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Four New Jersey nonprofits dedicated to combating homelessness have been awarded grants from the Day One Families Fund, a foundation established by Amazon founder Jeff Bezos. The recipients, which include Family Promise of the Jersey Shore, Monarch Housing Associates, Family Promise of Essex County, and Family Promise of Morris County, were nominated by the National Alliance to End Homelessness and did not apply for the grants themselves.
Family Promise of Morris County and Monarch Housing Associates each received $1.25 million, while Family Promise of Essex County and Family Promise of the Jersey Shore were awarded $425,000 each. The grants are to be paid over five years and must be spent directly on moving unhoused individuals and families into homes.
Joann Björnson, CEO of Family Promise of Morris County, expressed her gratitude for the grant, calling it "transformational". She also highlighted the unique nature of the Day 1 Families Fund grants, stating that they represent a nomination from their peers, making the honor especially significant. She told the Daily Record, "We were so lucky to be chosen."
The Bezos Day 1 Families Fund was established seven years ago with a $2 billion fund. Since its inception, it has awarded 248 grants totaling nearly $750 million to organizations serving families in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico. The fund aims to help families move from unsheltered homelessness and shelters to permanent housing with the services they require to achieve stability. According to the fund's website, family homelessness in the U.S. rose dramatically between 2022 and 2023, with families now representing more than 28% of the country’s unsheltered population.