Family Assistance Center (FAC)
The Family Assistance Center (FAC) including “My Choice Store”, is a resource hub for Middlesex County East, income eligible families focused on self-sufficiency. We provide family mentoring, referrals, client advocacy, education, and financial assistance leading to employment and housing stabilization to build long term sustainability. As part of FAC, we operate My Choice Store, offering food and household supplies our families can choose from and we include programing around the social determinants of health. Healthy Eating, Healthy Living by Choice.
Serving Middlesex County East
We serve income-eligible households residing in the eight designated municipalities of Middlesex County East whose household income is generally below, or slightly above, 200% of the federal poverty level. These municipalities include: the Borough of Carteret, the Borough of Metuchen, the Borough of Highland Park, the Borough of Sayreville, the City of Perth Amboy, the City of South Amboy, the Township of Edison, and the Township of Woodbridge.
FAC accepts two (2) income-eligible categories of families; those who are experiencing a crisis situation and are in need of emergency assistance and short-term intensive case management services. Once the crisis is alleviated, our families may move to our mentoring phase if they want to commit to work on goals they establish. As they reach milestones of stability, our families achieve family specific incentives. Our Family Mentors provide community referrals, advocacy and in some cases direct funding. The JRF is limited in providing direct cash assistance, and we rely on partners to help us assist our families when it includes housing instability.
| 2026 Federal Poverty Guidelines | |
| Size of Household | 200% of Poverty |
| 1 | $31,920 |
| 2 | $43,280 |
| 3 | $54,640 |
| 4 | $66,000 |
| 5 | $77,360 |
| 6 | $88,720 |
| 7 | $100,080 |
| 8 | $111,440 |
| For each additional person add this amount | $11,360 |
Making Hope Happen
Our FAC staff work closely with each family focusing on the goals they choose to tackle. We engage everyone in the family who wants to work with us. Once our FAC families make considerable strides in achieving their goals, we ensure they continue to be supported through our Bayside Family Success Center. Using this strength based model, our families always have a hand to reach out to for help. We make hope happen through our hard work and our amazing partnerships!
Emergency Participant Program
Emergency Participants are those who are in a high-level crisis and in need of short-term intensive case management services. Families may apply by scanning or clicking the QR code above which leads to the request for assistance. Emergency Participants will receive immediate intervention to stabilize the situation. Services include community referrals, advocacy and in some cases, direct funding.
Family Mentoring Program
Families experiencing different levels of crisis are recommended to participate in supportive case management services and MUST be referred by a community partner agency. FAC families work with a Family Mentor to create goals and a success plan and are linked to other JRF Initiatives or community-based programs.