Promises Kept, Promises for Tomorrow: Our 30th Anniversary Gala Honoree Nancy Woods

Decades ago, when most people were wringing their hands about homelessness — or simply ignoring it – one woman did something about it.

That was Nancy Woods, and that’s one reason she was honored this year by Family Promise of Bergen County, the organization to which she dedicated her life to make a difference for homeless working families.
“There’s nobody quite like Nancy,’’ says Kate Duggan, the organization’s executive director. “She can be crusty on the outside, but her commitment to, and compassion for, our families goes beyond their stay in shelter. Once you become a part of Nancy’s extended family, she never lets you go.’’

Nancy and her story was the focus on Wednesday, October 19, at Family Promise’s 30th Anniversary Gala at the Stony Hill Inn in Hackensack. Nancy personifies the event’s theme — “Promises Kept…Promises for Tomorrow.”

When homelessness was becoming a crisis, Nancy identified the urgent need for a place for working families who lost their homes. In 1987 she helped found Fellowship House, the emergency family shelter at St. Cecelia’s High School in Englewood. Promises Kept, Promises for Tomorrow:  Our 30th Anniversary Gala Honoree Nancy Woods
Over the years Fellowship House welcomed hundreds of families, regardless of race, religion or ethnicity. Nancy led the organization as board president from 1999 until 2010, after the shelter closed (and gave way to the Family Promise network).

She also was a founder of the Interreligious Fellowship for the Homeless of Bergen County, the organization that became Family Promise of Bergen County. Nancy now serves as president emerita of Family Promise (the FP Family Center at the Ridgewood United Methodist Church is named for her) and as an emerita board member of the York Street Project in Jersey City.

Born in New York City, raised on Long Island and educated at Brown University, Nancy married and moved to Demarest. Her husband’s death left her a single mother of their 14 children, but she still made time to volunteer: as a board member of the Demarest Public Library, the PTA and the Board of Education (where she served as president and vice president). She was on the parish council and the liturgy committee of St. Joseph’s Roman Catholic Church, where she also taught religion classes.

None of this distracted her from the plight of the poor. Nancy conceived the idea of a shelter to house working families who for some reason had lost their home and, though working, were unable to afford a new one in an area where real estate values and rents were rapidly rising.

But Nancy also understood that these families needed not just money or shelter, but direction and support to make sure they didn’t wind up homeless again. And it wasn’t enough to help families, but to help them compassionately, patiently, and, above all, lovingly.

Nancy has always wanted to help, and she’s never cared much who needs it — single mom or single dad, grandparent or grandchild, black, white, Asian, Hispanic, gay, straight. What to some is cliché to Nancy is credo: People are people.

Nancy isn’t the only person Bergen County who’s devoted her life to helping people in need, but she’s one of relatively few who’ve done so without ever drawing a cent for doing it. As she once put it: “I am passionate about my causes. I started off working part-time at the IRF when my youngest was five years old. Little did I know that this would turn into a full-time career.’’

Here’s the testimony of Paul Shackford, president of Family Promise:
“My congregation learned about the IRF and Nancy Woods, and invited her to come to explain to our neighbors about our opening a shelter for the homeless in Harrington Park. It was not easy 30 years ago to walk into a town in Bergen County and say you wanted to open a shelter. NIMBY was a common response. At the meeting, some people shouted down Nancy and others. She didn’t flinch; the ministry prevailed.’’
Sometimes, the outcome was different, Paul recalls: “A year later, Nancy invited me to be part of a group to help her explain the program to another congregation. The room was packed; many people were arguing against providing shelter. A New York City television station – a network affiliate — was there. We stood and told our story, explaining why having a shelter was the right thing to do.  We were shouted down and ridiculed, and we were unable to start a shelter there.’’

But Nancy, he recalls, “just decided that we would try the next town.‘’

Paul’s conclusion: “Nancy’s perseverance has been a cornerstone of my ministry, and she is my most important role model.’’

Art Rippas of Our Lady of Mount Carmel Roman Catholic Church met Nancy when his parish volunteered at Fellowship House. He says what has stuck with him about Nancy is her commitment and sheer thoroughness: “She kept all the balls in the air. I don’t recall her ever dropping one of them.’’

Nancy says her motivation is simple: “It’s rewarding to help people who find themselves in challenging circumstances.”

Decades ago, when most people were wringing their hands about homelessness — or simply ignoring it – one woman did something about it.

That was Nancy Woods, and that’s one reason she was honored this year by Family Promise of Bergen County, the organization to which she dedicated her life to make a difference for homeless working families.
“There’s nobody quite like Nancy,’’ says Kate Duggan, the organization’s executive director. “She can be crusty on the outside, but her commitment to, and compassion for, our families goes beyond their stay in shelter. Once you become a part of Nancy’s extended family, she never lets you go.’’

Nancy and her story was the focus on Wednesday, October 19, at Family Promise’s 30th Anniversary Gala at the Stony Hill Inn in Hackensack. Nancy personifies the event’s theme — “Promises Kept…Promises for Tomorrow.”

When homelessness was becoming a crisis, Nancy identified the urgent need for a place for working families who lost their homes. In 1987 she helped found Fellowship House, the emergency family shelter at St. Cecelia’s High School in Englewood. Promises Kept, Promises for Tomorrow:  Our 30th Anniversary Gala Honoree Nancy Woods
Over the years Fellowship House welcomed hundreds of families, regardless of race, religion or ethnicity. Nancy led the organization as board president from 1999 until 2010, after the shelter closed (and gave way to the Family Promise network).

She also was a founder of the Interreligious Fellowship for the Homeless of Bergen County, the organization that became Family Promise of Bergen County. Nancy now serves as president emerita of Family Promise (the FP Family Center at the Ridgewood United Methodist Church is named for her) and as an emerita board member of the York Street Project in Jersey City.

Born in New York City, raised on Long Island and educated at Brown University, Nancy married and moved to Demarest. Her husband’s death left her a single mother of their 14 children, but she still made time to volunteer: as a board member of the Demarest Public Library, the PTA and the Board of Education (where she served as president and vice president). She was on the parish council and the liturgy committee of St. Joseph’s Roman Catholic Church, where she also taught religion classes.

None of this distracted her from the plight of the poor. Nancy conceived the idea of a shelter to house working families who for some reason had lost their home and, though working, were unable to afford a new one in an area where real estate values and rents were rapidly rising.

But Nancy also understood that these families needed not just money or shelter, but direction and support to make sure they didn’t wind up homeless again. And it wasn’t enough to help families, but to help them compassionately, patiently, and, above all, lovingly.

Nancy has always wanted to help, and she’s never cared much who needs it — single mom or single dad, grandparent or grandchild, black, white, Asian, Hispanic, gay, straight. What to some is cliché to Nancy is credo: People are people.

Nancy isn’t the only person Bergen County who’s devoted her life to helping people in need, but she’s one of relatively few who’ve done so without ever drawing a cent for doing it. As she once put it: “I am passionate about my causes. I started off working part-time at the IRF when my youngest was five years old. Little did I know that this would turn into a full-time career.’’

Here’s the testimony of Paul Shackford, president of Family Promise:
“My congregation learned about the IRF and Nancy Woods, and invited her to come to explain to our neighbors about our opening a shelter for the homeless in Harrington Park. It was not easy 30 years ago to walk into a town in Bergen County and say you wanted to open a shelter. NIMBY was a common response. At the meeting, some people shouted down Nancy and others. She didn’t flinch; the ministry prevailed.’’

Sometimes, the outcome was different, Paul recalls: “A year later, Nancy invited me to be part of a group to help her explain the program to another congregation. The room was packed; many people were arguing against providing shelter. A New York City television station – a network affiliate — was there. We stood and told our story, explaining why having a shelter was the right thing to do.  We were shouted down and ridiculed, and we were unable to start a shelter there.’’

But Nancy, he recalls, “just decided that we would try the next town.‘’

Paul’s conclusion: “Nancy’s perseverance has been a cornerstone of my ministry, and she is my most important role model.’’

Art Rippas of Our Lady of Mount Carmel Roman Catholic Church met Nancy when his parish volunteered at Fellowship House. He says what has stuck with him about Nancy is her commitment and sheer thoroughness: “She kept all the balls in the air. I don’t recall her ever dropping one of them.’’

Nancy says her motivation is simple: “It’s rewarding to help people who find themselves in challenging circumstances.”

A special thank you to the sponsors of our Gala, including BD, OritaniBank Charitable Foundation, Charlotte and Mike Clarke, PNC Bank, PSEG, SUEZ, TD Bank, The Yachad Foundation, Carmine Alampi, Esq., Edelman Financial Services, Lakeland Bank, M&T Bank and Orange & Rockland Electric Company.