By Lea Kahn, Staff Writer
A drab, industrial-looking building that had housed the Marine Corps’ Marine Reserve Center at 361 Scotch Road in Ewing Township is poised to be transformed into HomeFront’s relocated Family Preservation Center.
HomeFront, which helps the homeless and the working poor, established the Family Preservation Center to provide short-term shelter for homeless women and their families 10 years ago. It is located on the grounds of the Katzenbach School for the Deaf in Ewing Township.
Since it opened its doors a decade ago, the Family Preservation Center has helped more than 1,800 families grow from being homeless and destitute to becoming independent and self-reliant households, according to HomeFront officials.
Now, the state of New Jersey — which owns the Katzenbach School for the Deaf campus — is selling the property. That’s why HomeFront’s Family Preservation Center is moving from one spot in Ewing Township to another.
The move does not affect HomeFront’s headquarters, which is located at 1880 Princeton Avenue in Lawrence Township, emphasized Connie Mercer, the nonprofit group’s president and chief executive officer.
"We are not moving our headquarters from Princeton Avenue," Ms. Mercer said. "We see a lot of clients (who live in) Lawrence Township and other suburbs. Our food bank, home furnishings (bank) and case management services will continue to operate out of here."
While HomeFront’s headquarters is firmly established in Lawrence Township, Ms. Mercer said the group knew that its Family Preservation Center location was not so secure. As a tenant, HomeFront was always subject to a lease.
The state’s decision to sell the Katzenbach campus galvanized HomeFront officials to take steps to purchase a property. After lengthy negotiations, HomeFront acquired the 8.5-acre decommissioned Naval base on Scotch Road that includes a 42,000-square-foot building and two smaller buildings.
Taking ownership of the property also means that HomeFront will be able to expand the Family Preservation Center and its services, Ms. Mercer said. The goal is to become a state-of-the-art facility for homeless services.
Ms. Mercer said there would be office space for agencies that offer support services — from WomanSpace to Family Guidance and the Mercer County Board of Social Services. There might also be a wellness clinic.
"The centerpiece will be the library," she said. "The constant theme is literacy as a way out of poverty. There will be a computer nook. There will be GED preparation classes (for the test that is equivalent to obtaining a high school diploma) and job skills training."
The job skills training program can be expanded, Ms. Mercer said. Clients can train for jobs in the hospitality and customer service industries. There are always jobs as housekeepers in hotels, as well as the need for customer service representatives for call centers and survey research companies, she said.
But the first step is to renovate the 42,000-square-foot building, which should be completed by next summer.
Since January, HomeFront has raised more than half of its $6 million goal for the renovation costs, said Don Hofmann, who chairs the fundraising effort.
"We just need to raise the money to make it a home for the clients and a center for job training and tools of independence for the families," said Mr. Hofmann, who is the managing partner of Crystal Ridge Partners.
Ms. Mercer said plans call for eight "guest" rooms on the ground level for male heads-of-household families or fragile families that have health issues. Each guest room has its own bathroom.
There will be several classrooms, clinic rooms, a computer lab, counseling rooms and a life enrichment center on the ground level. Zumba classes and yoga classes may be offered in the life enrichment center.
The second floor has office space, as well as a teaching kitchen and space for HomeFront’s ArtSpace art therapy program. Chefs will show the mothers how to prepare healthy meals, using vegetables from the Family Preservation Center’s garden.
A 24-hour daycare facility will be provided, allowing mothers to take a job on the night shift so they may earn an extra $3 or $4 per hour for working that shift, Ms. Mercer said.
The third floor has 30 guest rooms for homeless women and their families, each with a private bathroom. There is office space for the case manager, a library, a life skills classroom, a salon where women can learn and practice hair-dressing skills, a family lounge and a children’s computer center.
The third floor also includes a community boardroom, where outside groups — the local Friends of Open Space or the historical society — can hold meetings. The community can see that "our guests are not that different from other folks," she said.
Bernie Flynn, the president and chief executive officer of NJM Insurance Group and a supporter of HomeFront, said his company is part of a consortium of companies in the community that is committed to making it "a place of opportunity for all its citizens."
The transformation of the building is a "significant step," Mr. Flynn said, "but just a first step. The future of effective social services at this spacious campus is limitless."
"This is just the start of our vision for this new approach to social services," Ms. Mercer agreed. "With the additional buildings and spacious grounds, we have a long-term plan. We want to make it into a campus of hope, where homeless and destitute families learn to claw their way out of poverty."
