Finally tonight, bringing focus to the issues of homelessness and inadequate housing.

Newark Emergency Services for Families today held its fourth annual World Homeless Day, providing everything from haircuts and showers to shelter, placement and medical screenings.

As Melissa Rose Cooper reports.

Homelessness was on the rise during the pandemic, but has swelled since pandemic relief aid dried up.

It's food, clothing, shelter, employment, education services, mental health, medical screening, substance abuse, everything that you could possibly think of, just some of the everyday necessities.

Ameena Bey of Newark Emergency Services, her families says every resident deserves.

The need is continuing to grow.

A lot of people think that the need would lessen because the quote unquote, pandemic was over.

But it's still the emergency.

All that the pandemic did was highlight a need that was already there, struggle that already existed.

And the numbers continue to rise.

Our numbers continue to rise.

Our numbers have quadrupled in our agency, our homeless drop in Center for Employment Services, housing assistance, rental assistance.

All of those numbers have quadrupled over the past few years.

That's why Bey says this World Homeless Day event is so important now in its fourth year.

Dozens of agencies around the state gathered at Lincoln Park in Newark providing assistance to more than 600 people today.

And then we give out things such as soap and shampoo, washcloths, whatever.

But I think one of the biggest things is they're really glad to have somebody to talk to and listen to their story for them.

Wendy Hurling is a senior case manager at Saint James Social Services Corporation.

She has been participating in the World Homeless Day event since it started.

It seems like after COVID things got worse again.

They were on their way to being up.

The numbers were lower.

Then COVID hit and it just attacked people.

So the folks without addresses really had a hard time.

Really had a hard time.

So being here, we can reach out to folks.

Some people don't even know about us.

Some people don't even know about any asset.

So it's a blessing to be here again.

People call them homeless.

We call them our neighbors without addresses.

Citigo Williams is also a returning participant, providing residents the information they need to stay healthy.

So many people are suffering because they need help with prescription drugs, anxiety, medicine, mental health services and just preventive care.

So it's very important to be on site on the ground, boots on the ground, doing hands on work, getting people the covers that they need, haircuts, mobile showers, everything that we can do to help our people move their lives forward.

All the resources available are made possible purely through donations, generosity that needs to continue so more families can get closer to the goal of having somewhere to call home.

For NJ Spotlight News, I'm Melissa Rose Cooper.