Pentecost Offering

May 28th is Pentecost! The PC(USA) Pentecost offering is received that day. The Pentecost offering unites us in a church-wide effort to support young people in Christ and inspire them to share their faith, ideas and unique gifts with the church and the world. The mission funding ministry team retains forty percent of the offering and selects a local organization with helping children and youth as it's focus. This year, that portion is going to Isaiah House in East Orange (serving the greater Newark area.)

Isaiah House’s mission is to reduce the prevalence of homelessness in the area. Through a variety of programs, they work to instill in clients, a heightened sense of self-esteem, self-reliance and tangible life skills as they start their new journey out of crisis and onto a new chapter of life. Since it began in 1988, they have served tens of thousands of homeless and at-risk families including people living with HIV/AIDS, families of every definition, single women, runaway teens and mothers with newborns. It is this focus on helping teens in crisis that swayed the mission funding ministry team to select it as a recipient as part of the Pentecost offering, which is focused on helping youth at risk.

SERVICES OFFERED AT ISAIAH HOUSE:

A Food Pantry that also offers school supplies, household items and other essential needs.

Emergency Family Shelter-Families receive assigned private rooms with space for parents and children along with shared bathrooms. Rooms include new bedding, from sheets to mattress protectors and assorted essential toiletries. As with all Isaiah House programming, meals are provided free of charge, seven days a week, 365 days a year. Isaiah House also has onsite laundry for all residents.

The goal of our Community Creche program is to help mothers strengthen their caretaking abilities in a safe and nurturing environment. Mothers in Community Creche can also move to our Family Unit until permanent housing is secured. Our 24-hour staff provide supportive assistance including transportation, help to enroll and maintain eligibility in state and federal programs, and other important tasks. Mothers have access to our free Tiny Tots Daycare as well. The daycare offers high quality care such as art

enrichment activities, an outdoor playground, and opportunities for imaginative play. Tiny Tots Daycare allows mothers to go to work, appointments, and attend to urgent personal matters while staying with Isaiah House. A Community Creche Extension program also includes a sober living program for new mothers fighting addictions. Funded by state and federal grants, Isaiah House offers continued financial assistance for medically vulnerable local populations along with one-time emergency bridge payments.

Individuals living with HIV/AIDS can apply to our HOPWA program for continued rental assistance. Individuals with a mental illness diagnosis may apply for our offsite supportive housing in East Orange and Irvington.

Isaiah House administers utility back payment and rental assistance under the designation of the city of East Orange.

Next Step is an offsite program managed by Isaiah House. It includes permanent housing, case management, medical/professional service referrals and supportive counseling for adults with a disability diagnosis.

Offsite housing is located in East Orange and Irvington, NJ. The apartments are roommate style with private rooms and shared kitchen and living space.