This month, SimplyNeed ran a week long financial literacy program at the Ozanam Family Shelter, operated by Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Metuchen and located at the Camp Kilmer site in Edison, New Jersey.
Over five days we worked with shelter residents and staff to provide practical, usable skills that match the support the shelter already offers, such as case management, housing navigation, and employment help.
What we taught and why it mattered
Day 1 — Budgeting basics and creating a weekly spending plan so residents can stabilize day to day finances.
Day 2 — Accessing banking services and safe ways to save even with limited documentation.
Day 3 — Understanding income supports, identification documents, and how to use community benefits to stretch money further.
Day 4 — Job budgeting and pay planning for residents transitioning to employment.
Day 5 — Digital tools and fraud awareness so residents can safely use mobile payments and avoid scams.
We designed each session to be interactive and brief so that parents, single adults, and staff could use ideas right away. The shelter’s model focuses on short term emergency shelter combined with case management and referrals, so we intentionally aligned our material with that approach to support residents on their path to stable housing.
Highlights from the week
- Staff and case managers helped tailor lessons to individual needs, turning classroom concepts into one on one planning.
- Simple tools like a printable weekly spending worksheet and a step by step checklist for opening a bank account were distributed so knowledge could become action immediately.
- Community partners and donors continue to bolster the shelter’s programs, showing how small acts such as donations of clothing and basic supplies complement educational efforts.
We are deeply grateful to the Ozanam Family Shelter staff and volunteers for welcoming SimplyNeed and for their ongoing work supporting families and individuals in crisis. We also thank the community partners and donors whose generosity helps make programs like this possible.
SimplyNeed plans to keep supporting residents with follow up materials and remote check ins so that the week of learning becomes long term progress. If your group would like to partner with us or bring a similar week long program to a shelter in your area, please reach out.
Warm regards,
SimplyNeed
551-333-9743
