Volunteers of America Delaware Valley (VOADV) has opened a resource center within Thompson Plaza, a Hopeloft property located at 60 E. Commerce Street. This is just around the corner from our home base at 40 East Commerce. The office, which has been dubbed the Tri-County Navigational Resource Center, will provide a host of social services for residents throughout the tri-county region of Cumberland, Gloucester, and Salem counties.
“With this new, centralized office location in Bridgeton, we hope that residents in need of services will be able to quickly and easily obtain the personalized support and professional guidance they require,” said Amanda Leese, SVP of Safe Return/Navigator Programs for VOADV. “By strategically partnering with Hopeloft, we are ensuring that vulnerable individuals in Cumberland, Gloucester, and Salem communities have better access to direct, immediate services tailored to meet their specific needs.”
Our partnership with VOADV highlights our shared core values of meeting the immediate needs of our local children and families in order to empower our community and equip them with essential resources and skills for success. To do this, the Tri-County Navigational Resource Center will offer two distinct programs run by VOADV: “Safe Return” and “Navigator.”
A comprehensive reentry assistance program, Safe Return serves individuals returning to society within three years of being incarcerated and who are no longer under criminal justice supervision. The Navigator program addresses factors contributing to housing instability and homelessness, and provides outreach, rapid response, and navigation to critical services to all vulnerable populations.
While each program is unique, they both offer essential services including: case management and family reunification; housing assistance; employment services (job readiness, employment training, job placement); education assistance; legal assistance and advocacy; benefits assessment and reinstatement assistance; substance abuse and mental health linkage; treatment referral and linkage; and assistance with procurement of state identification and driver’s licenses.
“Until now, our most vulnerable residents had to find their way to Camden, Atlantic City, and elsewhere to piece together the vital services they need to rebuild their lives,” said Melissa Helmbrecht, founder/CEO of Hopeloft. “Now, Volunteers of America Delaware Valley is bringing the essential services right here to the heart of our community in downtown Bridgeton. We look forward to working together to better the lives of our neighbors.”
We are incredibly grateful to begin this partnership with the Volunteers of America Delaware Valley, and we are excited to provide another layer of support and opportunities to our beloved city of Bridgeton.
If you or someone you know is a Cumberland, Gloucester, or Salem County resident in need of assistance, contact VOADV’s Tri-County Navigational Center directly at (856) 716-2212. The Tri-County Navigational Resource Center is open Monday through Friday, from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. For more information about Volunteers of America Delaware Valley, visit www.voadv.org.