It took a lot of faith, generous benefactors, and selfless volunteers to keep the Hoboken Clergy Coalition for the Homeless going strong for the last 20 years. All three were celebrated in a number of activities marking the two-decade milestone of the Hoboken intuition located at 300 Bloomfield St. in the basement of St. John’s Lutheran Church.
On Monday, the shelter celebrated with an interfaith service. Bishop Roy Riley of the Lutheran Synod of New Jersey, Bishop John Croneberger of the Episcopal Diocese of Newark, Rabbi Robert Scheinberg of the United Synagogue of Hoboken, and Fr. Ken Herbster of Our Lady of Grace Church presided over a special service at St. John’s Church.
On Tuesday, the shelter gave thanks to the many businesses that have donated funds and services to keep the shelter running. The Chamber of Commerce, the Rotary and the Kiwanis Club of Hoboken provided food and hosted a luncheon for local business owners.
Finally, on Thursday night, the shelter celebrated the thousands of volunteers who have given their time and efforts. The entire community was invited to an open house where refreshments were provided and the Brian Quinn Band and the Acappellas performed. At the event, revelers were able to mingle in the newly renovated shelter facility.
During the fall of 2000, the Clergy Coalition Shelter was awarded a $300,000 grant from the Department of Community Affairs to renovate and expand its facilities. These renovations were completed in the summer of 2001, giving the shelter the capacity to provide temporary beds for 10 more guests and permanent classrooms for its Independent Living Program (ILP).
Sr. Norberta Hunnewinkel, the executive director of the shelter, said Thursday that the services provided by the shelter help more than just the poor. “Obviously we are hopeful that we can help get people who are struggling back on their feet and assist them in becoming independent contributing members of society,” she said. “But it’s more than that. The shelter allows people who are not homeless and might not be poor to experience what the homeless go through and how the problems that they struggle with daily are very similar to their own.”
The Clergy Coalition Shelter for the Homeless opened its doors in 1982 when the disappearance of the city’s single residency occupant housing left many of Hoboken’s elderly shipyard workers with no place to live. According to Hunnewinkel over the years the population that the shelter serves has grown younger, with hurdles such as mental health issues, a lack of education, drug and alcohol addictions.
Because of the that, the shelter has began its ILP program in 1998 which combines mental health services, drug and alcohol counseling with job readiness, life skill training, computer literacy classes, support groups, and alumni services.
The ILP program also offers an arts curriculum with creative writing, dance and visual arts to help improve shelter guests’ communication skills while re-integrating them into the larger community by means of poetry readings, art exhibits and trips to the theater.
The shelter is always looking for volunteers to maintain the facilities and aid in the serving of meals from 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. It is also accepting contributions of money, clothes, and food left over from parties and entertainment functions. For more information on how to help, contact Sister Norberta Hunnewinkel at (201) 656-5069.