For the 11th year in a row, Monarch Housing is conducting its annual point in time count to get a snapshot of how many kids and adults are facing homelessness on a single night.

In all, 21 of New Jersey's counties, the information is critical in helping community groups determine how to allocate money and services.

Ted Goldberg was at the kick off for the count in Trenton today, where the local rescue mission has seen its highest spike in homelessness since opening their doors more than a decade ago.

The Trenton Rescue Mission is busier than ever.

So I think the longest.

CEO, John Hart, says they had more than 59,000 bed stays last year, a 40% jump from 2023.

What we're seeing is just a natural progression with regard to our economy, the issues that are we're seeing in other neighborhoods and which communities are pushing out the homeless.

And eventually they'll travel and they'll move to where they can get care and an oversight.

Hart says the rescue mission doesn't ask many questions.

If you're 18 years old and you need a place to stay, they've got a place for you.

Chairs, tables, even books.

And a TV in their comfort center.

Appear at the rescue mission.

We start with the concept of dignity, and it is not dignified to pack people in either overnight or during the day.

And so we will we have and through the use of this comfort center, it will continue to look for ways to make sure that we meet the needs of our clients, that we that we feed them.

That's really important to us, feed them that give them opportunity three times a day, that we clothe them.

The rescue missions clothing store was moved to what used to be a walkway because they needed room to expand their comfort center.

And that was before today's point in time.

Homeless Count.

Funding for all this is largely determined by how many people are experiencing homelessness in Mercer County.

And volunteers are working around a 24 hour period to count here.

And across the state.

It's so important for us to to have a point in time because it sets the context for us.

Right.

It's important for for us.

And I'm very proud that we're in a county and a state that values this and make sure that it's the point that we should be doing this census and we should be counting those who are in the situations that we care for.

Last year, the count was 934, representing a 30% increase over the year before.

Trenton Mayor Reed Gusciora says that number will likely be higher this year, and Hart agrees with him.

We all talk and we coordinate and we collaborate and communicate with each other.

So we share data and we know what each of us, each of these agencies, each of the folks who are designed to combat the the issue of homelessness in New Jersey and Mercer County.

I'm so excited to come here and get involved in these volunteer.

Victor Ventura is happy to be among the volunteers.

It's great to have a someone who really needs work in their to enhance.

The folks that we meet today, as we know, help not only for us to get the funding, but helps us to make sure they're more than just a number that we count today.

Like many other things, federal funding for groups like the Trenton Rescue Mission depends on this count, but is now hanging in the balance over President Trump's threats to pause federal loans and grants.

Which would include social, social safety net services such as this.

Luckily, the federal courts stop that.

We'll have to see how it goes up to the ranks.

The county, as you know, plays a key role in partnership, not only with the city, but with all of our municipalities to make sure that social service delivery occurs uninterrupted no matter what's happening at the state or federal levels.

And unfortunately, a lot is happening these days.

A lot is also happening here at the Trenton Rescue Mission, where regardless of the count and the president's edicts, workers are doing their best to help people struggling with homelessness and try to get them back on their feet.

In Trenton, I'm Ted Goldberg.

NJ Spotlight News.