In 1982, The House of Prayer Episcopal Church in Newark, in cooperation with four other parishes in the Episcopal Diocese of Newark (Trinity and St. Phillip’s Cathedral, Newark; Christ Church in Short Hills; St. Luke’s Church, Montclair; and St. George’s Church, Maplewood), came together and established a family emergency shelter called, “The Apostles’ House.” The organization grew out of their care and concern for the hundreds of people who were wandering the streets of Essex County, homeless and hungry.
Through their combined efforts, the churches acquired two abandoned buildings on 16-18 Grant Street. Funding was obtained to renovate the buildings, resulting in The Apostles’ House opening its doors for operation in September of 1982. Today the buildings are known as the Women and Children’s Emergency Shelter. Two years later, two adjacent buildings (22-24) Grant Street, were purchased and updated. These buildings are home to additional shelter space, the food pantry, and administrative offices. Later, two additional buildings, 28-30 Grant Street, were acquired and renovated. These facilities are also part of the Women and Children’s Emergency Shelter.
Amidst the continued rise in the homeless population and the need for vital social services, in 1990 TAH leased a building located at 513-515 Avon Avenue from the City of Newark. This building now operates as a transitional housing facility that provides individual apartments for homeless families.
With over 40 years of service, The Apostles’ House remains a cornerstone social service agency in the City of Newark. We provide a stable, safe, drug-free environment where parents and children receive comprehensive social services to improve their physical, emotional, social, and financial quality of life.
I would like to say that The Apostles' House has helped me in ways I didn’t expect. I greatly appreciate all the hard work, time and energy that the staff, volunteers, and others put into helping us in our time of need. They are very resourceful and persistent to help you achieve your goals. Even though it’s a shelter they made it feel like a home setting. In closing, I would like to say thank you to all the staff, volunteers, donors, and others for the much-needed assistance, time, and support.
In 2018, I was a resident of The Apostles’ House Women and Children Emergency Shelter for seven months. During my stay in the shelter, I found a support system within Miss Victoria and Miss Iris. They provided the guidance, support, and resources I needed to regain control of my life, even during the times I rebelled against it. Through it all, they showed great love and concern, and to their credit, I was able to enroll my son in childcare so that I could focus on finding and securing employment. Today I am employed and living on my own with my son. I still experience many challenges, however, I continue to take the steps necessary to maintain a life for me and my son
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