Many of us value the wonderful work being done here in Mercer County by HomeFront, the organization helping homeless families break the cycle of poverty.
Last week, during this time of tremendous economic distress and in the midst of a pandemic, HomeFront offered us an antidote – daily events, volunteer opportunities, and ways of connecting with our neighbors during its annual “Week of Hope.”
Those of us who took part learned about the daunting challenges facing so many families, and about the resulting increase in hunger and homelessness in every community in our county, from Trenton to Hamilton to Princeton. We know how expensive housing is in our region— a person earning the minimum wage has to work almost three full-time jobs to be able to afford the average two-bedroom rental in New Jersey. This is difficult enough, but the pandemic has erased so many job opportunities, leaving families stranded and facing the loss of their housing.