In an age of pandemic, what does it mean to shelter in place when you have no shelter?
A collaborative project in Central New Jersey providing direct aid to key community organizations who offer vital social services (legal, mental health, education, housing, sanctuary) to our neighborhood’s most vulnerable communities.
The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted every sector of society. During a time of “shelter in place” orders, however, those without adequate shelter or a safe place to call home are especially vulnerable. The homeless population of Middlesex County, NJ, concentrated in the city of New Brunswick, is more vulnerable than ever to falling sick. New Jersey is close to the epicenter of the COVID outbreak. And with emergency shelters and Code Blue facilities closed due to the pandemic, many people are forced to sleep on the street. Those released from jail or immigration detention need a place to isolate for 14 days so they don’t infect family, friends, or others with whom they might otherwise be forced to stay.
New Brunswick Theological Seminary (NBTS) is the oldest seminary in the United States. It is one of two seminaries affiliated with the Reformed Church in America (RCA), and offers an exceptional seminary education, a flexible academic schedule, and a spiritually rich community for students of many Christian denominations and backgrounds. The NBTS mission is to educate persons and strengthen communities for transformational, public ministries in church and society. We fulfill this mission through creative, contextual, and critical engagement with texts, traditions, and practices. www.nbts.edu
Reformed Church of Highland Park Affordable Housing Corporation (RCHP-AHC) demonstrates that the “last are first” through its comprehensive housing efforts. Since 2008, this non-profit created by the church has acted as developer and landlord of 11 properties in Highland Park, New Brunswick, and Newark, NJ. We create permanent, supportive housing for people in need throughout New Jersey. Many tenants have special needs that make it difficult to afford a home. www.rchp-ahc.org
Rutgers University-New Brunswick Department of History, Public History Program offers students, faculty, and staff opportunities to participate in public historical engagement through coursework, experiential learning, events, and collaborative projects. Students have the opportunity to engage with current debates around contested histories, work alongside community partners to share historical information with diverse audiences, and to learn more about the myriad methods and fields in which historians work. history.rutgers.edu
Rutgers University-New Brunswick Center for Cultural Analysis is the leading institute at Rutgers University devoted to advanced interdisciplinary scholarship in the humanities and social sciences. Each year the CCA runs a research seminar that gathers faculty, advanced graduate students, postdoctoral researchers and distinguished visitors for a sustained conversation on a topic of importance to the academy at large. Alongside its main seminar, the CCA supports a series of working groups formed to explore emerging areas of inquiry, and it sponsors public events on problems of general interest that reach across several disciplines. cca.rutgers.edu
coLAB Arts engages artists, social advocates, and communities to create transformative new work. coLAB Arts facilitates creative conversation through innovative programs and artist infrastructure, connects artists with community partners and mentors, and executes productions that challenge perceptions and inspire action. www.colab-arts.org | @colabarts on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram
The Henry Luce Foundation seeks to enrich public discourse by promoting innovative scholarship, cultivating new leaders, and fostering international understanding. The Foundation advances its mission through grantmaking and leadership programs in the fields of Asia, higher education, religion and theology, art, and public policy. www.hluce.org
