Photo by Neidy Gutierrez / SOC Images.
Hudson County and New Jersey officials and organizations are attempting to fill in gaps in the community where residents may find themselves needing help.
Whether it be for a meal, warming center or sharing your concerns, here’s what the county and state are offering.
Food And Housing
Local towns like West New York and Kearny are hosting a food drive on Thursday, Jan. 9.
Thanks to the Hudson County Department of Health and Human Services and the local township, food will be distributed on a first come, first served basis at 63rd Street between Broadway and Dewey Avenue in West New York from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. and at 50 Belgrove Drive in Kearny from 1 p.m. until supplies last.
All Hudson County residents are welcomed at the Kearny food distribution but they must show proof of residence.
In North Hudson, local food pantries and soup kitchens include:
Woodcliff Community Church
7605 Palisade Avenue, North Bergen, NJ 07047
(201) 869-4555
The food pantry is open on the second and fourth Saturday of the month starting at 8:30 a.m.
Gospel Tabernacle
5029 Kennedy Boulevard, North Bergen, NJ 07047
(201) 863-1000
The food pantry is open on the second and fourth Thursday of the month from 4:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
Salvation Army
515 43rd Street, Union City, NJ 07087
(201) 867-4093
The soup kitchen is open on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday from 11:45 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. and the food pantry is open on Thursday at 10:00 a.m.
Palisades Emergency Residency Corp. (PERC)
111 – 37th Street, Union City, NJ 07087
(201) 348-8150
The food pantry is open on Wednesday at 10 a.m. and dinner / soup kitchen is every night at 6 p.m., open seven days a week.
North Hudson Community Action Corporation (Emergency Assistance program)
7007 Polk Street, Guttenberg, NJ 07093
(201) 210-0333 X 22105 | Food vouchers
The Triangle Park Community Center has released their January 2025 food pantry schedule. The regular pantry date is scheduled for Saturday, Jan. 18 from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. at 247 Bergen Road in Jersey City.
The emergency pantry dates are scheduled to be:
- Wednesday, Jan. 8 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
- Friday, Jan. 17 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
- Friday, Jan. 31 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Registration begins at 9 a.m. and a photo ID is required. For more information, you may email triangleparkcc@gmail.com or call 201-994-4302.
Warming Centers in Hudson County
Multiple counties in New Jersey are currently on a Code Blue alert due to the severe cold weather happening in the area.
Hudson County has a Code Blue declaration from Jan. 7 to Jan. 14 from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m with freezing temperatures posing a threat to unsheltered individuals.
If you or someone you know needs emergency shelter, call NJ 211 by dialing 211. For a list of active warming centers head to nj211.org.
For more information, click here.
The New Jersey State Rental Assistance Program
The New Jersey State Rental Assistance Program (SRAP) enrollment period opens on Monday, Jan. 13 at 9 a.m. until Friday, Jan. 31 at 5 p.m.
This is a state funded program that provides housing subsidies on behalf of very low-income New Jersey residents, for decent, safe and sanitary housing.
Only one SRAP pre-application per household will be accepted. The SRAP pre-applications are available only online, no paper application will be accepted, unless a reasonable accommodation is necessary.
To access the application and for more information, visit nj.gov.
For more options in food, clothing and housing through Hudson County, you can visit here.
Winter Recreation Kicks Off In Hudson County
The Jersey City Department of Recreation and Youth Development is opening up their winter programming. The programs vary from basketball, track, boxing, soccer and more.
The program is only open for Jersey City residents from ages 4-24, but you can visit your town’s recreation department to find out what recreational programs are available in your municipality.
To register for the Jersey City programs visit, jcrec.recdesk.com.
Services
Affordable Health Insurance For All
Unlike many countries, health insurance doesn’t come free in the U.S. But thanks to a 2019 law established by NJ Gov. Phil Murphy, people can get insured at an affordable cost.
GetCoveredNJ is New Jersey’s official health insurance marketplace where individuals and families can shop for health coverage and even compare various plans to calculate costs and see what plan works best for them. This program is funded by the state and federal government.
Nine in 10 people who enroll in Get Covered can qualify for savings and even find a plan for $10 a month or at no cost.
Individuals can find out their eligibility and start their application by visiting: https://enroll.getcovered.nj.gov/hix/, which provides step-by-step instructions and allows you to save your progress. If you get stuck on a section or question, there is a help box that allows you to find local in-person assistance; you can get matched to a qualified assistant by providing your zip code.
Open enrollment is until Jan. 31.
Mobile MVC Parks In West New York
The New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission (MVC) is bringing its services on wheels to all West New York residents for one week from Monday, Jan. 13 to Jan. 17 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
The complimentary services that will be provided in front of West New York Town Hall include:
- Driver licenses
- Non-driver identification cards
- Registrations
- Real ID
- License plates
- Placards
- Examination permits
The town hall is located at 428-60th Street.
To take advantage of these services, book your appointment by clicking here.
Community Information
Have A Say In Your Community
If you’re subscribed to the Slice of Culture newsletter, you saw last week that Jersey City Ward F Councilman Frank Gilmore released a comprehensive guide for the city council’s meetings in 2025, how to access previous meetings and more.
“With the new year comes a new budget, and if you’re a taxpayer, now is the time to pay attention! Your City Council votes on how your tax dollars are spent, impacting vital community services and initiatives. Review the agenda and find out how these important topics will affect our residents,” the councilman’s Instagram post read.
For those unsure of how council meeting’s affect them, they can read this and this.
If you’re motivated to keep track of your city’s meetings and agenda, you can find it by visiting hcnj.us, choosing “Additional County Resources,” navigate to “Municipalities” and then choose your city.
Jersey City To Analyze Affordable Housing Needs, Community Concerns
The Jersey City Division of Community Development (JCDCD) is being utilized to gather residents’ thoughts and opinions to apply for the next five years.
The JCDCD is calling on all residents and community members to attend their focus group sessions, which will be held at seven different days, times and locations throughout the city.
The sessions will be as follows:
- Saturday, Jan. 11 from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. at The Bethune Center located at 140 Martin Luther King Drive
- Thursday, Jan. 16 from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. at the Maureen Collier Center at 335 Bergen Avenue
- Saturday, Jan. 18 from 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. at the Hank Gallo Center located at 175 Lincoln Park
- Tuesday, Jan. 28 from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. at the Joseph Connors Senior Center located at 394 Central Avenue
- Thursday, Feb. 6 from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at Jersey City City Hall located at 280 Grove Street
- Saturday, Feb. 8 from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. at PACO located at 396 Manila Avenue
- Saturday, Feb. 15 from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. at Holloway Building Boardroom located at 39 Kearney Avenue
All discussions will be used for “housing and community development needs” to establish priorities in the city’s 2025-2029 Consolidated Plan.
Registration is required. You can sign up by contacting Jade Whyatt at 201-547-6910 or jccplan@jcnj.org.
Gov. Murphy To Inform New Jerseyeans On State Of The State Address
Gov. Phil Murphy will be delivering his seventh State of the State Address on Tuesday, Jan. 14 at 3 p.m.
The address is an annual speech given by state governors to inform residents on the condition of the state. Last year, Murphy focused on targeting families’ medical debt, affordable housing and criminal justice reform, to name a few.
It will take place at the Assembly Chamber inside the New Jersey State House at 125 West State Street in Trenton. But it will also be live-streamed on the Governor’s official Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube pages, as well as via LiveU Matrix.
“Over the past seven years, we have built a state that is stronger, fairer, and more prepared to face the future,” Murphy said in a statement.
“But our job is far from over. As we begin our final year of partnership, we remain more committed than ever to delivering economic security and opportunity to every New Jerseyan. And over the next 12 months, we are going to run through the tape in making New Jersey the best state—anywhere in America—to live, work, and raise a family.”
Murphy’s consecutive second term will come to an end this year.
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