For many children, selecting a new backpack is a “rite of passage,” signifying the start of the school year.

What we may not realize is that many families struggle financially when it’s time to send their kids to school, and items, like a backpack, are an added cost to a tight budget.

Who exactly are the “Friends of MEND” and what do they do?

Friends of MEND, Inc. is a New Jersey nonprofit corporation recognized by the IRS as a 501(c)3 organization and is governed by a local Board of Trustees.

President & CEO Matthew Reilly on the Garden State’s affordable housing prowess

Our northeastern neighbors in Connecticut are getting around to wrestling with urban/suburban affordable housing issues. The South Central Regional Council of Government (SCROG) recently voted unanimously to establish a committee that would work to develop a 15-town strategy to tackle affordable housing.

President & CEO Matthew Reilly reflects on MEND’s 50^th anniversary.

We are thrilled to launch a year-long celebration for MEND’s 50^th anniversary! Much has changed in the last half-century, but one thing has remained the same – our commitment to providing good, decent, hard-working people with a safe and secure place to call home.