Anchor House August 2026 Update

A New Chapter Begins: 
Supporting Youth on Their Higher Education Journey 

It’s that time of year again. It seems like just yesterday we were celebrating graduation season, and now we are already in the midst of college move-in season. Images of students moving into their dorms may be flooding your social media feeds. You, or someone you know, may be experiencing the bittersweet emotions that come with sending a child off to college.

For many youth at Anchor House, reaching this milestone can be even more challenging. They may not have family members to guide and support them as they navigate the college application process and, if they plan to live on campus, prepare for the transition to dorm life. That is where staff like Coral Dayon come in.

Coral is part of the Support Staff for our Anchorage Transitional Living Program. She, Anchorage Case Managers Taylor Carmona and Crystal Perry, and the rest of the Anchorage staff and the Anchor House team all play instrumental roles in helping youth navigate their journey toward higher education. Coral says that supporting young people on this journey is truly a team effort. The Anchorage Case Managers assist students with completing the Common Application and crafting essays required for admission.

Once youth are accepted to a school, Coral, Taylor, Crystal, and the rest of the Anchorage staff, led by Director of Young Adult Services Mereides Delgado, continue to work with them, helping with the necessary paperwork to secure their spot and pursuing scholarships and other opportunities that can make higher education a reality.

Helping Youth Find Their Way Forward

Anchor House Grant Writer Nicole Cody authored this article, drawing on her conversations with Connect to Home staff and her firsthand observations of the program.


One of my roles at Anchor House has been writing grants. I am always in awe of the dedication and commitment of the staff at Anchor House, especially those who work directly with youth. They treat the young people in their programs like family. I always say that it makes my job easier at Anchor House writing grants because I write about such exemplary programs and an amazing team.


I had the privilege of interviewing two of these dedicated team members, Connect to Home Case Manager Shioban Peters and Peer Advocate Starr Dasman. Other integral staff members are Connect to Home Case Manager Breyana Vankline and Pauline Leung, the Director of Outreach & Housing Initiatives, who oversees Connect to Home, among other programs. They are also supported by two AmeriCorps volunteers, Maggie Ussery and Chloe Barth, who serve as Client Support Coordinators.


Most of the Connect to Home team is fairly new, with Shioban and Breyana starting in December and Starr in May. But they already seem like veteran staff.


To provide you with some background on Connect to Home, it is an innovative program serving youth ages 18-26 who have experienced homelessness, targeting those who are aging out of the child welfare system or have had past involvement with the Department of Child Protection and Permanency (DCP&P). Many years ago, DCP&P selected Anchor House to pilot Connect to Home in Mercer County, along with two other agencies serving Burlington and Camden Counties. The pilot proved successful, and Connect to Home remains in operation today. As part of the program, youth are given Section 8 vouchers to secure housing, and the Connect to Home team provides supportive services.

August is Make-A-Will Month

Written by Karen Schoenitz, Director of Development

August is Make-A-Will Month, a reminder of one of the most important steps you can take to protect the people and causes that matter most to you.

Taking the time to create or update your estate plans helps ensure that your wishes are carried out as you intended. It is also an opportunity to reflect on the people, values, and causes that are important to you.

As you consider your legacy, we hope you will consider including Anchor House in your plans. A legacy gift is a meaningful way to create a lasting impact and help ensure that Anchor House’s programs are available for future generations.

A legacy gift can take many forms, including a percentage of your estate, a designation in your will or retirement account, or a gift of stock.

If you have already included Anchor House in your plans, thank you! We would be grateful if you would let us know. Your notification helps us recognize and thank you for your thoughtful commitment to Anchor House and the young people and families we serve.

There are online tools such as FreeWill.com that can help you create a legal will at no cost and may be a helpful resource for some people. We recommend consulting with an attorney for guidance specific to your circumstances.

For more information about legacy giving, including sample language for estate plans, visit our Donate page or contact Kim McNear at 609-396-8329 or kmcnear@anchorhousenj.org.

We are proud to announce that Anchor House has earned the Platinum Seal of Transparency from Candid!

This is Candid’s highest recognition level, showing our deep commitment to transparency — sharing clear, detailed information about our goals, strategies, finances, and measurable impact with our community.

Check out our profile and see how Anchor House is making a difference.

About Anchor House

Anchor House helps to prevent and end youth homelessness and prepares youth to live productive and independent lives. Responding to critical needs in the community, Anchor House provides the only youth shelter, transitional living, and street outreach program targeting youth in Mercer County, and one of two supportive housing programs in the county for young adults. Our mission is to provide youth and young adults who are experiencing abuse, neglect, homelessness, or are aging out of the child welfare system with comprehensive services that offer them and their families the support they need to succeed and thrive. From emergency shelter to transitional and permanent housing, Anchor House works to ensure our young people have a safe home as well as supportive and educational services for a better future.



Learn how you can stay involved at anchorhousenj.org

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