, mental health and substance abuse services. In addition, Our Lady of Lourdes Medical Center will operate a free onsite medical clinic utilizing volunteer physicians and nurses.
“The physical collaboration of providing shared services in one facility is unique to the city of Camden. Joseph’s House will be the only shelter offering this array of social services under one roof,” said Mark Hodges, executive director, The Joseph Fund.
Renovations of the building, located at 555 Atlantic Ave. in Camden, began in September and will continue to undergo renovations in order to house the Café Program, administrative offices and offices for social service partners of Joseph’s House. The project is expected to be completed by December 2013.
In addition to support from the Jon Bon Jovi Soul Foundation, Joseph’s House is being funded by contributions from the TD Bank Foundation, Halloran Philanthropies and Mr. and Mrs. Richard Haydinger.
Since 2006, the Jon Bon Jovi Soul Foundation has provided solutions and opportunity for families and individuals in economic despair. The organization assists in establishing programs that provide food and affordable housing for those affected by poverty and homelessness, while supporting social services and job-training programs.
The Joseph Fund supports six ministries that provide housing and youth programs, convert abandoned buildings into affordable homes, and much more to the Camden community. In addition to Joseph’s House, programs of The Joseph Fund include The St. Joseph’s Carpenter Society, St. Joseph’s Elementary School, The Child Development Center, Lifting Up Camden’s Youth (L.U.C.Y.), and Romero Center Ministries.
