Monmouth County is home to countless organizations dedicated to lifting up and supporting their neighbors. Here are three nonprofits—Family & Children’s Services, The Center in Asbury Park, and Mercy Center—making a lasting difference in the community.
Family & Children’s Services
For more than a century, Family & Children’s Services (FCS) has been a steady force in Monmouth County, helping individuals and families navigate life’s most challenging moments. The agency was founded in 1909 after local businessmen witnessed children scrambling for toys tossed from a holiday truck. What began as a grassroots effort to provide food, coal and clothing quickly evolved into one of New Jersey’s most trusted private social service agencies.
Today, FCS serves thousands of residents through 13 programs that strengthen, protect and preserve the dignity of those they serve, particularly seniors and adults with disabilities. From Adult Protective Services—which intervenes when vulnerable adults face abuse or neglect—to home care programs that allow people to remain safely in their homes, FCS provides critical and often life-saving support.
The agency also helps seniors manage the daily challenges of living independently by installing home safety features, coordinating caregivers and offering financial management services for those unable to handle their own bills. An innovative initiative even compensates family members serving as caregivers, supporting both the caregiver and the person receiving care.
As the cost of living rises, FCS has expanded its efforts with a Food Insecurity Program launched in partnership with Lunch Break and Fulfill. The initiative delivers nutritious meals directly to clients’ homes. “Our goal is simple: to bring what people need to them, so no one feels alone or forgotten in their own home,” says CEO Louis Schwarcz.
Volunteers are at the heart of FCS’s mission. Through its AmeriCorps Seniors program, adults 55 and older can participate in meaningful volunteer roles that keep them active in the community. The Reading Buddies program, serving about 1,200 students in 12 schools, advances early literacy and builds confidence in young readers. Seasonal efforts like Operation Sleighbells provide gifts and essentials to more than 400 families and 1,000 children each year, with support from local businesses and community sponsors.
Looking ahead, FCS plans to strengthen senior-focused programs, expand partnerships and increase awareness so more residents know where to turn when crisis strikes. For more information, visit fcsmonmouth.org.
The Center in Asbury Park
During the height of the AIDS epidemic in 1992, stigma and fear left people living with HIV isolated and unsupported. In response, Father Bob Keating and the local faith-based community founded The Center in Asbury Park. What began as a small space offering hot meals, companionship and clothing soon became a lifeline for individuals living with HIV across Monmouth and Ocean counties.
Over the past three decades, The Center has grown while staying true to its mission of compassion, dignity and stability. One of its cornerstone programs is Center House, which opened in 2006. This permanent supportive housing program provides stability for up to 25 residents, many of whom have lived there for more than a decade. The Center also operates four transitional housing units in Asbury Park, offering steppingstones toward long-term independence.
Daily support remains essential. Clients can stop in for snacks, take-home meals and access to showers—a service increasingly in demand. The Center’s housing-first approach ensures that once individuals have a safe place to live, staff and volunteers can help address additional needs. Referrals come through clinics and partner agencies, while trained housing navigators guide placements.
“There is no better feeling than having the safety of a home,” says Charlie, a resident.
Partnerships are essential to The Center’s impact. Preferred Behavioral Health provides in-house mental health services, while Interfaith Neighbors supplies fresh local produce from Fernbrook Farms. Practical supports—such as hygiene supplies and laundry cards—help clients meet everyday needs.
The Center remains volunteer-driven. Volunteers help at the front desk, prepare meals and assist at the thrift store on Main Street in Belmar. They also help power events like the annual spring gala and the New Jersey AIDS Walk.
Today, The Center continues to evaluate community needs and adapt its services to meet them. To learn more or get involved, visit thecenterinap.org.
Mercy Center in Asbury Park
In 1986, inspired by the “walking nuns” of founder Sister Catherine McAuley, the Sisters of Mercy began delivering groceries to struggling families in Asbury Park. That small act of service has since grown into Mercy Center—a vital institution providing support across six New Jersey counties.
Mercy Center operates a full-time Family Resource Center, a stigma-free choice pantry that served more than 118,000 people last year, and Sisters Academy of New Jersey, a tuition-free school for girls. Each program is designed to help families achieve long-term stability and break cycles of poverty.
Today, the organization is facing demand unlike anything since the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. The sudden cancellation of essential safety-net programs and loss of government paychecks have pushed many working families into crisis. Ana, a mother who was managing “just barely,” now relies on the pantry as cuts to WIC and SNAP benefits force impossible choices between paying rent and buying food. Pantry visits have surged 35% in the last quarter.
“The sudden cancellation of essential government safety-net programs and the loss of regular paychecks have created a situation where need has risen to the level we experienced during the peak of COVID,” says Executive Director Kim Guadagno. “Our neighbors are making impossible choices between paying rent and buying food. Mercy Center is the lifeline preventing hundreds of families from spiraling into crisis.”
Winter poses additional challenges, as families face dangerous decisions between heat and groceries. Community support remains critical.
Mercy Center is also planning its next chapter: Under One Roof, a major initiative to bring all programs into a single, modern facility. A generous donor enabled the purchase of the former Walgreens on Main Street, with renovation plans underway as funding allows.
Volunteers and donors remain central to Mercy Center’s work. For more information or to get involved, visit mercycenternj.org or email fooddrives@mercycenternj.org.