Almost Home:
Helping Homeless Youth in New Jersey

Urban Youth Development Corporation (UYDC) is a nonprofit youth services agency located in East Orange, NJ. Through a 2002 HUD Shelter Plus Care grant of $1,064,160, UYDC and the City of East Orange have established the "Almost Home Program," a specialized program which provides rental housing assistance to young adults between the ages 18-25 who are homeless and disabled.

Almost Home participants receive a commitment of up to 5 years of rental subsidy for permanent housing, while they attend school or job training. Each client also receives case management, employment assistance, mentoring, counseling, medical evaluations, transportation, drug/alcohol treatment, child care and other supportive services tailored to fit their needs. This comprehensive approach to transitioning into adulthood and independence supports the goal of a stable lifestyle that includes self-sufficiency and employment.

For more information, visit the UYDC web site (www.uydc.org).