Spring 2025 Newsletter
Topic 1: Advocacy Campaign
NJ 211 Launches Advocacy Campaign
NJ 211 has launched an advocacy campaign to ensure we receive full funding in the state budget to maintain our current level of service without interruption. We wish to thank Senator Johnson and Assemblyman Miller for their support and for sponsoring the legislative request that strengthens the work we do across New Jersey.
In addition to reaching out to legislators directly, we are asking our supporters to let their representatives know about the value of NJ 211. Please join our effort by adding your voice to our call to action. You can visit http://www.nj211.org/advocacy to quickly and easily send an email to your state legislators requesting they support full funding of NJ 211.
Why are we asking for your support? Whether people are struggling with housing, food, utility bills or healthcare needs, hundreds of thousands of people turn to us as the front door to help.
In the past year, NJ 211 has:
• Handled over 321,000 calls for help
• Supported 750,000 website searches for help
• Addressed more than 720,000 individual needs
The need for NJ 211 has grown exponentially over the past decade and shows no signs of slowing down. With recent federal budget cuts, we know safety net programs and social service organizations will be hit hard. As more New Jersey residents seek help, there will be fewer resources available, making NJ 211’s role as a statewide service providing access to local support even more critical. Without full funding, our ability to meet demand will be compromised.
NJ 211 is committed to serving the people of New Jersey—especially during these shifting and uncertain times. With your support, we can continue to provide this critical safety net.
Topic 2: AARP Campaign
Support for Caregivers Is Just a Call Away!
On April 1, NJ 211 gained a new nonprofit partner program, the Caregiver Support Program, through a collaboration with AARP and United Way. When New Jersey callers dial 211, they are now able to access services provided by AARP focusing on supporting caregivers as they overcome challenges faced when caring for others.
NJ 211’s vast network of resources, knowledgeable specialists and AARP’s expertise in caregiving make for a great combination. This partnership makes it easier for caregivers to find support to combat stress and find a stable starting point in their journey to caring for their loved one.
The role of caregiver requires a large amount of time, energy, and expenses to ensure quality care for the friend or family member in need - much of which can be hard to balance with other personal and professional responsibilities. Caregivers may also experience feelings of isolation and loneliness, which can affect other areas of their lives. For those in this challenging role, resource seeking can feel daunting and uncertain.
The initiative between United Way and AARP aims to close the gap between available resources for caregivers and those who can benefit. Every day, NJ 211 fields calls from residents who are seeking information and referrals for specific needs. Often times, additional unmet needs are uncovered through conversation with the community resource specialist on the line as they get to know their caller. Resources for groups such as caregivers may be discovered through these secondary questions, highlighting the importance of NJ 211’s human-centered approach and guiding residents to any and all programs that can aid the caller as a whole.
So far in 2025, AARP reports that over 27,000 caregivers have contacted 211s across the country for support. NJ 211 looks forward to adding to this statistic and providing a new route of assistance to these unsung heroes across the state.
Topic 3: Summer EBT Program
NJ Summer EBT Program Returns!
New Jersey’s Summer Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) Program for Kids is returning for its second year. Starting in June, qualifying school-aged children ages 6-16 can receive a pre-loaded $120 benefit to help purchase groceries during the summer.
The program, which aided over 711,000 students in Summer 2024, helps to ease the burden put on a family when the academic year ends and they lose out on school-provided meals. Many students rely on the National School Lunch Program or School Breakfast Program (NSLP/SBP) for healthy meals during the year; without it, they risk missing out on the nutrition needed to grow and be present in the classroom. The financial strain families feel when it comes to putting food on the table can directly impact the well-being of a child. With the Summer EBT program, families and their students receive support in the form of food provided outside of the school year.
Families looking to apply must first have an income at or below 185% of the Federal Poverty Line based on household size and complete an application. Many children are already enrolled in Summer EBT through their school meals application process or if they are receiving other benefits from programs such as NJ SNAP, TNAF, or Medicaid. If you are unsure about your child’s eligibility for the program, you can visit the official Summer EBT website that lists who are automatically eligible and do not need to apply for benefits.
If your child is not enrolled for the school meals program but is eligible for the Summer EBT program, a School Meals and Summer EBT application needs to be submitted to the local school district to receive the benefits.
The Summer EBT cards will be mailed out at the end of June to the address on record for the qualified school-aged children. As food insecurity continues to rise in New Jersey, it is important that all eligible students across the state have access to this program. For more information about the Summer EBT program, visit https://www.nj.gov/summerebt/.
Topic 4: Volunteer Project
Volunteering in Our Community
NJ 211’s role in the community continues to expand as we venture into new volunteer opportunities that align with our mission and vision. In early February, 10 of our team members answered the call from our partners at Morris Count Continuum of Care to join street outreach efforts during the annual Point in Time (PIT) Count for 2025. This event is conducted to record an updated number of individuals and families experiencing homelessness in a single day across New Jersey.
From 4 a.m. to 9 a.m., dedicated members of our team accompanied sheriff officers from community program Hope One to key locations in Morristown and Dover, surveying those sheltering in the area. They brought packed donations of much needed toiletries, food, and connections to resources. Prior to the event, NJ 211 organized an item drive and collected letters of encouragement for the care packages, alongside other community entities like Atlantic Health.
Coordinated by the Monarch Housing Associates since 2014, PIT's information shares insight about the population in New Jersey that is residing in places that are not “fit for dwelling”, such as “emergency shelters, transitional housing programs, safe havens, and living on the streets or other locations”. Each county’s PIT helps paint a picture of New Jersey’s homeless population in comparison to past years. Organizations assisting the homeless population can use this data to help advocate for resources, increase awareness, and get a pulse on how their community is doing.
As the State Homeless Hotline, we know firsthand the needs of those experiencing homelessness. Our frontline staff work with residents on the phone, so the opportunity to connect with the community we speak with every day was extremely meaningful.
“Participating in this program allowed me to encourage someone to keep going, to become a resident again in whatever city, because I did it,” said a volunteer from NJ 211’s team. “To let them know that I am not just here to say it can be done, but to let them know it can be done – even if it’s hard.”
Thank you to our partners for allowing us to be an essential part of tackling the cycle of homelessness and the affordable housing crisis in the state.
NJ 211 in the Community
Our community outreach efforts continue! Our spring was bustling with events, collaborating with organizations and partners alike to keep our valuable resource in the forefront.
National Minority Health Month Community Health Fair
April was National Minority Health Month, and NJ 211 helped celebrate by attending the New Jersey Department of Health’s Community Health Fair in Trenton. Alongside various health programs, NJ 211educationed attendees about our free, confidential, and multilingual service that narrows down the search for available programs and resources in their neighborhoods.
Photo taken and shared by a team member at New Jersey's Department of Health.
PSE&G’s Workshop for Social Service Professionals
Members of our Home Energy Assistance Hotline team attended PSE&G’s Workshop for social service professionals to connect with service providers. They shared how NJ 211 guides residents to programs that can help them with their utility expenses. In turn, these professionals can share key program updates that help our specialists better assist callers.
Eva’s Village Community Resource Fair
NJ 211 returns to Eva’s Village for another valuable Community Resource Fair. In collaboration with the City of Paterson, team members met with Mayor André Sayegh and Councilman Luisoutlo Velez to share perspectives on the needs of the community and share insights on community needs and how we can strengthen our role in supporting those at risk of or experiencing homelessness.
NJ State School Nurses Association Spring Conference
In March, NJ 211 attended our first NJ State School Nurses Association Spring Conference to make deeper connections with school districts across the state. Adding NJ 211 as a resource to school nurses empowers them to offer social care solutions to students and their families.