A group of advocates representing New Jersey’s homeless population will head to the nation’s capital to call on Congress to refrain from cutting federal housing vouchers.

Single mother Nichole Allen keeps a photo of herself and her son taken during the nine months that they lived in the Family Promise shelter in Union County as a reminder. She is now renting her own home in a neighborhood that she says she loves in Cranford.

“I feel like I’m a voice for the homeless,” she says. “They need help, and they need some hearts of compassion.”

Allen and her son lived at the shelter after Union County Social Services told them that it was the only place they could go.

“I tried going to social services. I went to probably like five of them in different counties. And all of them basically rejected me,” she says.

Allen has now finished her bachelor’s degree and wrote a book about her experiences.

She will be among the advocates heading to Capitol Hill Wednesday to attend a congressional reception and to share her story with federal lawmakers. 

Monarch Housing Associates organized the trip.

New Jersey has some of the highest housing costs in the nation. Advocates also say that the state has an affordable housing crisis.

The advocates will also meet with New Jersey’s congressional delegation.