Causes: Children & Youth, Children & Youth Services, Family Services for Adolescent Parents

Mission: The mission of Anchor House, Inc. is to provide a safe haven where abused, runaway, aging-out, and at-risk youth and their families are empowered to succeed and thrive.

Target demographics: Runaway, homeless, abused, neglected, aging-out, and at-risk youth

Geographic areas served: Based in Trenton, NJ, but serving all of Mercer County and beyond, Anchor House, Inc. was founded in 1978 by a group of concerned individuals who had become aware of runaway and homeless young people in their midst who were without resources and vulnerable to violence and exploitation. Anchor House Shelter was founded to address the teens' unmet needs and to provide them with the building blocks of hope and healing. The name "Anchor House" was chosen to reflect the core mission of the organization: to help youth in crisis find stability, safety, and calm amid life's storms. Anchor House was the first Shelter in the County dedicated to adolescents and remains one of a scant few such programs in the state. The agency has served as a model for other programs and enjoys a nation-wide reputation for innovation and leadership in the field.

Programs: Over the years, Anchor House’s residential and community-based programs and services have grown and evolved to meet changing needs. The original Shelter is today joined by the Anchorage Transitional Living Program for aging-out youth; Anchor Link drop-in resource center; Anchor Line supportive apartment program; the Connecting YOUth program that helps systems-involved teens develop networks of supportive connections; and Connect to Home and rapid rehousing programs, focused on addressing and ending youth homelessness. The agency also offers a Youth Advisory Council opportunity for our youth to engage in advocacy and community service.