Down and out in Sussex County

One woman’s tale of being homeless, By Jennifer Jean Miller NEWTON — Catherine Moore never envisioned when she left Sussex County to pursue a life with her then-husband, that she and her son would end up homeless. She was no stranger to transitional housing situations since she and her siblings lived in foster care until the age of 5, prior to being adopted and moving to Newton. “It was scary being moved from family to family before being adopted by my parents,” she said. She lived in Illinois and Texas before her divorce, then she and her son relocated to Arizona, where she had a part-time job at Sears. Things went awry, however, and she and her son ended up sleeping in the back of her truck, equipped with only a few items and a pack of diapers. Prior to police finding them sleeping in their pickup in the desert area of Phoenix, she spent the last few dollars she had to buy her son a meal. “He always ate, it didn’t matter if I ate or not,” she said. The police escorted mother and child to a local shelter for battered and abused women. For a while afterward, she was in the shelter system in Arizona. One of the first situations was daunting, with women harassing other women. In a subsequent shelter, her $38 monthly living fee for her bed was waived when she was asked by supervisors to help manage the place. She additionally worked part-time at a local Kmart. Moore eventually returned to Sussex County and lived with her parents. She worked whenever she could — usually in minimum wage jobs — and lived in affordable housing accommodations in various municipalities throughout the county, including a former hotel in Swartswood. Although still receiving assistance, Moore now rents her own apartment. Her last job, as temporary holiday retail help, has ended and she is looking for work once again. But rather than resting on her laurels, Moore volunteers her time providing administrative support to Newton Memorial Hospital’s Nurses Education Department. She also helps the homeless herself. Moore has donated time and meals, and connected individuals to appropriate agencies. Recently she spotted a local man eating from a dumpster and bought him lunch. It’s been years since she found herself living in her truck. Her son is now 17. And she is still hopeful for a brighter tomorrow. This is the last in Jennifer Jean Miller’s series about the homeless in Sussex County.

By the numbers
There were 234 homeless according to surveys taken in Sussex County on Jan. 28, 2010. Surveys may reflect individual and family responses and final numbers are still being tabulated.
According to Carrie Radice, Executive Director of the Sussex County Interfaith Hospitality Network, it is challenging to receive an accurate count in the county because many homeless are spread out in rural areas.
adice said three of four field teams found evidence of people living outside.
Of the 234:
42 percent are living with friends and family and some sharing a one- to two-bedroom home. (Radice said overcrowding in living arrangements can precipitate an increase in emotional and physical health issues for all individuals and poor performance in school -age children).
25 percent have been homeless for six to 12 months
30.3 percent have been homeless for over a year or more
When asked, “What happened in your life that contributed to or caused your current living situation?”
41.5 percent responded relationship issues, family breakup or family death
35 percent responded job loss or inability to find work
34.6 percent responded the cost of housing is too high
Source: CSH; Corporation for Supportive Housing