Marc Celentana, Deputy Director, Dept. of Human Services

The goal of the Division of Community Services is to provide financial, as well as technical assistance to community based organizations thus enabling them to  address the unmet needs of the community and improve the quality of life for the most vulnerable citizens of Mercer County.

The Office of Community Services contains five divisions: Aging, Child Care and Neighborhood Centers, Disabled, Homeless, and Youth Services.  For more information, please contact Marc Celentana at (609) 989-6982.

The target population includes children, youth, seniors, the homeless and the disabled, and we serve individuals and families who reside in Mercer County.  Services include information and referral, education, legal services, emergency assistance (e.g. housing and homelessness), nutrition, after school & summer day camp programs, senior and neighborhood centers, youth programs, programming for the disabled community, advocacy and a broad range of other human services. 

The Mercer County Office On Community Services works hand in hand in compliance with the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs (DCA) Community Service Block Grant to provide a forty (40) hour per week social service program to income eligible residents of Mercer County.

In Mercer County, the concept of neighbors working together to help each other in their community is a cornerstone of community development. Funding community-based organizations to develop and maximize services and resources for low income clients is a key step in fostering the self-help atmosphere. Each agency requesting funding should emphasize its ability to bring together all segments of the community, including input from business, government and community/clients.

The community center must provide social-service programs for income-eligible residents (all ages preschool to senior citizen) of Mercer County. The agency must follow the income guidelines as determined by New Jersey Department of Community Affairs (DCA) poverty guidelines based on 125% above the poverty level. Primary prevention services should emphasize, but not be limited to, information and referral, emergency services, employment services, educational services, income maintenance, nutrition, health and general services. Secondary prevention services should emphasize programs to serve high-risk populations identified in the local service areas. The center must be able to provide these services on site five days per week.

For more information, please contact Michael Mattaliano at 609-989-6964.

A County Human Services Advisory Council (CHSAC) is a county-based planning, advisory, and coordinating organization dedicated to helping the community meet its human services needs. A CHSAC seeks to facilitate, and enhance the delivery of human services through collaborative relationships across the county, and between the counties and State agencies.

County Human Services Advisory Councils are appointed by the government of each county to review county-level human service activities and to serve as the primary vehicle for making local recommendations to both county government and the New Jersey Department of Human Services decision making process; identifying high priority needs for their community; the coordination and improvement of services to Department target populations; the planning, coordination, and implementation of Department initiatives at the County level; and input to the Department on funding priorities and allocations.

Contact: (609) 989-6926 or (609) 989-6868

The Mercer County Department of Human Services provides funds to County centers for child care. County funds are available for centers serving low-income families. Funding is available for infant care days (birth - 2 ½ years), child care days (2 ½ - 5 years), after school care, and summer camp. Funding may not be used for programs eligible for Abbott subsidies.

For more information, please contact Michael Mattaliano at 609-989-6964.

What is the Mercer County Child Care Voucher Program?
Mercer County has one of the highest costs of living in the country.  The Mercer County Child Care Voucher Program seeks to assist moderate-income working families of Mercer County with the high cost of child care.
The County-funded program will provide child care subsidy to eligible families for children from birth through age 12.
Payments for child care can only be made to licensed child care centers and camps, or registered family care providers in New Jersey.


Who is eligible?
Mercer County parents or legal guardians who are working and meet the income guidelines may be eligible for the Mercer County Child Care Voucher Program.  Families whose gross annual income exceeds the maximum income eligibility level for subsidy through the State of New Jersey's child care subsidy programs may be eligible to receive assistance through the Mercer County Child Care Voucher Program.

What are the eligibility requirements?
· Eligibility is based on gross annual family income and family size.  (Please see income eligibility chart) 
· Applicants (parents) must be employed or attending full-time school.
· Applicants must be permanent residents of Mercer County and the child must reside with the applicant.
· Applicants must submit original pay stubs, children's birth certificates, and a copy of the first page of the most recent Federal Income Tax Form 1040.

Mercer County Child Care Voucher Program
Income Eligibility Ranges (based on family size)
*Effective January 1, 2007 to June 30, 2008

Family Size	Eligible Annual Income Ranges	From	To
2		$27,380	$50,160
3		$34,340	$63,080
4		$41,300	$76,000
5		$48,260	$88,920
6		$55,220	$101,840
7		$62,140	$110,694
8		$69,140	$123,082
9		$76,100	$135,470
10		$83,060	$147,858
11		$90,020	$160,246
12		$96,980	$172,634

For additional information, or to request an application for the Mercer County Child Care Voucher Program, please call Child Care Connection at 609-989-7889.

How much will the Mercer County Child Care Voucher Program pay toward my child care costs?
Subsidy levels are based on the type of child care.  The program will pay at the following levels:
· $150 per month (per child) for full-day care
· $50 per month for before-school care
· $50 per month for after-school care
· $450 per eight-week session of summer camp (prorated on a weekly basis if the child attends less than eight weeks)

How can I apply?
Contact Child Care Connection (609-989-7889) to request an application.

The Mercer County Child Care Voucher Program is administered by:
Child Care Connection
1001 Spruce Street, Suite 201
Trenton, N.J.  08638
609-989-7889
www.ccc-nj.org

Concerned Citizens of Ewing, Inc.
620 Hollowbrook Dr.
PO Box 5684
Trenton, NJ 08638
Executive Director: Herman Kimbrough
Telephone: 882-0856
FAX: 883-9863
e-Mail: ccofewing@yahoo.com

Community Action Service Center
116 North Main St.
PO Box 88
Hightstown, NJ 08520
Executive Director: Lydia Santoni-Williams
Telephone: 443-4464
FAX: 443-4866
e-Mail: lsanlaw@aol.com

John O. Wilson Hamilton Twp. Service Center
169 Wilfred Ave.
Trenton, NJ 08610
Executive Director: Gloria Stephens
Telephone: 393-6480
FAX: 393-1230
e-Mail: jowilson@optonline.net 

Lawrence Twp. Community Council, Inc.
295 Eggerts Rd.
Lawrence, NJ 08648
Executive Director: Carlos Hendricks
Telephone: 883-3379
FAX: 637-0357
e-Mail: lnsc295@aol.com

2-1-1 Non-Emergency Helpline

For more information on Community Services, please call 609-989-6982.