Pallone Announces $150,000 in Funding for Covenant House Programs to Benefit Asbury Park Youth

July 16, 2010

Washington, DC – Congressman Frank Pallone, Jr., (NJ-06) Friday announced that the House Appropriations Committee approved $150,000 in funding for the non-profit Covenant House based in Newark. The organization will use the funds to improve outreach efforts to homeless and at risk youth in Asbury Park, by providing two full-time outreach workers and purchasing a van to reach homeless youth across the community.

The goal of the program is to help homeless youth find housing in the programs offered by Covenant House and other agencies so they may transition to becoming self-sufficient.

“Covenant House has benefited New Jersey youth for over 20 years and I’m glad to see the organization expanding the reach of its efforts to benefit homeless and at risk youth in Asbury Park,” said Pallone. “This program provides an important preventive role. Targeting problems associated with abuse, neglect and drug addition early on will give these young people a chance to address these problems early on which will help them lead productive lives as adults.”

According to Covenant House, increasing numbers of youth and young adults in Asbury Park and surrounding communities in Monmouth County are becoming homeless and as a result many of these adults are becoming involved in crime, drug addicted, and in and out of detention centers. This project aims to address the issues causing homelessness and crime and will introduce these individuals to healthy, positive alternatives.

The funding was approved by the Labor, Health and Education Appropriations, Subcommittee Bill (FY 2011).