This policy option or model program profile relates to the following issue overview(s): Prisoner Reentry, Homelessness, & Hunger.

Summary    

The Rescue Mission of Trenton is an agency in the City of Trenton that serves the truly needy men and women who have no place to turn for shelter, food, and clothing. 

The Rescue Mission, governed by an all-volunteer Board of Directors, has been serving the homeless and transient since its founding in 1915. Initially, the Mission served the spiritual needs of the working class and expanded almost immediately to meet their material needs as well. Over the course of 96 years, the Rescue Mission has grown and evolved into an agency that provides a full complement of services, from shelter services, addictions treatment, and housing for those in need. The Mission also provides residential addictions treatment, residential services (long-term, drug court, and halfway house), and job development services.^[1]

Goal    

The Mission works to provide a safe, clean, warm refuge for the homeless, the hungry, the transient, and the addicted. The Mission provides services and counseling to encourage individuals to reach their greatest potential. The Mission creates an environment where one can live with dignity, build self-esteem, experience love, responsibility, and hope.^[2]

Cost^[3][4] 

• For FY2011, the Rescue Mission's income and expenses were distributed in the following fashion:
• Income Analysis:
• 61% Programs and Services.
• 26% Entrepreneurial Activities, Recycling, and Sales.
• 12% Individual, Foundation, and Corporate Support.
• 2% Other.
• Expense Analysis:
• 71% Programs and Services.
• 25% Entrepreneurial Activities, Recycling, and Sales.
• 3% Management and General Expenses.
• 1% Fundraising. 
• For FY2010, the total functional expenses for the Rescue Mission were $3,839,559 
• The total program expenses came to $3,602,003
• Vince's Place: 1,402,623
• Long-term: $886,578
• Halfway house: $474,978
• Extended care: $41,067
• Emergency Services: $791,672
• Out-Patient: $160,101
• Permanent Housing: $76,845
• Work Readiness: $86,136
• Community Education: $77,786
• Store and Industrial Salvage: $1,006,840 
• The total administrative costs came to $177,087.
• The total fundraising costs came to $60,469. 
• In an expense analysis for 2009-2010, the Rescue Mission:
• 63% of the total expenses was spent on programs.
• 2% was spent on fundraising.
• 9% was spent on maintenance and general expenses.
• 26% was spent on industrial salvage expenses. 
• In FY2010, the total liabilities and net assets claimed by the Rescue Mission were $6,132,313. 
• Liabilities include mortgages payable, accounts payable, taxes payable, accrued expenses, client fund liability, and client security deposits.
• Net assets include Board designated and undesignated unrestricted net assets as well as permanently restricted net assets. 
• In an income analysis of 2009-2010, the Rescue Mission:
• 58% of the total income came from programs and services. 
• 23% came from industrial salvage and store sales.
• 14% came from individual, foundation, and corporate support.
• 5% came from entrepreneurial activities. 
• The total net grant funds for FY2010 was $660,716.
• The total federal awards received in FY2010 was $881,210.
• The total state awards received in FY2010 was $305,744. 

Useful Links:

• Independent Auditor's Report: Rescue Mission for the Years Ended June 30, 2010 and 2009. 
• Rescue Mission of Trenton Annual Report 2010-2011.
• Rescue Mission of Trenton Annual Report 2009-2010. 

Implementation

Currently, the Rescue Mission provides a long list of programs and services:^[5]

• Vince's Place - a licensed residential addictions treatment providing long-term, halfway house, and extended care level of service. Vince's Place offers a full range of addictions treatments and life skill treatments including individual and group medical evaluation and referral, work therapy, job skills development, TEACH, education, and life skills. The residential treatment facility is staffed by licensed and credentialed counselors, dedicated to serving clients who are jobless, unemployed, impoverished, disabled, homeless, or have a history of involvement with the criminal justice system. In addition to individual and group counseling, participants receive medical supervision, attend in-house events, and receive additional supportive services as needed. Clients are self-referred or referred by the Mercer County Board of Social Services through the Substance Abuse Initiative, Drug Court through the Court Initiative, shelters, courts, or other agencies. 

• Services offered: 
• Long term - 180-day residential addiction treatment program; receives referrals form the general public, other providers, and self.
• Halfway house - for residents who need time to transition into treatment or out of residential treatment.
• Extended care - residential addiction treatment for residents who have been or are expected to be in residence for over one year.  
• The program serves adult, male substance abusers, who are often coping with challenges such as inadequate or unstable housing, involvement in the criminal justice system, physical and mental health issues, illiteracy , poor job skills, and spotty work history.  Less than 6% of residents report employment at intake and roughly half have not completed high school. Approximately 63% of Mission residents are African American, 30% Caucasian, 1.5% American Indian or Alaskan Native, and 1% Asian.
• At intake, basic information about substance abuse history, medical status, legal status, employment, and income is gathered utilizing New Jersey Substance Abuse Monitoring System (NJSAMS) admission module. Admission is predicated on a first-come, first-served basis with priority given to uninsured and under-insured Mercer County residents with limited resources. After admission the NJSAMS ASI interview is utilized as an evaluation tool, in conjunction with more informal interviews conducted by the primary counselor. Placement is based on American Society of Addiction Medicine Patient Placement Criteria for the Treatment of Substance-Related Disorders, 2nd edition (ASAM PPC-2) criteria and Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th edition (DSM-IV) diagnoses are document in resident charts.  
• The typical time from referral to admission is 1-2 days and an applicant is generally admitted on the day of his admission interview. 
• Emergency Shelter -  the only licensed Emergency Shelter in Mercer County serving adult single males and females. Under Emergency Services, the Mission also operates a weekend soup kitchen. Other services include free clothing and furniture to homeless clients or to those seeking shelter who are referred by other supportive service providers. 
• Homeless Assessment and Referral Program - provides assessment to clients in the emergency shelter and referral to addictions, mental health and other crucial services.

• Outpatient Program - offers full range of outpatient substance abuse treatment for men and women including individual assessment, group counseling session, and addiction education. Referrals for medical, behavioral health care, and other services are made as appropriate. 
• Permanent Housing - the Mission operates two specialty supportive housing units - Robinson Place, a licensed Rooming and Boarding House and Brimmer House, a free standing two-unit house where five formerly homeless rent an apartment. It also includes supportive services designed to assist the person in maintaining housing and develop the quality of life he desires.
• Work Readiness - a combination of the Mission's education program, TEACH - client access to basic adult education, GED preparation, and other skills to open avenues for employment, and work therapy - a basic work therapy assignment is the introduction to daily structure and responsibility. Added structure and improved training and supervision allows for a full-scale Job Readiness program that incorporates training, education, and opportunity, as well as networking with community businesses for employment. The Job Development Program offers clients in recovery the opportunity to rebuild their lives through dedicated services designed to assist them in obtaining employment. The program takes a client from initial assessment through an education foundation coupled with job skills training and provides staff support throughout the job preparation, search, hiring, and post-employment phases. The program also adds value to the Greater Mercer County community through the systematic development of a labor pool with marketable skills whose members become constructively involved in the community and contribute to, rather than rely on, the tax base. 
• Community Education - outreach into the community at large to help educate and inform the public on the needs, issues, and accomplishments of those we serve primarily in the area of homelessness, hunger, addiction, and ex-offenders. It also includes activities and efforts to address the needs and quality of life for the immediate community, including, but not limited to organizing and participating in neighborhood meetings and public education concerning programs and community opportunities.
• Industrial Salvage Operation -  donated items are collected, sorted, and sold. Through the industrial salvage, the Rescue Mission accepts donations, primarily clothing and furniture, from the surrounding communities and sells the goods in the Mission's store. The store serves as a resource to the community by providing goods that are affordably priced while at the same time, giving Mission residents valuable work therapy experience. It is worth noting that the system allows those who donate to be part of the community-wide effort to help those in need.
• e-Initiative - a web-based program whereby the Mission receives items donated through its Industrial Salvage program and then sells the items on eBay for a greater net proceed than that which could have been realized solely in the Mission store.
• e+Mission Auction - a web-based program whereby items are either brought to the Mission or picked up by the Mission in order to be sold on behalf of our customers through e+Mission Auction on eBay. The Mission handles all the work involved, and both the Mission and the customer benefit.

Evaluation ^[6][7]

The Job Development Program is evaluated through tracking several sets of data using electronic databases, spreadsheets, and counselor progress notes. Indicator for success are measured by:

• Number of clients who obtain jobs.
• Number of employment interviews clients attend.
• Number of clients who complete the Job Development Program.
• Number of clients who participate in the Job Development program for at least four weeks. 
• In Fiscal Year 2011, more than twenty-three residents of the Mission secured employment in decent, entry-level positions in a wide variety of fields.
• In the year 2009-2010, 30 residents worked part-time at the Mission through contracts from two local firms.
• Mission residents fill lubricant tubes for Hutchinson Industries and sort and separate items for TerraCycle, Inc.  

Rescue Mission Reports Providing the following services: 

• In Fiscal Year 2011, the Rescue Mission provided:
• 48,772 bed nights in Emergency Shelter.
• 108,810 meals served in Emergency Shelter.
• 23,158 bed days in Residential Addiction Treatment Program.
• 2,890 bed days in Rooming & Boarding House (Robinson Program).
• 1,820 bed days in Transitional Housing (Brimmer House). 
• 4,992 pieces of clothing and furniture distributed free of charge.
• 6,531 clothing and furniture pickups.   
• In the year 2009-2010, the Rescue Mission provided:
• 54,926 bed nights in Emergency Shelter.
• 119,402 meals served in Emergency Shelter.
• 19,914 bed days in Residential Addiction Treatment Program.
• 2,906 bed days in Rooming & Boarding House (Robinson Program).
• 1,706 bed days in Permanent Housing (Brimmer House).
• 3,105 pieces of clothing and furniture distributed free of charge. 
• 5,782 clothing and furniture pick-ups. 

Status 

• The Mission has entered into contracts with two well-established, local firms to provide some of their residents with part-time work while they are working towards their recovery.^[8]
• Hutchinson Industries - Hutchinson Industries is the premier manufacturer of mobility components for wheeled vehicles, with a full line of products including runflats for various levels of security, beadlocks, 2-pc aluminum Tactical™ and commercial wheels, protected fuel tanks, tire shields, and turn-key assembly services.^[9]
• TerraCycle, Inc. - TerraCycle has grown into one of the fastest-growing green companies in the world. It has created a national recycling systems for previously non-recyclable or hard-to-recycle waste. With more than 20 million people collecting waste in 14 countries TerraCycle has diverted billions of units of waste and used them to create over 1,500 different products available at major retailers ranging from Walmart to Whole Foods Market.^[10]
• Hutchinson Industries has installed machinery in the mission's facilities and provide training to its residents who now perform industrial work that Hutchinson had previously outsourced.^[11]
• After six consecutive months of work, Hutchinson Industries presents each of its workers with a certificate, proving that they completed their time with the company, and to serve as a reputable resource for their future job searches.^[12]
• Tyco has provided the Rescue Mission's Senior Program with a $28,000 grant. This program provides direct assistance to senior citizens who utilize the Emergency Shelter, and has significantly increased the number of seniors who have received housing.^[13]

• The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has awarded the Rescue Mission a $400,000 competitive grant to create 15 studio apartments for the homeless at the site of a long-vacant building located at 501-507 Perry Street. The existing building will be demolished and a new four-story 15,700-square-foot building constructed. Each of the apartments will be approximately 500 square feet and ADA compliant. The first floor will consist of a manager's office, laundry room, restroom, community room and commercial space. Each of the remaining three floors will consist of five studio apartments and a small sitting area. The project site is adjacent to the on and off ramps to Perry Street exit Route 1. It is located at one of the key entryways to the City of Trenton. The grant was awarded under HUD's Continuum of Care programs.^[14] [15]
• In September of 2011, the Rescue Mission was selected for the US Conference of Mayors/Benjamin Moore "Colors Care Across America" Program. The first floor of the Emergency Shelter, including entryway, dining room, and common area were spackled and painted by contractors from the Painting and Decorating Contractors of America. One shelter in every state, including DC, was painted through the program in a 50-day period that concluded in Washington, DC in November 2011.^[16] 

Point of View

• For the second time, the Rescue Mission has been selected as a recipient of the The Times Holiday Appeal. During the course of the campaign, some twenty-five stories highlighting the Mission's history, underlying philosophy, current programs, new initiatives, and individual successes appeared in the paper. More than 300 Times readers made contributions to the campaign.^[17]
• The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) awarded a $400,000 competitive grant to the Rescue Mission to create 15 studio apartments for the homeless at the site of a long-vacant building located at 501-504.^[18]
• In September of 2011, the Rescue Mission was selected for the US Conference of Mayors/Benjamin Moore "Colors Care Across America" Program. It was the one shelter in the state of New Jersey selected for the program.^[19]

Contact

Mary Gay Abbott-Young

Chief Executive Officer

98 Carroll Street

PO Box 790

Trenton, NJ 08605-0790

Phone: (609) 396-2183

Fax: (609) 695-5199

Email: mgay@rmtrenton.org

www.rescuemissionoftrenton.org

Bibliography

• Bockman, Rich. Dec. 11, 2010. "Workshops help ex-convicts become employable," http://www.rescuemissionoftrenton.org/news_njt_employable.php  

• Interview with Regan Mumolie from the Rescue Mission. 
• "Mission Secures $400,000 HUD Grant for Supportive Housing Project" http://www.rescuemissionoftrenton.org/grant.php  
• Rescue Mission of Trenton, New Jersey: Auditor's Report, http://www.rescuemissionoftrenton.org/Audit2010.pdf.  
• "Rescue Mission of Trenton Annual Report 2010-2011," http://www.rescuemissionoftrenton.org/annual_report.pdf.  
• "Rescue Mission of Trenton Annual Report 2009-2010," http://www.rescuemissionoftrenton.org/annual_report.pdf 
• Rescue Mission of Trenton: 990 Form, http://www.rescuemissionoftrenton.org/990.pdf 
• TerraCycle, Inc., http://www.terracycle.net/en-US/about-us.html  

Footnotes

1. http://www.rescuemissionoftrenton.org/index.php ▲
2. http://www.rescuemissionoftrenton.org/index.php ▲
3. Rescue Mission of Trenton, New Jersey: Auditor's Report, http://www.rescuemissionoftrenton.org/Audit2010.pdf. ▲
4. Rescue Mission of Trenton: 990 Form, http://www.rescuemissionoftrenton.org/990.pdf. ▲
5. Interview with Regan Mumolie at the Rescue Mission of Trenton. ▲
6. "Rescue Mission of Trenton Annual Report 2010-2011," http://www.rescuemissionoftrenton.org/annual_report.pdf. ▲
7. "Rescue Mission of Trenton Annual Report 2009-2010," http://www.rescuemissionoftrenton.org/annual_report.pdf ▲
8. "Rescue Mission of Trenton Annual Report 2009-2010," http://www.rescuemissionoftrenton.org/annual_report.pdf ▲
9. http://www.hutchinsoninc.com/CMS/index.php?page=About_Hutchinson ▲
10. http://www.terracycle.net/en-US/about-us.html ▲
11. Bockman, Rich. Dec. 11, 2010. "Workshops help ex-convicts become employable," http://www.rescuemissionoftrenton.org/news_njt_employable.php. ▲
12. Interview with Pascal Seradarian, Member of the Board of Trustees for the Rescue Mission and retired President and CEO of Hutchinson Industries, Inc. ▲
13. http://www.rescuemissionoftrenton.org/index.php ▲
14. "Mission Secures $400,000 HUD Grant for Supportive Housing Project" http://www.rescuemissionoftrenton.org/grant.php ▲
15. "Rescue Mission of Trenton Annual Report 2010-2011," http://www.rescuemissionoftrenton.org/annual_report.pdf. ▲
16. http://www.rescuemissionoftrenton.org/ ▲
17. "Rescue Mission of Trenton Annual Report 2010-2011," http://www.rescuemissionoftrenton.org/annual_report.pdf. ▲
18. "Rescue Mission of Trenton Annual Report 2010-2011," http://www.rescuemissionoftrenton.org/annual_report.pdf. ▲
19. http://www.rescuemissionoftrenton.org/ ▲