Gateway Community Action Partnership and Dr. Rob Weinstein, Pastor of Bethany Grace Community Church, today announced a new initiative to provide temporary assistance to homeless individuals and couples in the Cumberland County area.

  Bethany Grace Community Church is immediately donating $1,000 to Gateway Community Action Partnership to enable Gateway to extend services to provide immediate funding to shelter the area’s homeless.

  The Church is also embarking in a campaign to raise more funds from the congregation and community to assist with housing the homeless.

  Gateway receives funding from Cumberland County to provide hotel/motel assistance for individuals and families for a 12-month period. Traditionally those funds are expended in 10 months. Bethany Grace’s donation will enable Gateway to provide hotel/motel payments for an additional three to four months.

  “This is the type of assistance that makes Bethany Grace Community Church vital to our community. This is about rolling up sleeves and really making a difference,” Albert B. Kelly, CCAP, president & CEO of Gateway, said. “This is the kind of help that really has a positive impact on a person or a family. We are grateful to have their support and partnership.”

  Bethany Grace’s initial donation will provide direct payment for hotel/motel nights.

  “The other night my office received a voicemail from a man at the end of his rope who had no food and no shelter,” Dr. Weinstein said. “He had been to the Board of Social Services and sat for over six hours only to receive an appointment at a later date. The Cumberland shelter was full and the funds for temporarily housing homeless individuals in our area are limited. I was unable to return his call because he had no cell phone, but the desperation of his voice kept me up all night.

  “During this Christmas season we celebrate the birth of a savior whose parents could find no room in the inn,” Dr. Weinstein added. “It seems fitting we should we work together to raise money to ensure there is room for those needing shelter from the cold. We do not need to wait to do something about it when we have the ability to do it now.”

  For information on homelessness prevention assistance, contact Jo Pearson at 451-6330 ext. 6707.

  Donations for Bethany Grace’s continued efforts to provide homelessness prevention funding can be made online at www.faithinactioncentral.com or by mailing a check to Bethany Grace Community Church Homeless Fund, 31 N. Pearl St., Bridgeton, NJ 08302. Donations are tax deductible.