Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ) today announced a federal grant of more than $1 million over the course of the next three years to help teenagers and young adults facing housing insecurity. The grant, the “Transitional Living Program (TLP) for Runaway and Homeless Youth,” is offered through the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
“The mission of Ocean’s Harbor House (OHH) is one of changing lives, as the organization enables teens and young adults to have a safe place to live while they finish school and prepare for the workforce,” said Smith.
“OHH provides critical services for at-risk youth, and the work completed by the OHH’s dedicated staff is nothing less than amazing. Every penny of this grant will go towards making tangible differences in the lives of young people who have been dealt difficult hands in life.”
“This most welcome news now has us focused on the work ahead and the futures of the young lives in our care,” said Donna Carlson, the Chief Operating Officer of OHH, which provides transitional housing, supportive living programs, and advocacy services throughout Smith’s congressional district.
“Ocean’s Harbor House provides housing, supportive living programs and advocacy for youth who are homeless or in crisis, empowering them to build successful pathways, relationships, and futures. This has been the cornerstone of our work for 40 years. We believe every young person deserves more than survival—they deserve the chance to thrive,” she continued.
OHH’s Supervised Transitional Living Program, named the “Supportive Housing Opportunities through Rehabilitation and Encouragement (SHORE) House,” was built 22 years ago to provide safety, shelter, stability and a way forward for young people in crisis in Ocean and Monmouth counties.
“Today, our SHORE House continues this vital mission,” Carlson said. “In this House, we celebrate young people who now not only have a safe place to live, but also have the tools to heal, learn, grow, and become self-sufficient through education and job readiness. Their sense of hope, identity, and future sustains us, and restores the fabric of our shared communities.”
The grant will support the OHH’s mission to provide a supervised, transitional, and supportive living environment for young adults between the ages of 16 and 21, who are unhoused and/or experiencing homelessness.
OHH prepares unhoused youths for independence in adulthood through the teachings of economic strategies, financial literacy, budgeting, planned spending and saving. The program also fosters meal planning, consistent banking habits, bill paying, and other critical life skills.
“Ocean’s Harbor House is on the front lines of preventing and combating youth homelessness in our communities,” Smith said. “The committed staff ensures that these young people have hot meals and a safe place to stay, equipping them with the necessary resources to complete their schooling, prepare for employment, and reach for a brighter future.”
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