Dear Editor:
I was honored to have participated as a panelist last Monday at the Homeless Forum 2003, a symposium which was sponsored by the County of Hudson and the City of Jersey City and held at New Jersey City State University. In my role addressing the topic “Local Government Response to the State of Homelessness in Hudson County,” it was agreed that every municipality must work in tandem to end homelessness by 2010.
Homelessness is a complex issue which has been haunting elected officials and private sector entities for decades. While the solutions to end homelessness entirely will take much time and planning, Hoboken has taken immediate initiatives through “Project Dignity” which have already provided short term results.
Briefly, I formed Project Dignity last summer with the assistance of Sister Norberta, director of the Hoboken Homeless Shelter; the United Way of Hudson County, the American Red Cross and the Clergy Coalition. We have placed homeless residents who are alcohol and drug free with city jobs in a transitional effort to provide income and eligibility for vouchers to Hoboken Housing Authority apartments.
I am proud to report that through the assistance of the Hoboken Hospitality Association, which represents restaurants and taverns , Project Dignity has this past week evolved to a new level. Last week, the Hoboken Hospitality Association, as part of a pilot program, hired clients of the shelter to assist in the clean up following last week’s Hoboken St. Patrick’s Day Parade. Saturday night and Sunday, six shelter residents were given the opportunity for two days income from an organization representing our city’s largest sector employer. The results have been encouraging.
I would like to encourage the Hoboken Hospitality Association and other private sector employers to continue this program. I firmly believe Project Dignity is a catalyst to the solution to end homelessness by giving homeless residents new hope. We need all of Hudson County’s communities to move forward and work together in this cause and I believe a public and private-sector partnership is a real solution to meet this end.
Mayor David Roberts