The F. M. Kirby Foundation is pleased to celebrate 25 years of continuous support for Community Hope, a beacon of hope that connects individuals and families with life-changing support, services, and housing that foster the independence and resiliency to live their best lives. Through mental health, recovery, and veteran programs, Community Hope helps fill critical gaps in our societal systems and communities.

Since opening its first residence for young adults in 1985, Community Hope has offered support to those with mental illnesses such as bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, depression, and more. Community Hope counselors help individuals learn to manage their illness, become more self-sufficient, and find renewed hope. It offers Transitional Housing, Community Support, Affordable Special Needs Housing, and even a Family Partnership to support families who are overburdened in attempting to provide the intensive support services required for an individual with a serious mental illness.

In addition, Community Hope is the largest nonprofit serving homeless veterans and families in New Jersey. It works to address a major underlying source of veterans’ homelessness: high rates of mental illness, trauma, and substance abuse. Through the Hope for Veterans Programs, CH has supported over 6,000 veterans and their families. It provides Transitional Housing, Permanent Supportive Housing, and Rapid Re-Housing, as well as suicide and homelessness prevention — services that are essential to veterans and include mental health counseling, transportation, and employment counseling.

In all these efforts, Community Hope emphasizes the importance of respect, dignity, and care for these individuals who deserve to live self-sufficient and wonderfully fulfilled lives. The F. M. Kirby Foundation is proud to support and highlight the incredible work of Community Hope.