Warren County homeless treated to haircuts, information at annual homeless census

Project Homeless Connect, which is an annual one-day event, helps develop federal and local strategies to combat homelessness.

Bryan Donalds’ salt-and-pepper hair fluttered to the floor.

“I’m just on general assistance right now,” the Phillipsburg resident said. "I have a job, I, I just can't get off general assistance."

In the music room of Sts. Philip and James Catholic Church on Phillipsburg’s Main Street,  Warren County Technical School cosmetology students cut hair and learned more about their skills and the people whose hair they trimmed. The students were cutting hair Wednesday as part of Project Homeless Connect, an annual one-day event that tallies the area's homeless and helps develop federal and local strategies to combat homelessness.

Volunteers either offer the homeless assistance on the streets or assist them as they visit one of several designated spots in the area. Those helped took a survey consisting of questions addressing issues such as family makeup, services needed, services currently received and length of time spent homeless or without a permanent address.

Participants were offered information on services such as housing and shelter and emergency, financial and legal assistance. Warren County officials also provided information about health care, veterans services, employment, mental health care and help with substance abuse.

Candy Brewster, with the Warren County Department of Human Services, reported that the Phillipsburg location was very busy in the morning.

“It’s predominantly singles, I would say,” she said, adding that more than an estimated 100 homeless had passed through by 1 p.m. “There are families, too. Women with children. Some vets.”

She added that the second location in Washington wasn’t as busy as the Phillipsburg location.

“It’s slow in Washington,” Brewster said.

Anna Hockenbury, of the United Way of Northern New Jersey's Warren County office, said she counted 43 people in line outside the church before the doors opened at 9 a.m.

“This morning it was mobbed,” she said. “Between 10 a.m. and 11 a.m. you couldn’t breathe.”

Hockenbury said there were about 20 people in line waiting to get haircuts.

Haircuts for the homeless or local residents in need of help were part of the outreach. Donalds walked in the door and headed straight for the makeshift salon set up in the church basement.

This is the fourth year Warren Tech students, including those enrolled in the school's adult programs, participated in Project Homeless Connect. The school had four students each at the Phillipsburg location and at the Washington location. Students said they provided as many as 75 haircuts in Phillipsburg and about 20 in Washington.

Stacey Liebow, 28, from Washington Township, with her dangling earrings and black gown, cut Donalds' hair.

“It helps you meet different kinds of people,” she said.

Harry Fuerstenberger, with the Hunterdon County Department of Human Services, said volunteers stationed mainly in Flemington and Lambertville distributed coats and information about county or agency services. Hunterdon uses outside nonprofit agencies to count the homeless population, he said.

Fuerstenberger said Wednesday that the homeless count was not immediately available and estimates that between both locations, 20 people sought assistance.

“Today is a very unusual day though. It’s quite warm outside,” he said. “But then this weekend it’s going to be freezing again and that’s when they’ll need all these coats.”