Project Self-Sufficiency
The History of Project Self-Sufficiency
of Sussex County
Project Self-Sufficiency of Sussex County was established in 1986 with funding from the New Jersey Department of Education, Division of Vocational Education, under the Carl D. Perkins Vocational Education Act, and the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs, Division on Women, Displaced Homemaker Program. An affiliation agreement was reached with the Sussex County Technical School and the Sussex County Community College shortly thereafter.
Where We Started
Project Self-Sufficiency of Sussex County was established in 1986 with funding from the New Jersey Department of Education, Division of Vocational Education, under the Carl D. Perkins Vocational Education Act, and the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs, Division on Women, Displaced Homemaker Program. An affiliation agreement was reached with the Sussex County Technical School and the Sussex County Community College shortly thereafter.
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The original Project Self-Sufficiency staff of two full-time professionals was housed in two storage closets at the Sussex County Technical School. Once the agency began to grow, Project Self-Sufficiency was moved to a small shed located on the Sussex County Technical School property and remained there until 1994.​
The agency relocated to a rented, 5,000 square foot facility (formerly the barracks for the New Jersey State Police) on Route 206 in Newton, New Jersey, in 1994. A separate Career Center was leased at a different location beginning in 1999.
Our New Campus
Funded by the Community, For the Community
In 2005, a capital campaign was initiated to raise funds for the purchase of land to erect a new campus. The capital campaign succeeded in raising $10 million, and achieved a challenge grant from the Kresge Foundation to finance construction at the new site. The two-year long campaign brought together 895 donors, 95% of whom were local individuals, families, businesses, corporations and civic organizations.
A Legacy of Caring
Agency personnel moved to the new Michael J. Holub campus, named for the late founding Board President, in 2008.
The 5-acre site includes the Selective Insurance Career Training & Employment Center, the B. Douglas Gordon & Elizabeth Houskeeper Gordon Family Counseling Center, the Senator Robert E. Littell Family Literacy Center, the B. Douglas Gordon & Elizabeth Houskeeper Gordon Little Sprouts Early Learning Center, and a large Community Education Center.
The agency collaborated with the First Presbyterian Church of Blairstown to open a satellite office in Warren County in 2012.
Project Café, housed in the Community Education Center, opened its doors in March, 2017.
PSS Journey, Project Self-Sufficiency's mobile services vehicle was launched in March, 2018.