New Jersey

Burlington County breaks ground on its first emergency shelter

Published

5 months ago

October 30, 2024

Burlington County breaks ground on its first emergency shelter

The county previously launched its “Housing Hub” in 2019 to assist residents who have emergency housing needs or are experiencing homelessness. More than 2,800 people were served by the hub in 2023. Currently, a network of agencies and providers collaborate to get people experiencing homelessness or a housing emergency temporary shelter, according to Pastor Darlene Trappier, founder and executive director of Mt. Holly-based Beacon of Hope.

“We do have contracts where we’re able to put them in motel placements,” she said. “We’re able to provide the motel placements throughout the year until cold blue season starts.”

Trappier herself experienced homelessness when she was living in Los Angeles as a 19-year-old with a 5-month-old baby. Her mother took her public assistance check and gave her a half-hour to leave the house.

“I had a choice, I either could go to the park with him … or I go down to Skid Row,” she said.

She chose to go to the park, but said she appealed to God to take her out of her situation and “put me in a position where I can help others not feel what I can feel.”

For Trappier, the new county-run shelter is “a haven of hope” that she likens to one-stop shopping because of its proximity to the county’s Human Services building, which is across the parking lot from the site of the shelter.

“They can go there to get the services that they need, and come back over here,” she added. “It’s all encompassed together to meet not just a part of one person’s needs.”

The shelter is expected to be complete in approximately 16 to 20 months. It will cost more than $18 million. Nearly $6.5 million in federal and state grants will pay for the building.

Some residents have opposed the shelter, saying it will worsen homelessness. Hopson said that the shelter will help people and give them easy access to services that will help them.

“The reality is most homeless people are the ones at risk, not our residents,” she said. “It is my hope that they will find it in their hearts to understand why this is such a need and why we’ve selected this location.”

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Related Topics:burlington county Featured homelessness in greater philadelphia shelter

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New Jersey

LIVE UPDATES: Devils 2 at Blackhawks 1 | New Jersey Devils

Published

7 hours ago

March 26, 2025

Press Room

LIVE UPDATES: Devils 2 at Blackhawks 1 | New Jersey Devils

The Devils face the Chicago Blackhawks tonight at United Center. Check back regularly for updates, highlights and more!

You can also watch the game on TNT or listen on the Devils Hockey Network

For the goal visualizer, tilt your phone to landscape mode to see it in action!

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New Jersey

Westmont Diner damaged after fire in Haddon Township, NJ

Published

19 hours ago

March 26, 2025

Press Room

Westmont Diner damaged after fire in Haddon Township, NJ

Wednesday, March 26, 2025 12:28PM

The Westmont Diner posted on social media that it must pause operations to assess and make repairs.

HADDON TWP., N.J. (WPVI) — A fire broke out at a diner in Haddon Township, New Jersey, leaving it closed until further notice.

Crews rushed to the Westmont Diner along the 500 block of West Cuthbert Boulevard at 1:30 a.m. on Wednesday.

Flames damaged the equipment on the roof of the building, but authorities did not report any injuries.

The Westmont Diner posted on social media that it must pause operations to assess and make repairs.

The owners confirmed the staff is safe and appreciate everyone’s support and patience.

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New Jersey

Penn State Wrestling Flips New Jersey State Champ Jayden James

Published

1 day ago

March 25, 2025

Press Room

Penn State Wrestling Flips New Jersey State Champ Jayden James

Penn State wrestling is on some kind of run. The Nittany Lions won their fourth straight NCAA Wrestling team title Saturday, received a commitment from Japanese world champ Masanosuke Ono on Monday and flipped one of the United States’ top high school recruits Tuesday.

Jayden James, a New Jersey state champion who initially committed to Virginia Tech, announced that he will join Cael Sanderson’s roster at Penn State instead. James posted his commitment graphic on Instagram, highlighting another major recruiting win for Penn State wrestling’s 2026 class.

James, a junior at Delbarton High, was named the NJ.com 2024-25 wrestler of the year after winning the 150-pound title at the NJSIAA wrestling championships. James went 43-0 last season and pinned his way through the state tournament. James is FloWrestling’s second-ranked wrestler at 150 pounds and has won a title at the Beast of the East tournament.

James, who committed to Virginia Tech in 2024, has won two U16 freestyle titles at the U.S. Junior Nationals in Fargo, N.D. He has one more season of high school eligibility and projects in the middle of Penn State’s lineup, where Tyler Kasak (157) has two more seasons after placing third at NCAAs the past two years.

The recruiting additions underscore how potent Penn State’s lineup should continue to be. Ono is a unique addition, the defending world champ at 61 kg freestyle who enrolled at Penn State this winter and will compete for the Nittany Lions next season. Penn State also has received commitments from three of FloWrestling’s top six wrestlers in the nation. That includes No. 1 overall Marcus Blaze, an Ohio national champion.

As he said after Penn State won its 12th national championship in 14 tournaments, Sanderson never stops looking to the future.

“I mean, we’re just constantly thinking ahead, and just everything’s preparation for the next thing,” Sanderson said after Penn State won its fourth straight NCAA wrestling title. “So we don’t really kind of stop and reflect a whole lot. Obviously we’re learning as we go and we’ll continue to do that. That’s the name of the game.”