Toms River, New Jersey, officials approve St. Joseph’s Church shelter for homeless families

Toms River officials approved a plan to operate a six-bedroom house owned by St. Joseph’s Roman Catholic Church as a shelter for homeless families. The property, at 407 Lexington Avenue, is managed by Interfaith Family Services, which serves Ocean County. The approval allows families to stay for a longer period and required review by the town’s Zoning Board.

According to Harvey York, an attorney for the applicant, the property began operating as a shelter in 1997. At that time, residents stayed one week at a time and were legally classified as guests. Extending the length of stay required upgrades, including a sprinkler system, modifications to the back deck, and an air conditioning unit.

Mary Cranwell, director of Interfaith Family Services, said the building will be staffed around the clock. She said 82% of clients interviewed live in Toms River. The shelter has a maximum capacity of 14 people, and each family is assigned its own bedroom. Pregnant women are not turned away.

Cranwell said Interfaith’s goal is to help families secure permanent housing within three months, a timeline she acknowledged is challenging. The organization reports a recidivism rate of less than 1%.

A separate report from News 12 New Jersey described the decision as approval of a permanent family homeless shelter at Saint Joseph’s Church. That report said the decision allows Interfaith Family Services, a Toms River nonprofit, to operate the shelter as a permanent residence for up to three families, housing up to 14 people. The two reports differ in how they describe the arrangement: one refers to a longer period of stay, while the other uses the term “permanent residence.” Both agree that the approval followed Zoning Board review.

The News 12 report said Interfaith Family Services has operated a shelter on the church’s property since 1997 and has served more than 1,000 families in need. It said a representative of the organization, identified as Cranwell, cited a 98% success rate. The report did not define how success was measured, and it differs from the recidivism figure reported by the other outlet. Father Scott Shaffer, who works closely with the organization, emphasized creating a sense of home for people in crisis, a goal that reflects the practical welcome of separate bedrooms for each family (Matthew 25:35).

News 12 also reported that Mayor Dan Rodrick expressed support for the initiative. The report noted that Rodrick faced criticism last year for removing a homeless encampment in the town’s parking garage.