Interfaith Neighbors Community Update
In response to the COVID-19 Health Crisis, Interfaith Neighbors has made the following changes to our operations. Other than our dedicated Senior Nutrition/Meals on Wheels Program staff, the rest of our team is working remotely. Detailed program updates follow.
COVID-19 EMERGENCY FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE FUND
Interfaith Neighbors is pleased to announce the establishment of a COVID-19 Emergency Financial Assistance Fund. Supported, in part, through the generosity of several local organizations, the fund is providing financial assistance to individuals and families experiencing financial distress as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The fund is supported by contributions from the Jules L. Plangere, Jr. Family Foundation, the Stone Foundation of New Jersey and the Jay & Linda Grunin Foundation, as well as many individual donors.
Interfaith Neighbors' Rental & Mortgage Assistance Program is administering the fund.
The Rental & Mortgage Assistance Program is fully operational, and is operating remotely at this time.
Anyone in need of immediate assistance can call the office at (732) 775-0525 and leave a detailed message. A member of the IFN Rental & Mortgage Assistance team will return your call within 24 hours.
Both IFN's regular Rental & Mortgage Assistance program and COVID-19 Emergency Financial Assistance awards are being made at this time. The maximum financial assistance award for the COVID-19 Emergency Fund is $1,000, supporting rent, utilities, repairs, food and medicine, insurance payments and other essential living expenses.
IFN is also working in conjunction with local agencies; also recipients of the Stone Foundation of New Jersey funding support. They include:
- Lunch Break of Red Bank is also providing emergency relief up to $1,000 for urgent living expenses to applicants adversely affected by COVID-19. Call 732-747-8577, ext. 3203
- Parker Family Health Center in Red Bank has emergency funds available. Call 732-212-0777.
- HabCore is also providing emergency relief up to $1,000. Call 732-544-1975 x. 1 or visit habcore.org.
Interfaith Neighbors’ Rental & Mortgage Assistance program was the organization’s founding program and has been in operation for 30+ years. In a normal year, the program assists approximately 350 families with between $500,000 and $750,000 in direct assistance.
We continue to provide daily reports to Monmouth County and are coordinating with the State of New Jersey so we are positioned to continue to access funding when it becomes available to assist COVID-19 affected families in need of financial assistance.
Gifts of any size are needed and welcomed in support of the COVID-19 Emergency Assistance Fund. GIVE TO THE FUND
Meals on Wheels/Senior Nutrition
The Senior Nutrition/Meals on Wheels Program is currently serving over 1,100 meals to home bound seniors across Monmouth County.
We have introduced many enhanced personal, facility and vehicle safety protocols to ensure the safety of our volunteers, staff and the seniors we serve. We have also re-positioned IFN staff from programs currently on hiatus to establish a fully trained backup network in order to ensure continuity of operations.
We are also taking steps to ensure continuity of our food supplies, stocking a two week supply of certain food items, replenishing our supply of shelf-stable meals, and working closely with Monmouth County and the State of New Jersey on strategies to ensure continued operations as we weather this crisis.
At this time, we are reviewing requests from seniors for delivery of home bound meals; those that meet eligibility requirements will be added to home-delivered routes as soon as possible, but, please understand our delivery system is under stress at the moment.
We are experiencing understandable fluctuations in our volunteer force. We are pleased to share that we have received many inquiries about volunteering for the program in response to our calls for volunteers. We are vetting, training and scheduling new volunteers on a continual basis. If anyone is interested in volunteering to assist with the meal delivery program, you can email bethp@interfaithneighbors.org - please include your availability between 8am and noon Monday through Friday.
Donation to the Senior Nutrition/Meals on Wheels Program are gratefully accepted. We are experiencing increased program costs at this time. GIVE TO MEALS ON WHEELS
The Kula Cafe will be closed until further notice.
The Kula Urban Farm is closed to all visitors and for all public events. Our team continues to work the farm and is donating our harvest to local feeding programs.
The Business Development Center is closed until further notice.
Our 810 Fourth Avenue location is closed to all visitors.
Our Mission
To assist those less fortunate among us to meet life’s basic necessities, while seeking to improve the quality of life for individuals and families and the communities in which they live. Over the years, our services have grown to now include eight distinct programs serving all of Monmouth County, including:
