a state program for the homeless has

expanded in Hudson and Middlesex

counties the State Department of

Children and Families program called

keeping families together coordinate

support services for those involved in

child welfare programs

Governor Christie allocated in his

budget nearly forty four million dollars

for homeless programs today he visited

family connections in Paterson where

Michael Hill met people who are still

chasing the dream it wasn't that long

ago when Alicia Blackmun and her now

four-year-old daughter were living in a

substandard basement in Jersey City at

the time I was into drugs I was into I

was into a lot and at the time I really

didn't know where I was going from there

and I went to dye office and I asked

them for help

two years ago Blackman entered the New

Jersey Department of Children and

Families keeping families together

program it's for parents of families

with multiple challenges and whose

children are in foster care or at risk

of going into foster care

it subsidizes their rent so they'll have

a place to live and reunite their

families actually two taught me how to

take care of my daughter and it taught

me how to stand on my own two feet

without the you know life of you know

using drugs or being into anything you

know I'm able to go back to school I'm

able to do a lot of things I want to do

right here okay Michael did you learn

living skills how to cook how to clean

how to you know

today Blackmun met the governor family

connections in Paterson it's one of

several community based nonprofits that

partner with the state three years ago

to launch the keeping families together

pilot part of the effort to curb

homelessness the governor held a

roundtable to hear the program's impact

on Blackmun's and other's lives it's the

best thing that happened to me because

you know I have other children that I

wasn't able to keep them was the same

reasons you know not having a case to

live with them a lot of things I still

need a whole lot of intact analysis you

know your instead of keeping your home

Michelle she's happy you're happy and

you have a structure around you that

helps you to push you to get to where

you need to get to Rwanda and and I'm

reading that right there did that be

able to believe in you

exactly the governor says he's expanding

the program to two more counties Hudson

and Middlesex trying to replicate the

success he's already seen in seven other

counties you're hoping that this

continues to expand housing should not

be a problem in family reunification

this program should be in existence in

every county in the state

Blackman's going back to school to learn

cosmetology so she can open her own shop

one day she says she counts herself

among the Blessed whose prayers and the

prayers of others have been answered

this is what we did you know beginning

of my future and I tell you I didn't

ever think nothing you know what's going

to happen like this in my life

and it is and I'm I think or every day

in Paterson Michael Hill NJTV news

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