Marta Joy Quinn was our speaker at this week’s Zoom meeting.
Marta discussed her role at HABcore, which has been housing and helping people for 31 years.
Marta said the Covid crisis has presented unique challenges for the organization including loss of income for many of their clients, changing needs due to children, some with disabilities, not attending school and reduction in fundraising events.
Marta said the name HABcore comes from the first initials of three men who froze to death in Red Bank 30 years ago. They had been clients of Lunch Break, where they secured a meal but at the same time had no place to live.
HABCore was born and began providing permanent housing to the homeless in Monmouth and Ocean counties.
Marta said the current crisis has resulted in one or both parents losing income, many with children at home.
“People are literally one paycheck away from being homeless,” she said.
She said the Covid crisis has lead to families being deemed chronically homeless much sooner than the normal one year official guidelines.
“With Covid they are out of their houses in a day, we are not going to wait a year, we are going to help them now,” she said.
Marta said the organization has received funding from such groups as the Stone Foundation and Kessler.
She said recently they have helped over 120 kids, 30 with disabilities and 17 autistic.
She also said having kids at home and not at school has put extraordinary pressure on families and HABCore is working with them on a daily basis.
Because workers cannot go into homes to help children they have provided tablets so they can get the therapy they need online.
She said her organization partners with others, including the YMCA, Fulfill and CPC to assist families.
“HABcorp is not just about getting people a house, we do so much more,” she said.
The group assists Veterans, who may be living on the street with PTSD or other mental health issues.
“We all need one another, we all know someone who needs help,” she said.
At the end of the meeting President Brian Mullins presented Marta with a check from the Rotary Board to HABcore in the amount of $1000.
The generous gift put a few tears in Marta’s eyes.