Anchor House Inc

The Anchorage Transitional Living Program provides shelter, food, clothing, medical attention, psychological evaluations, therapy, individual and group counseling, life skills training, employment and educations services to homeless youth ages 18-21 to ensure their successful transition to independence. Discharged youth transitioned into safe, permanent housing. Staff help youth secure other resources such as wraparound funds for furniture and other necessities, and scholarships for college. Anchor Line Transitional Apartment Program provides apartments for homeless youth, 18 through 21 years of age. Youth receive life skills training, employment and education assistance, medical and mental health access and therapeutic counseling. Youth are taught how to advocate for themselves, access supportive services, and obtain and retain employment.

Anchor Link Outreach includes our Street Outreach Program (SOP), CoC Rapid Rehousing Program, Coordinated Entry for Homeless Youth, and the Youth Advisory Council (YAC). The Anchor House SOP, which has been at the forefront of Mercer County's youth homeless prevention efforts, works directly with runaway, homeless and street youth ages 14-21 in crisis and has a proven track record of successfully helping youth leave the streets, reduce exploitation, and improve their well-being and self-sufficiency. Rapid Rehousing serves youth 18 to 24 years of age who are HUD eligible for supportive housing. The program provides rental assistance, case management, employment and educational assistance, life skills training and assistance with housing counseling and searches. Anchor House's Youth Coordinated Entry Assessment System Team (CEAS) works with youth ages 18-24 years of age who are experiencing homelessness. CEAS works closely with all community partners serving this population to streamline and coordinate the navigation of youth through housing assessments and services, community and street outreach, crisis intervention and case management, and referrals to social service agencies. This team is integrated into the City of Trenton's Coordinated Entry and Assessment System under the CoC. Youth are encouraged to join our Youth Advisory Council (YAC) which gives them an opportunity to be involved in the service planning, program development and evaluation of Anchor House's programs, as well as advocate for runaway and homeless youth on a larger scale. Anchor House offers and connects youth to mental health services and all staff are trained in trauma informed care.

The Anchorage Transitional Living Program provides shelter, food, clothing, medical attention, psychological evaluations, therapy, individual and group counseling, life skills training, employment and educations services to homeless youth ages 18-21 to ensure their successful transition to independence. Discharged youth transitioned into safe, permanent housing. Staff help youth secure other resources such as wraparound funds for furniture and other necessities, and scholarships for college. Anchor Line Transitional Apartment Program provides apartments for homeless youth, 18 through 21 years of age. Youth receive life skills training, employment and education assistance, medical and mental health access and therapeutic counseling. Youth are taught how to advocate for themselves, access supportive services, and obtain and retain employment.

Youth in the Connect to Home Program are aging out of the child welfare system or may have been previously involved in the system and have experienced homelessness. Connect to Home provides supportive services and apartments through Housing Choice Vouchers for Section 8 Housing for up to 20 youth and we have been serving an increasing number of children through this program as several residents are parenting youth (60% in 2023). Our Life Skills Program serves youth referred by the NJ Department of Child Protection and Permanency (DCP&P). Youth may be 14 or older and case management may include in home services to access progress in needed life skills. Anchor House also offers life skills programming in all of our residential programs. A Youth Coach provides individual sessions on life skills topics such job skills, resume writing, healthy relationships, budgeting, teaching specific life skills as requested with youth, applying to college and other topics of interest to them.