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The Atlantic City Free Public Library

Atlantic City Guide: Essential Services

All the information you need on how to enjoy your time in Atlantic City, find out more about the City itself and the services offered to visitors as well as residents.

Are You Eligible for Assistance?

Work First New Jersey

General Assistance (WorkFirst NJ) Benefits include: food, clothing, shelter and household furnishings; temporary rental assistance or back rent or mortgage payments; utility payments (e.g. heat, water, electric); transportation to search for housing; and moving expenses.  Eligible persons include  the homeless or those at immediate risk of becoming homeless, and those who have experienced a substantial loss of housing, food, clothing or household furnishings due to fire, flood or similar disaster. WFNJ clients may receive Emergency Assistance in certain situations.

In order to receive TANF benefits in New Jersey, residents must file an application with their local county welfare office (See below for locations).

Atlantic County Department of Family and Community Development administers the Work First New Jersey welfare reform program. It attempts to solve the problems of TANF, Food Stamp and Medicaid recipients, as well as problems with housing and emergency assistance. 

Office Locations:  Hours M-F 8:30-4:30

County Office Building
1333 Atlantic Avenue
Atlantic City, NJ 08401
(609) 348-3001

Pleasantville One Stop Center
2 South Main Street
Pleasantville, NJ 08232
(609) 485-0227

Food & Meals

ATLANTIC CITY FOOD PANTRIES

As AC residents are not permitted to use the Egg Harbor Township food bank, they must use one of the following locations which serve the Atlantic City area:  Please call to find out which days, what time and what ID is needed to get food baskets.

Catholic Charities  9 North Georgia Avenue Atlantic City, NJ 08401    343-3448

Community Harvest     233 N New York Ave., Atlantic City, NJ 08401   272-1678

Grace Assembly of God     201 Atlantic Ave, Atlantic City, NJ 08401  839-2986

Salvation Army       22 S Texas Ave, Atlantic City, NJ 08401     344-0660

St. Andrews       936 Baltic Ave, Atlantic City, NJ 08401           344-7333

St. James AME Church    101 N New York Ave, Atlantic City, NJ 08401    345-0179 

St. Nicholas of Tolentine      1409 Pacific Ave, Atlantic City, NJ 08401       344-1040

Zion Redevelopment      525 Atlantic Ave, Atlantic City, NJ 08401              348-9304

 

Identification & Legal Services

Volunteer Opportunities

Volunteer Opportunities, Atlantic County

Click on one of the images (for the Animal Shelter, Intergenerational Services, or Meadowview);  for more information on volunteering at one of these sites. For additional information about Volunteer opportunities in Atlantic County please contact Susan Worthington, our Volunteer Coordinator at(609) 343-2233 or send her an email at volunteer@aclink.org

Free Cell Phone

Headstart

Address: James Usry Head Start Center (Serving 6 weeks to 5 year old children)
1010 Drexel Avenue
Atlantic City, NJ 08401

For more information, please contact:  Family Advocate, Ronald Glass, Carla Thomas,   La Toya Dunston, or Carmen Sotomayor at 609-428-6719, or 957-6946; Site Director:  Kimberly Clark at 609-501-7152

This Head Start Center provides center-based childcare for preschoolers, including those with special needs.  All programs provide the following services, free of charge, to qualifying families--Individualized Education Programs; Breakfast/Lunch/Snack. 

Address: Gateway Head Start Early Education Center
1433 Bacharach Blvd.
Atlantic City, NJ 08401-4417                                                                                                                                                       
For more information please contact:
Website: http://www.gatewaycap.org/                                                                                                                                                                  Phone: (609) 487-4540

Head Start is a federal program that promotes the school readiness of children ages birth to five from low-income families by enhancing their cognitive, social, and emotional development. Head Start programs provide a learning environment that supports children's growth in the following domains: language and literacy; cognition and general knowledge; physical development and health; social and emotional development; and approaches to learning. 

Use the Head Start Locator to find a Head Start or Early Head Start program near you. 

Housing, Shelters, Drop-in Centers

Having temporary residency shouldn't stop you from getting a library card.  Stop by the Circulation Desk to find out more and apply for your free library card today.

Affordable Housing

Income Based Housing-Atlantic City

For more information visit https://www.lowincomehousing.us/NJ/atlantic_city.html

Atlantic Villas

800 N. Maryland Ave
Atlantic City, NJ - 08401
(609) 347-9210
Atlantic Villas offers affordable housing to low income individuals. The rent is subsidized by the government for those who qualify.  Contact Atlantic Villas for complete details on eligibility requirements, availability of rentals, and their application procedures for affordable housing.

Barclay Arms

721 Pennsylvania Ave
Atlantic City, NJ - 08404
(609) 344-6120

Barclay Arms offers affordable housing to low income families. The rent is subsidized by the government for those who qualify.  The complex features 2, 3 and 4-bedroom apartments.Contact Barclay Arms for complete details on eligibility requirements, availability of rentals, and their application.

Barlinvis Apartments

2006 Beach Ave
Atlantic City, NJ - 08401
(609) 344-7424

Barlinvis Apartments offers affordable housing to low income individuals. The rent is subsidized by the government for those who qualify.  The complex features 1, 2 and 3-bedroom apartments.Contact Barlinvis Apartments for complete details on eligibility requirements, and availability of rentals,

Baltic Plaza Senior Apartments

1313 Baltic Ave
Atlantic City, NJ - 08401
(609) 347-9550

This is a low income apartment. The government gives funds directly to this apartment owner. They charge lower rent for low income persons. Contact this apartment for low rent, Senior housing apartments with subsidized government low income rates. Call (609) 347-9550 for more information.

Brigantine Homes
    1062 Brigantine Blvd
    Atlantic City, NJ - 08401
    609-344-7069
Brigantine homes is a family low income housing apartment subsidized by the federal
governments HUD. Contact brigantine homes for complete details on the current vacancies and housing applications..

Bright's Villa North and South (family)

 263A N Indiana Ave (North)
Atlantic City, NJ - 08401
(609) 347-8049  

263a North Indiana Avenue (South)
Atlantic City, NJ - 08401
609-347-8049

Bright's villa North and South are family low income housing apartments subsidized by the federal governments, e.g. HUD . Contact the apartment complex for complete details on the current vacancies and housing applications...

Carver Hall Apartments  (family)

512 N. S Carolina Ave
Atlantic City, NJ - 08401
(609) 344-8542
Carver Hall Apartments offers affordable housing to low income individuals and families. The rent is subsidized by the government for those who qualify.  The complex features 1 and 2 bedroom apartments.Contact Carver Hall for complete details on eligibility requirements, availability

Community Haven aka Community Haven (elderly)

35 South Virginia Avenue
Atlantic City, NJ - 08401
(609) 347-9400
Community Haven offers studio and one bedroom apartments, and is located minutes away from the boardwalk in Atlantic City. Community Haven is a Senior community for all persons 62 years of age and older.  Rent is based on income.  Applications accepted from all persons 62 years and older

Elliott House Senior Apartments

710 N. New York Ave
Atlantic City, NJ - 08401
(609) 344-7328
Elliott House Apartments is an affordable rental housing for low income Seniors. The rent is subsidized by the government for those who qualify. The complex features one bedroom units.Contact Elliott House for complete details on eligibility requirements, availability of rentals, and their application.

Affordable Housing (not income based)

Atlantic City Townhouses
1330 Mediterranean Ave
Atlantic City, NJ 08401

This property does not provide any Federal rent subsidies to renters reducing total tenant payments to 30% of their adjusted income. Renters are required to pay the full rent, even if it is in excess of 30% of their income.

Best of Life Park
129 S Virginia Ave
Atlantic City,  New Jersey 08401

This property does not provide any Federal rent subsidies to renters reducing total tenant payments to 30% of their adjusted income. Renters are required to pay the full rent, even if it is in excess of 30% of their income.

Driver's License

How do I get sample questions for the NJ driving test (DMV)

Please consult the following website
https://www.state.nj.us/mvc/license/knowledgetest.htm

Atlantic County Reentry Programs

Fresh Start @ Atlantic City Free Public Library     

Just returned home from an incarceration and looking for a job? You've done your time...now it's time for a Fresh Start!  Your local public library can help. Not from Atlantic City? Search here for the nearest Fresh Start @ Your Library.                                                                                          

Volunteers of America Delaware Valley
Atlantic City Safe Return

26 S. Pennsylvania Ave.
Atlantic City, 08401
609-541-2806

Assists ex-offenders find employment, housing, health care, substance abuse
treatment, and training.

Atlantic County Reentry Services
48 N. Main Street Pleasantville NJ 08232 (also in former One Stop Center AC 3 days per week)
Contact:  Riheem Harris, Operations Manager, 609-453-8746, riheem_harris@acrrentry.net

JFS Mentoring Program 

Jewish Family Service of Atlantic County, Jail Reentry Services Program Jewish Family Service (JFS) is contracted by Atlantic County to provide individualized discharge planning and reentry services to the sentenced inmate population at the ACJF. Most of this population experiences a high rate of opiate and alcohol abuse, co-occurring mental health disorders and trauma (historical, childhood, and current). This discharge planning and reentry program utilizes the APIC Model (Assess, Plan, Identify, Coordinate) developed through the SAMSHA funded GAINS Center for People with Co-occurring Disorders in the Justice System. JFS partners with John Brooks Recovery Center and several community based organization to provide reentry services. JFS has a Memorandum of Understanding with Atlantic County that agrees to a Mentoring Program that will connect trained Reentry Coaches (mentors) and Participants (mentees) currently incarcerated at the ACJF. The program relies on volunteer coaches primarily from local churches. The Second Baptist Church in Atlantic City will lead the initiative to recruit and train mentors.

For Further Information: Laura Rodgers
Senior Director, Mental Health Services
607 Jerome Avenue
Margate, NJ 08402
lrodgers@jfsatlantic.org

Detox & Outpatient Programs

Hospitals

MBOS

PERS, TPAF, PFRS, or SPRS members must submit loan requests using the Loan Application programs of the Member Benefits Online System (MBOS) www.state.nj.us/treasury/pensions.or the New Automated Information System at (609) 777-1777, available 24/7.  When using MBOS or the Automated Information System, you can determine your eligibility to borrow, the maximum amount you may borrow, and calculate various repayment options, and have your loan request processed.

Medical Assistance

Mental Health

Public Transportation Information

Veterans

Women's and Family Resources

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