Did You Know?
Anchor House offers the only Emergency Youth Shelter in Trenton/Mercer County. Youth ages 12-17 who have runaway, are at risk of, or experiencing homelessness, have a safe and caring place to live during a time of crisis.
Earlier this year, two sisters stayed at the Shelter until a placement was found. One said “they wished she could live here permanently until adulthood.”
The Shelter opened in 1978 and is our longest operating program. One of our Safe Housing Programs, the Shelter provides a full spectrum of services including temporary shelter, food, clothing, crisis intervention, case management, referrals, aftercare and more. The Shelter is open 365 days a year/24 hours a day. A crisis hotline is available at 609-396-8329 for any youth in need.
The number of Shelter residents doubled between 2022 and 2023, from 24 to 42.
Earlier this year, two sisters arrived at Anchor House from a previous placement feeling anxious and extremely worried. They left the Shelter feeling loved with the support and care from staff. “I felt like I had a family,” said one of the sisters referring to the staff.
Throughout their stay, both sisters had consistent weekly family visits and remained in close contact with their other siblings. They attended school daily despite incredibly long commutes, maintained personal friendships and kept their grades in good standing.
“Anchor House is by far the best place we’ve ever had to stay,” says the 15-year-old who stayed at the Shelter with her sister.
While the stay at Anchor House was temporary, the sisters know they can always call or visit for individual or group sessions or to just to speak with staff.
“One of the greatest things about our Shelter is that we have the potential to touch so many lives due to the short term nature of our residential program. We can establish relationships that can last and make a difference in our young people’s stories,” states Jay Neiderman, Residential Coordinator at Anchor House.
Youth homelessness accounts for 30% of total homelessness in Trenton. The Supreme Court recently ruled that people experiencing homelessness can be arrested for sleeping in public spaces when no other adequate shelter options are available. Youth under 18 cannot be arrested for sleeping in public spaces and, at Anchor House, they can find a safe place to sleep at the Shelter and services to help keep them off the streets.
Yet the ruling has implications for the young people we serve experiencing homelessness between ages 18-24 as it is already hard enough for them to find affordable housing, and, if arrested, they would be charged as an adult. The ruling also does nothing to address the primary causes of homelessness. Anchor House remains committed to preventing and ending youth homelessness and helping youth and young people in need.
