About Us – Samaritan Inn

We are a non profit organization which has been serving Sussex County since 1977. We provide housing, food banks and education for activities of daily living.

Our goal is rehabilitation. We strive to send individuals and families back to the community with the ability to live and work independently.

We have a very high success rate and a low rate of recidivism.

Samaritan Inn is dedicated to meeting the needs of homeless families.

The program’s inception, due in large part to the dedicated efforts of Sister Thomasina Gebhard of the Sisters of the Sorrowful Mother, helped to alleviate the impoverishment caused by the economy and the forced closing of farms in Sussex County.

901 Swartswood Road Newton, New Jersey 07860
Samaritan Inn Homeless shelter front

HOW TO DONATE

Our Mission and Philosophy

Samaritan Inn provides emergency food and temporary shelter to homeless families in Sussex County as well as a program of counseling and skill building in family maintenance and growth. Its core values are:

Service, Social Justice, Competence, Human Dignity

HOW TO GET INVOLVED

What We Have Accomplished

Samaritan Inn shares responsibility with the helping agencies of Sussex County to:

  • Preserve the dignity of the individual
  • Relieve human suffering
  • Offer sanctuary to the homeless
  • Alleviate hopelessness
  • Exercise good stewardship of resources

All non-disabled residents of Samaritan Inn are working in skills training programs.

In sharing our accomplishments we can be proud that: 
Samaritan Inn’s Family Shelter Program is the only program in the County that allows families to remain at the same location in a private apartment. In this realistic setting (of attending school and work, budgeting, housekeeping, cooking, parenting, and transporting themselves independently) residents are practicing the skills they will need to succeed in their new homes.

Samaritan Inn Accomplishments

The past few years:

In the 2022 Fiscal Year:

Family shelter program provided 8,989 nights of shelter for 46 families / 124 individuals (59 adults/ 65 children) in our 13 apartments. Our food pantry provided 27,040 pounds of food to 1,113 clients/ 338 families (703 Adults/ 410 Children), distributing over 1,352 bags of food. Our Family Shelter Program in 2022, had a 92% success rate of moving families into permanent housing.

In the 2021 Fiscal Year:

Family shelter program provided 7,859 nights of shelter for 38 families / 81 individuals (49 adults/ 32 children) in our 13 apartments. Our food pantry provided 23,920 pounds of food to 775 clients (544 Adults/ 231 Children), distributing over 1,196 bags of food. Our Family Shelter Program in 2021, had a 86 % success rate of moving families into permanent housing.

In the 2020 Fiscal Year:

Family shelter program provided 11,518 nights of shelter for 37 families / 96 individuals (48 adults/48 children) in our 11 apartments. Our food pantry provided 47,880 pounds of food to 1,197 clients (781 Adults/ 416 Children), distributing over 2,394 bags of food. Unfortunately, due to COVID-19, we were unable to have our classes to budget, save money and prepare healthy meals through our Cooking with Coupons program. Our Family Shelter Program in 2020, had a 90% success rate of moving families into permanent housing.

In the 2019 Fiscal Year:

Family shelter program provided 9,052 nights of shelter for 46 families/111 individuals (60 adults/51 children) in our 11 apartments. Our food pantry provided 24,747 pounds of food to 1,454 clients (879 Adults/ 575 Children), distributing over 1,000 bags of food. We taught 83 clients (46 Adults/ 37 Children) in 92 classes to budget, save money and prepare healthy meals through our Cooking with Coupons program. Our Family Shelter Program in 2019, had a 88% success rate of moving families into permanent housing.