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News from Mission First Supportive Housing: Edison

Resident Spotlight: Jamlyes Lugo

“She’s done so much. It is unbelievable,” said Melissa Mascolo, Director of Program Management for Mission First Supportive Housing: Edison, when speaking of Jamyles Lugo.


Jamy, as she is known, is a 28-year-old single mother of four children aged 10, 9, 4 and 2 years old who resides at Imani Park, one of Mission First’s permanent supportive housing communities in Edison, NJ. She currently works full-time as an Insurance Account Manager at State Farm Insurance Companies.


Born in Puerto Rico, Jamy came to the United States in 2006 at 11 years old. Her mother arrived in the U.S. two years prior to set up life in Massachusetts and prepare to bring Jamy and her three siblings to America to provide them more opportunities and a better future.


Speaking very limited English entering the 6th grade, Jamy worked very hard to learn the language and by 7th grade she was fully acclimated into school. This drive to push herself out of her comfort zone to achieve success has continued through to her adulthood.


From 2009 to 2016, Jamy bounced back and forth from Massachusetts to New Jersey, never settling down, in an effort to avoid chronic domestic violence experiences and poor, unsafe living conditions. As a young mother, with her first two children in tow, Jamy continued to move around, living with family members and in shelters.


In June 2017, Jamy moved into Ozanam Homeless Shelter in Edison, NJ to settle down for eight months and figure out what was best for the three of them. She started working in insurance which helped pique her interest in that as a potential career. At the shelter, her case worker told her about Mission First Supportive Housing: Edison’s Amandla Crossing.


“At first, they offered a lot of resources for mental health, which I did not know I needed. I thought I was fine,” said Jamy. Just before Jamy moved into Amandla Crossing, she was connected to a therapist who helped her address many issues from her past.


As she reflects on the work she has done with her therapist, Jamy is happy that she prioritized her mental health. Meeting with her therapist twice a month has been incredibly beneficial to her, helping her to process of heal from the trauma of domestic violence and creating a future for her family. “My therapist is a huge part of my life. Mental Health is real.”


Jamy’s mental health is the foundation of her success with Mission First. Melissa connected Jamy with domestic violence resources, as well as helped her obtain vouchers for her security deposit, first month’s rent and furniture for her home when she moved in.


When Jamy gave birth to her son, her fourth child, she knew she needed a larger place for the baby and his three older sisters. She put in for a transfer to a 3-bedroom apartment at Mission First’s Imani Park just 6 miles away from Amandla Crossing. Melissa and the Property Management team worked with Jamy to apply for a new rental subsidy and transition to her new apartment.


Once she moved to Imani Park in 2022, she started budgeting her income to build savings.


“I did not know the money I was throwing away until I started budgeting. Budgeting opened my eyes to the fact that I can afford a house if I keep up my commission. I made it my goal.”


Jamy has been working on her budgeting, and by managing her spending and working harder to increase her commission she was able to take her children and her mother to Disney World last year – the trip of a lifetime that brought her immense joy and pride in what she did for her family. Her next goal is to save enough over the next year to buy a home in 2025.


“Once I saw what I could do, I started reaching out to Melissa about homebuyer and mortgage information. I started saving, budgeting, and doing more things on my own,” she said.“If I didn’t live here, I would not have Melissa and access to all of these resources.”


“Next year, I hope to be out of here in a house. I always knew I did not want this forever.” She wants to make her own decisions about paint colors and fix things in her own place. “The apartment is big, so if I had this in a house, it would be perfect.”


As a first step, Jamy attended a free First-time Homebuyers Workshop to discover where she was financially and what resources were available, as well as create a prospectus and plan to achieve her goal. They gave her ideas on what she needed to have set-up for buying a home. She was pre-approved for a mortgage and is working to build her credit and increase her savings.


Getting emotional, Jamy said “I really set myself up. I worked so hard and have been through so much and just seeing this year, my commission is the biggest I have ever had.”


Next month, she is meeting with Mission First’s partner Manasquan Bank for a one-on-one financial literacy and information session about mortgage products to start the process and prepare for next year.


Melissa said, “I have always looked at her as very focused and self-sufficient out of the gate, from the beginning. She is very open, a good self-advocate and able to identify the problem and work towards a resolution.”


She is also a great example to her children, who are watching her evolve as a mom and as a confident head of household. The skills she is learning and imparting to her family are invaluable.


“I sat with all of them, and I told them this is what I want. If you want this, to have a house and our own space, we need to cut down. I started showing them what we are spending. I am noticing that they are cutting back on asking for things.”


Jamy also envisions a future where she can give back to the community. Last year, she and a friend planned and fully-funded an Easter party for all of the residents at Imani Park in the community room. She is hoping to go back to school with the goal to be a social worker, with the inspiration from her mentor Melissa. She wants to create a nonprofit to support domestic violence survivors in shelters and those unhoused.


“I am really big on being independent,” said Jamy. “I want to know if I did this, it’s because I did it. I worked hard. I went through the struggles by myself.”


Melissa and the Mission First Supportive Housing: Edison team look forward to watching Jamyles and her family reach their goals and can’t wait to report back next year when she finds the home she is working towards.

Thank you to our supporters!

Thank you to Amboy Bank Foundation and Manasquan Bank!


Both banks gave $1,000 grants to Mission First Supportive Housing: Edison to help provide essential supportive services to our residents at Amandla Crossing and Imani Park. 


We are so appreciative of the support from our local businesses and partners!


The following individuals and organizations also supported Mission First Supportive Housing: Edison in 2023!

  • Alberio Energy
  • Michelle Burell
  • Sonakshi Roy Chaudhury
  • Christopher J. Morrissey Foundation
  • coLAB Arts
  • Delta Kappa Service Sorority
  • Everett Dupree
  • Edison Police Department
  • First Baptist Church of Lincoln Gardens
  • First Presbyterian Church of Metuchen
  • Friends of Frasier
  • The Jewish Renaissance Foundation
  • Joseph Kohn Training Center 
  • Lambda Upsilon Lambda Fraternity, Iota chapter
  • Kathy McKrystal & Friends 
  • Pennreach
  • Melinda Rinker
  • Rutgers University (Scarlet Day of Service)
  • Rutgers University's Behavioral Healthcare, Community-Based Services Department
  • Rutgers University’s Public Policy Center, New Jersey Travel Independence Program 
  • Rutgers University's School of Biomedical and Health Sciences, Office of Interprofessional Programs
  • Rutgers University School of Environmental and Biological Sciences. Horticultural Therapy Program
  • Rutgers University's School of Public Health
  • St. Luke's Church
  • Lydia Troutman 
  • Volunteers of America
  • Walmart Academy 4153

Imani Park Garden & Horticultural Therapy Update

by Andrea Dean, Horticultural Therapy Intern

 

The Imani Park Garden and residents are making progress and growing strong! From garden installation to harvest, I have had the privilege of working with the residents through each step of the journey. Shortly after the garden was started, a group came together to create a Garden Statement of Purpose:


The Gardens are here to serve the Imani Park community by providing a space to promote and support the physical and mental health and well-being of community members. The Gardens are a place to:

  • learn how to grow and eat nutritious food.
  • grow flowers and plants that will beautify and nourish the Imani Park community.
  • be physically active.
  • find rest and relaxation.
  • gather and connect with neighbors.
  • experience growth and learning for residents of all ages and abilities.


In order to ensure that the garden is meeting the needs of the community, I conduct ongoing surveys to determine what residents are interested in growing, seek information about the types of programs and activities they would like to have, and evaluate how they feel the garden can best serve them and fellow residents.

 

With this input, we have been able to make some needed structural additions to the garden including a fence and gate to keep out critters, a donated table and chairs to provide seating and a place to gather, and supplies to raise the height of several beds to improve accessibility for individuals with physical limitations. Containers have been added to allow for additional fruit, herbs, vegetables and flowers to be grown.

 

Horticultural Therapy is offered in both individual and group format for residents interested in identifying and working on personal goals through the use of plants and the garden. Group work, in particular, provides a chance for community members to find common ground through the recognition of shared interests and goals. Physical and cognitive skills that are gained through the process of working with plants can then be carried over into daily life.


Some of the goals that residents have worked on through Horticultural Therapy include:

  • Improving time management skills
  • Incorporating and maintaining a regular exercise routine
  • Developing and enhancing stress management skills
  • Learning how to grow food and flowers 
  • Practicing healthy sleep habits


Residents express excitement, awe and wonder in observing changes that occur as the plants grow from seed into mature plants. They report feelings of calm, enjoyment, relaxation, peace, improved mood, and pride through their work. When a resident arrives at the garden with worries and stresses, participates in a plant activity and reports feeling better afterward, it is rewarding knowing that this work has provided an opportunity for them to pause and gain perspective on life’s challenges.

 

As discussed with Director of Program Management Melissa Mascolo, residents who don’t usually attend “traditional” programs have come out to participate in garden activities. They also see the work that others are doing, such as planting in front of the building, and express their appreciation. These residents also enjoy the shared harvest of vegetables, fruit, herbs and flowers.

 

I look forward to continuing collaboration with our Resident Artist, Rutgers interns and other service providers to further integrate the garden and Horticultural Therapy as a modality for assisting residents in meeting their goals.

 

As our work with plants has shifted (mostly) indoors for the next few months, we will also begin spring planning. We are hopeful that this will include the creation of a garden and Horticultural Therapy program at Amandla Crossing so that the residents there may also have the opportunity to experience the many benefits that come from working with plants.

SNAPSHOTS: Holiday Celebrations

We have great things planned for the end of the year holidays as well! Want to keep up-to-date on what's going on at Edison and Mission First's other work? Follow us on social media:

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Support Our Residents

Mission First Supportive Housing: Edison provides permanent supportive housing for homeless individuals and families in Middlesex County. Our on-site support services offer our residents access to the resources they need to increase health, independence and housing stability. When you make a donation to Mission First Supportive Housing: Edison, you are helping to ensure that residents have the supports they need to remain successfully housed, get back on their feet and live as thriving members of the community. Your support means so much! 


Donate online by clicking below or by mail to Melissa Mascolo, Supportive Housing: Edison, c/o Amandla Crossing, 100 Mitch Snyder Drive, Edison, NJ 08837.

DONATE NOW!

Other Ways to Support Our Residents

Do you want to do more than make a donation?

Here are some other great ways for you to help:

  • Help secure a matching gift from your employer.
  • Host a fundraising event and donate the proceeds to Mission First Supportive Housing: Edison.
  • Host an essential items supply drive.
  • Introduce your friends, family and colleagues to Mission First Supportive Housing: Edison and encourage them to give.


Do you have ideas you’d like to discuss? Give us a call! We’d love to work with you. For more information, please contact:

Questions about Mission First Supportive Housing: Edison?

Melissa Mascolo, Director or Program Management - New Jersey

609-373-8550, mmascolo@missionfirsthousing.org