Q. What happened to Martin House? Is BCHT still part of it?

A: The Diocese of Trenton officially closed Martin House in 2012 when its founder, Father Brian McCormick, retired. The educational and recreational activities of Martin House were taken over by the CYO of Mercer County at that time. No longer funded by the Diocese, BCHT continues to serve the Trenton community on its own as a 501C(3) nonprofit corporation.

Q. Is Father Brian McCormick still connected with BCHT?

A: Father Brian McCormick currently acts as a volunteer advisor to Better Community Housing of Trenton. He remains active in its mission and in keeping the spirit of Martin House alive.

Q. Are BCHT’s Easter, Thanksgiving and Christmas Holiday Food Basket and Christmas Gift-Giving events still taking place? How can my company or I donate gifts?

A: Yes, Christmas gifts are still provided for the needy, as are holiday food baskets at Easter, Thanksgiving and Christmas time. Lists of the types of gifts and food requested for donation are compiled and organized by the volunteer staff who run our Thrift Store on East State Street, who then communicate those needs to houses of worship, organizations, corporations, and interested individuals in the area. For more information, call BCHT’s thrift store at (609) 222-5537.

Q. Are donations to BCHT deductible for income tax purposes?

A: Yes. We are are a 501(c)3 public charity.

Q. How can I volunteer to help at one of BCHT’s locations?

A: Please call Executive Director, Pearleen Waters at (609) 989-0271 to discuss volunteering, or e-mail bchtinfo@gmail.com.

Q. Are the members of BCHT’s Board of Trustees paid for their time and services?

A: No. All board members serve on a volunteer basis.

Q. Does Doorway to Hope transitional housing still exist?

A: No. The program ended in 2018 when funding for transitional housing took a large cut.