A New Jersey nonprofit organization is celebrating four decades of giving back to the community, aiding hunger, homelessness, and addiction, with the annual "Believe in a Better Tomorrow" gala next week.
Eva's Village, which was established in 1982, has been uplifting the Paterson community for decades by providing food for the hungry, housing for the homeless, and treatment for addicts.
Eva's Village CEO Howard Haughton and former Eva's Village client Pamela Abrams joined "Fox & Friends" on Wednesday to discuss the significance of the programs and how it has impacted the community for years.
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"We do it because we're here to help people who are struggling with hunger, homelessness, poverty and addiction," Haughton told co-host Steve Doocy. "Our community has a soaring need and the need is greater than ever. So we're here to provide the guidance, support and resources that they need that will empower them to live healthy, independent and productive lives."
Eva's Village began as a soup kitchen but expanded its operations over the years to encompass a wide-ranging array of services for those who are struggling.
On any given year, the organization serves around 400,000 hot meals to hungry citizens, but aside from the kitchen, Eva's Village goes above and beyond.
Abrams is a former client, and a single mother who battled addiction. She said she would be in a "spiral" without the guidance of Eva's Village.
"They taught me skills and tools that I needed to handle life on life terms and find a balance between my addiction, mental health and being a single mother as well," Abrams said. "They taught me the importance and how just to have the routine… from things as little as just getting up in the morning."
But even beyond food, housing, and mental health resources, Eva's Village also offers childcare help and provides workforce training to help those seeking assistance with getting back on their feet.
There is temporary and permanent housing available for anyone seeking shelter, and it offers a large array of programs, including mental health resources, to help addicts on their recovery journey.
