HomeFront will spread the Valentines spirit of love and care to local homeless families in the Trenton area between Sunday, February 14 (Valentine’s Day) and Sunday, February 21. With a mission of ending homelessness in Central NJ, this season of love will feature events and panels that provide not only a smile to families in need, but education on how the community can offer a helping hand.
HomeFront’s “Week of Hope 2021” begins on Valentine’s Day with the “Share The Love” Virtual Art Event. From 12:00 p.m. to 1:30 p.m., participants will have the opportunity to decorate hearts and adorn them with poetry and inspirational quotes. Each craft will ultimately be displayed at HomeFront’s Family Campus, a temporary shelter for 38 local homeless families.
The following day, Monday, February 15 (President’s Day), HomeFront will host a variety of virtual learning forums about local homelessness and hunger, solutions and how to get involved. The “Welcome to HomeFront” Orientation will begin at 11:00 a.m. and run through 12:00 pm. Following the presentation, HomeFront will take guests on a virtual tour of HomeFront’s pantry, FreeStore, ArtSpace and Furnish the Future program from 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m.
Next up, on Tuesday, February 16, the community can join HomeFront for a Virtual Snack & Activity Bag “Packing Event.” Locals can shop for, pack up and deliver snack and activity bags for local homeless families. Tune in to ZOOM at either 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. or 2:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. as you pack your activity bags to learn more about HomeFront, the local situation and how to get involved.
On Wednesday, February 17 there will be a Virtual Lunch & Learn with CEO, Connie Mercer & COO, Sarah Steward. At this event, community members can also learn and join in on a discussion about local homelessness and hunger, solutions and how to get involved. This event will run from 12:30 p.m. to 1:00 p.m.
HomeFront & Princeton Public Library will co-host a virtual panel discussion on Thursday, February 18 at 6:00 p.m. called “Homelessness and Hunger in the Time of COVID-19.” This conversation will be moderated by Connie Mercer, CEO of HomeFront, featuring panelists Bernie Flynn, CEO of Mercer Street Friends; Emily Lemmerman of Princeton University’s Eviction Lab; Crystol Thompson-Dyous, Trenton School District Parent Liaison and former HomeFront client; Sarah Steward, Chief of Operations at Homefront; and Gregory Stankiewicz, Statewide Coordinator of the NJ Community Schools Coalition.
Another tour will be held on Friday, February 19 from 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. The ZOOM tour will again showcase HomeFront’s headquarters.
For the seventh event in HomeFront’s “Week of Hope,” on Saturday, February 20, the community can take part in an on-site volunteer initiative. From 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. at HomeFront’s Diaper Resource Center located at the Family Campus on 101 Celia Way in Ewing, volunteers can assist local families in need.
Ending the festivities of the week on Sunday, February 21, HomeFront will be holding a viewing of a short film created by Force for Good about the Tiny House project and homelessness. A panel discussion, in which HomeFront will take part, will follow the film. The film will be shown at 7:00 p.m.
To Register for any of these free events, visit www.homefrontnj.org
