In The News

Family Promise of Bergen County in the News

Senator Andy Kim Joins Family Promise to Serve Meals to Bergen County Residents in Need

On Friday, June 5, Senator Andy Kim joined Family Promise of Bergen County in serving free, nutritious meals to members of the community facing food insecurity at the organization’s nightly meal distribution program in Hackensack.
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Board President Paul Shackford receives 2026 Russ Berrie Making a Difference Award

Paul was among 30 incredible individuals honored at an awards ceremony held on May 8 at Ramapo College of New Jersey. All 2026 recipients were nominated by past honorees for being changemakers in their communities.
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Watch Paul’s honoree video

Family Promise Secures $20,000 Grant from Clayton® to Prevent Homelessness for Families in Bergen County

“This important grant provides flexible funding which can be leveraged to move families from homelessness to stability very quickly, avoiding the need to access shelter,” said Executive Director, Kate Duggan.
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Family Promise Awarded $25,001 Grant from Blue Foundry Charitable Foundation

This Blue Foundry Charitable Foundation will directly support these efforts by funding programs that provide temporary shelter, rental assistance/homeless prevention services, personalized case management, job training, financial education and coaching, and more.
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Family Promise on Your New Jersey

Executive Director Kate Duggan and Board President Paul Shackford discuss what Family Promise is doing to combat housing and food insecurity with host Lisa Marie Falbo.
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Op-Ed: The family that just lost their home could be yours (NJ Spotlight News, February 2026)

“Many people have common misconceptions about a family that is homeless. The reality is that hard times can happen to anyone; any one of us could find ourselves without a place to live,” writes Executive Director Kate Duggan in an op-ed for NJ Spotlight News.
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Family Promise Awarded $25,001 Grant from Blue Foundry Charitable Foundation

No way was snow breaking 35-year streak for Hackensack dinner program (The Record, January 2026)

When the snow storm that hit North Jersey on Sunday, Jan. 25 threatened to end the Family Promise Walk-in Dinner’s streak of serving the community every day for 35 years, the leadership and volunteers who run the program worked to ensure they didn’t miss a meal.
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Bergen County charity serves its 1.5 millionth meal to the homeless (News12 New Jersey, September 2025)

Anchor Kurt Siegelin’s Jersey Proud segment highlights a major milestone for the Family Promise Walk-In Dinner
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Empowering Families and Inspiring Hope With Family Promise of Bergen County (Withum’s Civic Warriors Podcast, September 2025)

Executive Director Kate Duggan and Board President Paul Shackford sit down with Civic Warriors‘s Brad Caruso to discuss how they became involved with the organization, misconceptions about homelessness, and the story behind Family Promise’s daily meal program.
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One Meal at a Time: How Family Promise helps feed our community (Pascack Valley City Lifestyle, September 2025)

Executive Director Kate Duggan and Board President Paul Shackford talk about the Family Promise Walk-in Dinner and how the program is helping families stay housed in the September 2025 issue of Pascack Valley City Lifestyle.
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Op-Ed: We must face New Jersey’s affordable housing crisis

“Just drive through the towns and cities in Bergen County and you will see a lot of housing being constructed; yet very little of it will be for those who are poor,” writes Board President Paul Shackford in this Op-Ed for NJ Spotlight News.
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Wealthy NJ town rejects plan to convert office into housing for homeless families (Gothamist, April 2025)

Officials in Emerson, New Jersey, have rejected Family Promise’s request to rezone commercial property it had contracted to purchase last year. The organization hoped to convert a soon-to-be-closed office building into a hybrid facility containing Family Promise’s offices and eight apartments.
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Family Promise weighs options after site denial (Pascack Press, March 2025)

Family Promise of Bergen County has time to appeal the Borough of Emerson’s decision to reject its proposal to open The Family Promise Center, which aimed to provide temporary housing for working parents with children facing homelessness.
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Emerson Land Use Board Votes Down Zoning Application for The Family Promise Center;
Family Promise has announced it is seeking legal counsel on next steps

During a hearing on February 20, 2025, the Emerson Municipal Land Use Board voted against the non-profit’s plans to renovate a commercial property located at 436 Old Hook Road to serve as a permanent location for its headquarters and programs.
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River Dell Middle School Raises Funds to Feed Local Families in Need

Students organize a “Tape the Principal” fundraiser to support Family Promise of Bergen County’s annual Thanksgiving dinner.
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Congressman Gottheimer honors local unsung heroes during Hometown Heroes Awards ceremony

Executive Director Kate Duggan is a 2024 recipient of U.S. Congressman Josh Gottheimer’s annual Fifth District Hometown Heroes Award, which recognizes members of the community for bettering the lives of those who live and work in northern New Jersey.
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“We need more affordable housing in Bergen County. Our homeless crisis is very real.”

Board President Paul Shackford discusses hidden homelessness and the need for affordable housing in this op-ed piece, which appeared in The Record and on NorthJersey.com in July 2024.
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Listen to Family Promise’s Paul Shackford on WFDU’s Talking Points with Elaine Rivers

Board President Paul Shackford sat down with Elaine Rivers to chat about Family Promise’s mission, programs, and plans for the future. Listen to the full episode, which originally aired on May 26, 2024, in the link below.
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Family Promise Walk-In Dinner Program receives funding from the Episcopal Diocese of Newark

Family Promise recently received a generous grant to support its nightly meal distribution program as part of the Episcopal Diocese of Newark’s Alleluia Fund.
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How we speak matters. People aren’t homeless — they experience homelessness

When I speak about my work as executive director of Family Promise of Bergen County and our mission to provide temporary shelter and support to working families experiencing homelessness, people often look puzzled by the words “experiencing homelessness.” And they ask why I don’t just say “homeless families.”
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Family Promise voted “Best Non-Profit” in (201) Magazine’s Best of Bergen 2022

For a third year, Family Promise has won the title of “Best Non-Profit” in (201) Magazine’s Best of Bergen Reader’s Poll! Thank you to everyone who took the time to vote.
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Catching Up with Family Promise of Bergen County

(201) Magazine follows up their 2016 feature on Family Promise by highlighting the organization’s COVID-19 relief efforts, and its plans for the future.
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Family Promise receives grant from TD Charitable Foundation

This grant — worth $150,000 — will help Family Promise provide shelter, rental assistance and support to working families who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless.
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How a Bergen homeless shelter managed through the COVID pandemic – with motel rooms

After the residents of the county homeless shelter were moved to motels during the pandemic, Kate Duggan, executive director of Family Promise of Bergen County, and board president Paul Shackford began delivering meals to their rooms. Eventually, a steady schedule of volunteers took over the task.
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Family Promise provides free Thanksgiving dinners

Volunteers with Family Promise of Bergen County make and distribute free Thanksgiving dinners at the BC Housing Health & Human Services location in Hackensack on Thursday November 26, 2020.
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Cause for hope in the fight against hunger

As the pandemic wears on, everyone is finding it challenging and, at times, exhausting. Follow the link to a recent Op Ed, written by the former mayor of Ridgewood and Family Promise volunteer, Paul Aronsohn, that speaks to the human spirit helping us find our way through the coronavirus pandemic.
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NJ First Lady Volunteers With Ridgewood Nonprofit

First Lady Tammy Murphy will volunteer with Family Promise by participating in the group’s Bergen County Walk-In Dinner program.
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In Memoriam – Nancy Woods

Rest in Peace Nancy S. Woods, June 1, 1928 – June 10, 2020
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Family Promise Of Bergen County Distributes Meals In Englewood

Family Promise of Bergen County and World Central Kitchen are working together to address food insecurity and keep local restaurants in business. Read about this unique initiative here.

During coronavirus outbreak, NJ’s homeless in ‘extremely dire’ situation

Where do you go to ‘shelter in place’ when you are homeless? Homelessness during a pandemic calls for creative solutions.
Read about the challenges and responses to COVID19 by Family Promise and other providers.

Paul Shackford named Hometown Hero

Board President Paul Shackford was named a Hometown Hero by Congressman Josh Gottheimer at a ceremony at Felician University in Lodi, on July 9, 2019. According to Congressman Gottheimer, this honor is bestowed on members of the community whose “dedication improves the lives of their neighbors, families, and all Jersey residents.”
Paul was specifically cited for his work with Family Promise of Bergen County.
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