RWJ Barnabas Health Expands Support for Families in Crisis Through Somerville’s Healing Homes Initiative

In Somerville, a quiet but powerful effort is helping families rebuild their lives after one of the most destabilizing experiences a household can face: a medical crisis. RWJ Barnabas Health’s Healing Homes Initiative is offering a lifeline to residents who have lost stable housing due to sudden illness, injury, or medical hardship—situations that often trigger financial strain long before recovery begins.

The program operates two fully furnished, rent‑free homes in Somerville, with priority given to applicants from Bound Brook, Franklin, Manville, North Plainfield, Somerville, and South Bound Brook. Participants can stay for up to 24 months, giving them time to focus on healing while working toward long‑term stability.

But Healing Homes is more than temporary shelter. During their stay, residents receive coordinated support to manage their health, reduce debt, and prepare for permanent housing. This includes case management, financial guidance, and access to community resources—an approach designed to address the layered challenges that follow a medical crisis.

A key partner in this work is Affinity Federal Credit Union, which is helping families take their next financial steps. Affinity has committed up to $2,400 in grant funding for participants who reach the 12‑month mark and meet specific milestones such as consistent saving, improving their debt‑to‑income ratio, and completing financial education sessions. It’s a practical boost at a moment when families are working to regain their footing.

For many households, a medical emergency can quickly unravel financial stability. Lost income, unexpected bills, and the demands of recovery often collide, leaving families vulnerable to housing insecurity. The Healing Homes Initiative recognizes this reality and responds with a model rooted in compassion, structure, and long‑term planning.

In a region where the cost of living continues to rise, programs like Healing Homes offer more than temporary relief—they provide a path back to stability, dignity, and hope.

From Affinity Federal Credit Union -Comments can be attributed to a spokesperson

What does the financial education component look like — workshops, one‑on‑one coaching, budgeting tools? The financial education aspect is providing articles, courses and videos for the participants to learn how to manage their money once they graduate from the program. Monthly check in with the participants to answer any questions from the financial education materials.

How are milestones measured for the $2,400 grant at the 12‑month mark? The $2400 grant is paid out to the participant for the last 12 months that he/she participated. It is prorated in $200 payments for each month that they participated and they need to make sure they are meeting the conditions put forth in the agreement such as making regular deposits to their savings accounts, financial education and maintaining their credit in good shape.

What financial challenges are most common among families who enter the program? The participants that enter the program are faced with possible homelessness and the program is designed to help them both avoid homelessness by providing them a place to live for 2 years, and while living there, the participants will learn how to save, manage their money and eventually receive help to help them transition to their own place at the end of the program.

From RWJ

Comments can be attributed to: Serena Collado, director, Community Health Department, RWJ University Hospital Somerset

How did the partnership between RWJ Barnabas Health and Affinity Federal Credit Union come together?

RWJBarnabas Health recognizes that social determinants of health like housing have a direct impact on an individual’s and/or community’s health. As part of RWJBarnabas Health’s Social Impact and Community Investment initiative, RWJUH Somerset launched its Healing Homes initiative in 2019 to help housing insecure individuals and/or families build equity while improving their health. In developing this initiative, RWJUH Somerset sought partners to assist in the development and ongoing support for Healing Homes. Knowing that many housing insecure individuals would benefit from financial education and planning, the hospital reached out to Affinity Federal Credit Union (AFCU) for support. AFCU indicated that it could assist with account management, financial literacy, debt reduction/consolidation and a Savings Match Program. As a result, AFCU joined RWJUH Somerset’s Healing Homes Taskforce and has been a collaborative partner since its inception. Healing Homes began with one home in Somerville and helped a family transition to permanent housing in 2021. A second home in Somerville was renovated by the hospital in 2022 and two families moved into the homes in 2024. One family recently transitioned to permanent housing and the second family is expected to move to a new home in June.

What financial challenges are most common among families who enter the program? RWJUH Somerset allows housing insecure individuals to occupy one of our hospital-owned homes to build financial equity. These clients tend to have low credit scores, limited to no savings and high debt. Through AFCU’s education, they learn to manage money, save for the future and reduce/consolidate their debt. This in conjunction with RWJUH Somerset’s established case management services enables the clients to achieve self-sufficiency and successfully transition to independent housing.

What types of medical crises most often lead to housing instability in Central Jersey?

Housing insecurity is primarily caused by a combination of high housing costs, limited affordable housing supply, economic inequality, and systemic barriers that prevent low-income households from accessing stable homes. Cost-burdened households have little left over each month to spend on other necessities such as food, clothing, utilities, and health care. Due to the high costs of health care, many medical conditions such as cancer, stroke, behavioral health, etc. may limit an individual’s ability to work and/or have to choose between housing or other basic needs.

How does stable housing improve health outcomes for participants during the 24‑month stay?

Safe, affordable and stable housing offers the following:

• Improved physical and mental health
• Improved educational outcomes for children
• Increased earning potential for children in later years
• Increased access to health and social services
• Reduced food insecurity

What supportive services (case management, mental health, chronic disease management, etc.) are provided?

RWJUH Somerset’s Healing Homes initiative provides an assigned case manager who refers participants to resources that are designed to help with their individually identified health issues as well as community resources that offer support for financial coaching (budgeting assistance), credit counseling referrals, and permanent affordable housing location assistance.

Why were the six priority towns chosen (Bound Brook, Franklin, Manville, North Plainfield, Somerville, South Bound Brook)?

While Healing Homes is open to all Somerset County residents, preference is given to those applicants residing in underserved towns identified in the hospital’s Community Health Needs Assessment which have a median household income below the Somerset County average. In Somerset County, these towns are Bound Brook, South Bound Brook, Manville, Franklin and North Plainfield. Underserved towns typically have more needs in comparison.

How does the program address disparities in access to healthcare and housing in these communities?

Healing Homes addresses disparities to access to housing and health care by providing housing with care management services with referrals to medical/mental health services and community resources. By allowing clients to live in a hospital-owned home rent and utility free, the client is able to build equity and as a result, have more access to services than previously.

Are there plans to expand the program to additional homes or municipalities?

RWJUH Somerset initially renovated one home in Somerville in 2019 and later renovated another home in Somerville in 2022. The hospital continually seeks grant funding opportunities to expand its Healing Homes initiative.

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