Spring House and Manna House combine programs

Originally published Aug. 11, 2011
Eatontown – The Board of Trustees of the Homing Corporation, the parent organization of Spring House, and the Board of Directors of Monmouth Neighborhood Housing Inc., the parent organization of Manna House, announced plans to combine their transitional housing programs last week.
This decision is the culmination of a collaboration process and agreement that the two organizations, which have contracts with Monmouth County, initiated in April 2010.
“Spring House and Manna House share an identical mission — breaking the cycle of homelessness through programs for homeless women and their children,” explained Scott Garley, president of Spring House. “In the beginning of 2010, our respective boards met to look for ways to create greater efficiencies, operational benefits and more effective programs for our residents.”
The collaboration agreement includes a number of initiatives, including the decision to share an executive director between both organizations.
In order to continue to provide transitional housing services that best meet the needs of Monmouth County while also remaining economically viable, the respective boards, in consultation with the Monmouth County Department of Human Services, agreed to combine the Spring House program with the Manna House program in Cliffwood Beach, beginning Sept. 1.
“This decision, while difficult, will prove to be the most prudent means of continuing to provide transitional housing services to those in need,” Garley said. “Working in collaboration with county officials and the Manna House board, we explored numerous options and concluded the combination of the two programs is the best course of action for all concerned.”
“The need to collaborate is something our nonprofits began talking about more than two years ago as a result of the worsening economy,” said Freeholder Amy A. Mallet, liaison to the Monmouth County Department of Human Services.