Emergency Services

The Market Street Mission – Jersey Shore’s Emergency Services Program fulfills immediate basic needs (food, shelter, clothing & other items of charity), gives appropriate referrals, and allows for identification of potential candidates for Mission programs, particularly the Men’s Life Change Program.

The Mission staff addresses a person’s problem based upon the perception of the person in need. The goal is to establish a relationship, to show people that the Market Street Mission – Jersey Shore cares about them, wants to help, and that the staff and volunteers at the Mission can be trusted. The Market Street Mission – Jersey Shore’s Emergency Services play an important role primarily in the community of Asbury Park and Monmouth and Ocean Counties.

Meals: Of The More Than 31,000 Meals Served At The Market Street Mission – Jersey Shore Each Year, Around 30% Go To Men Staying In Emergency Shelter And Others From The Community, Including Women And Children.

The Mission serves a hot dinner to whoever comes through our “Welcome Room” door. Dinner is followed by a Christian Chapel service at 7 p.m. which is open to everyone. Men who stay in our emergency shelter also receive a light breakfast in the morning.

Shelter: The Market Street Mission – Jersey Shore Provides Thousands Of Nights Of Emergency Shelter To Homeless Men Each Year.

Under the Homeless Shelter Emergency Program, a man with transient status may stay at the Mission and sleep in our shelter for approximately ten days. The Mission takes in almost any man ‒ there must be a good reason for a man to be turned away. The chapel is under constant supervision for the men’s safety and wellbeing. Men can shower, have their clothes laundered, and enjoy a safe, clean, drug-free environment. With extensions, a man may stay up to 30 nights during the year.

The Mission works in cooperation with many other community services to assist men staying in our shelter, including Monmouth County Social Services, local day programs (particularly for mental health), veteran’s services, the Visiting Nurse Association, etc. We also work in conjunction with Monmouth County for Code Blue alerts, when we keep our welcome room open during the daytime hours as a warming shelter for men, women and children. If the staff of the Mission cannot help an individual directly, then we do our best to help him/her by giving a referral to a more appropriate agency or group.

Thrift Store: Another emergency type program takes place through the Mission’s Thrift Store.

The store gives clothing, furniture and other household items to needy families or individuals. A pastor or social worker might refer someone to the store for some needed items, and the Mission always tries to meet their need. The county and city of Asbury Park refer people here, so the store is a good source of community goodwill. Most items ‒ from furniture to bicycles and dishes and all types of clothing ‒ are donated by individuals in the community.

Annual Coat Giveaway:

In the fall of 2006 we started an annual Coat Giveaway where we give out approximately 1500 free coats to those in need. We will continue our coat giveaway each fall.

The emphasis of the Emergency Services Program is on bearing an individual’s burden. These services are offered and delivered with nothing asked in return. Many of the people coming to the Mission for emergency shelter are suffering from drug and alcohol abuse, which makes these programs ideal feeders for the Christ Centered Life change program.