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Help For NJ Residents Who Are Hosting Haitian Refugees

The NJ Department of Human Services (DHS) Office of Refugee and Immigrant Services is the lead agency for repatriation, refugee services and emergency sheltering with assistance from the NJ Office of Emergency Management (OEM) and the Department of Health and Senior Services (HSS).

The New Jersey Haitian Family Resource Center, opened on February 22nd to assist those affected by the earthquake, was closed on April 1st. Below is a listing of services and agencies that may be able to help you further. If you are in need of assistance, dial 2-1-1 and a resource specialist will help you.

Finding Services and Addressing Needs

Adoption Information
US Citizens with pending adoption cases in Haiti should send detailed information about their cases to haitianadoptions@dhs.gov for assistance. All others interested in adoption should contact an established adoption agency to discuss the options currently available.

Case Management
If you are having difficulty finding the services you need there are several places to turn that may be able to assist you.

• Your County Board of Social Services - people with a temporary Visa are not eligible for services, but family members who are hosting the relative from Haiti and families with a child born in the U.S. may be eligible.
• American Red Cross Assistance - Register at Jefferson Park Ministry, Inc., Family Success Center, 213 Jefferson Avenue, Elizabeth; 908-469-9508; One time assistance for food & clothing; Bring passports for all parties
  
• East Orange Salvation Army, 430 Martin Luther King Blvd. (973) 672-0262; Thursdays 10:00 AM - 3:00 PM; will help with basic needs and case management services
• Maranatha Hope Relief Ministry - 890 South Orange Ave., Newark; 973-416-5300 or 862-224-4651; Speak with Pastor Smith Olivier or Chantal D. Joachim; Monday-Thursday 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM; Friday 9:00 AM - 2:00 PM

Clothing
Dial 2-1-1 for suggestions on the closest gently used clothing shops in your area or visit one of the Salvation Army Family Thrift Stores.

Emergency Financial Assistance
Individuals and families will need to plan to use their own resources and financial reserves to help relatives coming to the US from Haiti. NJ residents who are housing relatives from Haiti may find help with utility assistance, temporary rental assistance, and emergency financial assistance through the resources listed on this Web site or by calling 2-1-1. These resources are very limited and may only be available in certain areas of the state at any one time. You may also want to consider visiting www.njhelps.org to self screen for 28+ programs in NJ, including food stamps, family care, child care assistance and much more. You must be a resident of NJ in order to apply.

To help offset the living costs, all Haitians arriving after January 12, are encouraged to visit the local Board of Social Services as the immigration status of the visiting Haitian will determine eligibility for temporary assistance. Temporary assistance might include cash payments; temporary shelter; transportation, including but not limited to transportation from the arrival site to an interim site, and from the arrival site to a final destination selected by the repatriate; medical care, including counseling; and other goods and services necessary for the health or welfare of repatriates following entry to the U.S., such as clothing, telephone access, childcare, etc.

Employment
The ability to gain employment in NJ is determined by the immigration status of the individual (see below.) Contact your county One Stop Career Center to discuss employment, job seeking, training, placement services and English as a Second Language classes that may be available based on immigration status. You must be authorized to work in the U.S. in order to receive services. Be sure to bring proof of this and a photo I.D. with you when you go to the One Stop Career Center in your area. For a list of One Stop Career Centers in other parts of NJ, click here.

Food
Food pantries and soup kitchens can be found in every county in our state. If you are finding it difficult to feed your family, locate a food resource in your community at www.endhungernj.org. If your family size has grown, you and your family may also be eligible for food stamps. Visit www.njhelps.org to complete a confidential questionnaire that will help you determine if you are eligible.

Housing
There are a variety of local organizations working to develop housing options but currently there are no active housing listings for Haitian refugees. If your family is looking to find a larger housing unit, The NJ Housing Resource Center provides an online resource tool for finding affordable rental properties; it can be accessed here.

Immigration Status
Understanding the legal immigration status of Haitians in NJ will be key to applying for services. An immigration office is located in Newark at 970 Broad Street (3rd Floor.) Learn more and find filing fees here.

See descriptions of various Immigration statuses here.
Access a chart that shows Immigration status and associated potential social service benefits you may be eligible for here.

Legal Services
Legal Services of New Jersey (LSNJ) is a statewide, non-profit organization that provides free legal advice in civil matters and, in certain cases, free representation to low-income New Jersey residents. They will assist eligible applicants with TPS (Temporary Protected Status) applications, and civil legal services including, housing, family, consumer, public entitlements, education, employment, and health care access. If you are unable to afford a lawyer, call Legal Services of New Jersey's hotline at 1-888-576-5529, Monday through Friday from 8:00 AM to 5:30 PM. Interpreters are available for Creole, French and other languages.

LSNJ will conduct intake over the phone and either take the case at LSNJ or refer callers to a volunteer lawyer who has agreed to work on those issues completely pro bono (free of charge). The list has been compiled through the New Jersey State Bar Association and Volunteer Lawyers for Justice. Learn more about TPS from their informational flyer.

To learn more about LSNJ, please visit their Web site or call 1-888-LSNJ-LAW (1-888-576-5529). A list of their local offices can be found here.

Medical Services
The New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services is the lead agency for medical and public health support to repatriation/refugee operations in New Jersey. DHSS is coordinating with state and local agencies for medical screening and care of incoming repatriates/refugees. They are also coordinating with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for public health screenings.

Contact your county Department of Health to discuss immunization requirements. A list of county Health offices is available here.

NJ FamilyCare provides information and an application on low- or no-cost health insurance for families 350% or below the federal poverty level.

NJ FamilyCare ADVANTAGE provides information and an application on low-cost health insurance for families above 350% of the federal poverty level.

NJ HealthLink provides information about health related services with links to treatment screening services, including emergency, mental health, addiction, prescription drugs, nutrition, long-term care, insurance, financial assistance and vocational rehabilitation resources.

Pets
If a family member is interested in relocating a pet to NJ, the pet must be cleared by customs when entering the country. Learn more about US Customs regulations.

School Enrollment
Children arriving from Haiti may be enrolled in school by visiting school district administrative offices where the child will reside. Public schools will admit students based on their school district's policy. Individuals arriving from Haiti should receive immunizations according to the schedule on the CDC Web site. Any child attending any public or private school, child care center, nursery school, preschool or kindergarten in New Jersey must be immunized. For information on immunization clinics, contact your county health office.

Need Help? – Dial 2-1-1
You are encouraged to dial “2-1-1” 24 hours a day, seven days a week if you need help in understanding and finding available assistance services. Language translation and TTY services are offered to any caller. You can also search our database for services in your local community or Chat Live with an experienced community resource specialist. 2-1-1 will help identify with you the best local resources to fit your individual needs during times of distress or for life’s everyday situations.

If you know of additional resources that would be appropriate to include in this section, please let us know by contacting us via e-mail at info@nj211.org.

Sources include:
http://www.endhungernj.org
http://www.njhousing.gov/
http://www.lsnj.org
http://www.state.nj.us/humanservices/dfd/programs/workfirstnj/phone/
http://www.state.nj.us/humanservices/dfd/hotlines/
Information provided from the NJ DHS

Page last modified on 4.2.10