Market Street Mission: Serving the Needy in Northern New Jersey

Thirty thousand nights of shelter. Ninety thousand meals. Twelve hundred backpacks filled with school supplies. Two thousand and five hundred winter coats. Thirty-five thousand dollars in thrift store vouchers. These are just some of the ways that Market Street Mission has provided help to men, women, and children in need in Morris County, New Jersey in the last year.

The Mission, located at 9 Market Street in Morristown, ministers both to homeless and underprivileged individuals through its Emergency Shelter, and to the men in its Life Change Program. The program, which graduated 45 men last year, lasts 7 to 10 months and assists those enrolled in changing their lives from ones of chemical dependency to ones of physical, emotional, and spiritual health. Most importantly, the emphasis is on health from a Gospel perspective. In addition to addiction recovery classes and Bible classes, participants also receive instruction in life skills, such as: Fatherhood/Manhood, Anger Management, Christian Financial Management, Relapse Prevention/Chemical Dependency Education, and Employment Skills.

As a 501(c)3 non-profit organization, Market Street Mission and all of its programs are funded by tax-deductible donations from individuals, businesses, civic organizations, and foundations in the local area. Last year, 22,200 individual donors made cash gift contributions. In addition to cash gifts, the Mission accepts used cars and saleable clothing and household goods to be re-sold at its thrift store. In this way, readers are invited to support the Mission through visiting the George Street Thrift Store and Warehouse, at 25 George St., in Morristown.

Additional upcoming events and fundraisers for the Mission include: The National Day of Prayer where participants can join Mission ministers on the Green in Morristown; the Ride for Greg motorcycle ride from Pompton Plains to Greenwood Lake that will raise funds for a local motorcycle rider who was injured; the Race for Recovery on July 4^th at the Central Park of New Jersey to benefit the mission; and the Friends of the Market Street Mission Golf Outing on July 15 at the Brooklake Country Club in Florham Park to benefit the mission.

To donate to the Market Street Mission, volunteer, schedule a tour, or for more information about any of its programs, visit www.marketstreet.org or call (973) 538-0431.

-written by Rachel Mari

RELATED VIDEO: A brief history of Market Street Mission: