FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

The Atlantic City Rescue Mission and economically disadvantaged New Jersey residents win a victory in a court battle over the Community Assistance Office in Egg Harbor City. Today the Superior Court of New Jersey, Cape May County ruled to overturn an Egg Harbor City Zoning Board resolution banning the Atlantic City Rescue Mission’s Community Assistance Office from operating in their city.

Atlantic City, New Jersey, May 5th, 2011 --

The Superior Court Judge reversed an Egg Harbor City Zoning Board ruling stating that the city’s factual findings were not clear. Howard Drucks, the Rescue Mission’s attorney, noted that Judge Batten contrasted the over 200 pages of testimony with only 4 pages of analysis. The court concluded that the Zoning Board failed to make a clear case justifying their ruling, and their statements at the hearing did not comport with the language of the resolution drafted by the zoning board’s own attorney. The board also wholly failed to take into account the administrative nature of the services to be provided at the Mission’s Boston address.

“We are pleased with the court’s overturning of Egg Harbor City’s Zoning board ruling.” said Bill Southrey, CEO of Atlantic City Rescue Mission, “It makes us feel vindicated that underemployed and economically challenged residents in their community will have the opportunity to receive financial assistance.”

For the last several months the Mission’s Egg Harbor City Community Assistance Office doors have been closed as they were forced to suspend services from that location. “This has been a tremendous burden for us, said Southrey, “but even more so for financially-strapped neighbors in the community still waiting help.

Federal Economic Indicators may provide rosy outlook on the economic turnaround but I can tell you first hand, we meet with hundreds of people regularly who still haven’t been able to pick up the pieces. This office was intended to help displaced workers whose lives were shattered by unemployment with emergency fund assistance, budget planning and counseling, debt mediation, and more. When you’re out of work for six months and longer, said Bill, people really begin to loose hope. Some have been lucky enough to make the transition back into the workforce but at substantially less than their former jobs may have paid them.

Fortunately, the Federal government made provisions for funding the assistance program again this year but it has undergone sever cuts. Adding this legal burden of defending our community assistance program in court has also impacted services. Today, Bill Southrey, President of the Atlantic City Mission remains hopeful that they will now be able to work with the City in paving a way for the doors to reopen and aid to return to Egg Harbor City and the surrounding community.

Last year, the Atlantic City Rescue Mission was approved by the Federal and State Governments to disperse funds targeted to help those who were dramatically impacted by the economy downturn, which began in 2010. The Federal Relief Fund was designed to help people make utility and rent payments while they looked to secure new employment. But the local program for Atlantic County ran into a severe roadblock when Egg Harbor City officials voted last June to close the doors of the Mission’s Community Assistance Office.

However, this legal ruling by Honorable Judge Raymond Batten of the Superior Court of New Jersey affords Atlantic City Rescue Mission a renewed opportunity to have their offices in Egg Harbor City reopened.

For more information about the ruling contact Attorney Howard E. Drucks, Cooper Levenson Attorneys at Law (609) 572-7374 HDRUCKS@cooperlevenson.com

For additional information on the Missions programs please or to set up an interview with the Mission’s CEO, please call Tom Davidson at: (609) 345-5517 ext 113

Contact:

Tom DavidsonAssociate Director of DevelopmentAtlantic City Rescue Mission(609) 345-5517 ext 113TomDavidson@ACRescueMission.org

Facility staff is available for interviews and photo sessions. Please coordinate all requests with the contact person listed above.

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The Atlantic City Rescue Mission provides the following community services including: Emergency Food, Shelter and Clothing, Street Outreach, Medical Services, Addiction Treatment, Family Life Center, Transitional Housing, Work Readiness, Homeless Prevention Services and Family Economic Intervention support. They also operate: Project Restart, providing complete home furnishing for families in need. By working with closely with other Public and Private sector resources, The AC Rescue Mission hopes to increase community awareness and support and greatly reduce the burdens of the economically troubled and homeless.

Follow us at: twitter.com/acrescuemission / Fans on Facebook.