At Covenant House New Jersey, we continue to innovate, expand, strengthen our services and serve more youth than ever before—because the need has never been greater. Youth homelessness remains a critical challenge in our state, and demand for our programs is high (as of 11/17/2025), with 86 young people currently on our waiting list seeking a safe place to stay.
While the challenges are real, so is our progress. Our Fiscal Year 2025 Impact Report shows that we are reaching more young people than ever—and doing so with stronger outcomes.
Here are some of the most significant achievements from FY25:
FY25 Highlights
- 2,373 young people served across our core programs (vs. 1,811 in FY24) — a 31% increase.
- 95,735 nights of housing provided (vs. 79,275 in FY24) — a 21% increase, meaning that an average of 262 youth slept in a Covenant House bed each night instead of on the streets or in unsafe situations.
- 84 babies/children and 66 young parents received safe and stable housing (vs. 54 babies/children and 41 young parents in FY24).
Better Outcomes, Stronger Support
Growth alone isn’t enough—our outcomes must improve as well. This year, they did:
- 64% of youth transitioned to a positive living environment, an all-time high for CHNJ.
- 88% of youth engaged in Dove Learning Center services, up from 83% in FY24. DLC remains a core driver of long-term stability, offering education, job readiness, mental health support, financial literacy, and life-skills development.
Innovation: Expanding Pathways to Independence
Even as we serve more youth, we continue to innovate. Our Foster Youth to Independence (FYI) housing voucher program continues to grow statewide. FYI provides up to 36 months of rental assistance for young people exiting foster care or at risk of homelessness—offering not just housing, but a structured path toward independence.
👉 Read more about our FYI program here.
Preventing Homelessness Before It Happens
Our work is not only about responding to homelessness—it’s also about preventing it. As Meghan Leigh, Senior Director of the Covenant House Action Research Tank (CHART), explains:
“It is important to highlight our increase in prevention as an intervention through our public education and outreach programs and our non-residential programming. These efforts help to disrupt a youth’s path to becoming homeless and support youth with stability, safety and hope as they journey through young adulthood.”
👉 Read more about our prevention and outreach efforts here.
Looking Ahead
We are proud of our FY25 accomplishments—but even more committed to what comes next. Every number represents a young life with dreams, potential, and a future worth fighting for. Together, with our community of supporters, we will continue ensuring that every young person has safety, stability, and hope.
