The Center for Great Expectations (CGE) was originally founded as a non-profit organization started by Peg Wright in 1998. Her mission to help homeless pregnant women overcome the destructive cycle of trauma, abuse, and addiction became a reality when she opened the center in 2008.
Wright, founder and CEO, started the CGE with the hope to provide homeless pregnant women a place where they could learn how to take care of their children. The center was a two bedroom and one bathroom rented house serving six women. “Most of the women that come to the center if not all of the women come from nothing and have nothing,” said Wright. Now, the center has served and helped 850 women overcome addiction and helped lead them to healthy lives. The center is located Somerset, NJ. When Wright started the center, she never expected her center to grow as much as it did. Over the years the center has raised as much as $1.5 million a year from donations from private parties and people who believe in the work that they are doing at the CGE, and state contracts.
The programs that they offer include adolescent, adult women, outpatient treatment, Katy’s Place (child care) and permanent supportive housing.
The adolescent program serves girls ages 13 to 18 and their children. The adolescent clients are often survivors of physical and/or sexual abuse, neglect, and extreme poverty. Many have spent their lifetime in the foster care system. Up to 70% of the adolescents have co-occurring mental health disorders. Almost 90% report having been sexually abused, and 60% have been physically abused.
The adult woman program is a residential treatment program that serves homeless, pregnant or parenting adult women with substance use disorders, and their children. Sixty percent of their adult clients also have co-occurring mental health disorders.
The outpatient treatment program is a community-based program addressing the ongoing needs of women recovering from substance use disorders. It is located in is located at the Clinic of St. Peter’s University Hospital in New Brunswick, NJ.
Katy’s Place program is an on-site licensed child development center that provides daily professional child care. It provides programs and an environment where Mothers actively participate in their child’s care and work with the Child Development Team.
The permanent supportive housing program is a program that provides permanent housing for women and their families that were in the CGE. Currently, this housing facility has given a home to their 16th mother and her children. It is located directly behind the CGE.
Recently in a interview, Wright was asked if she would like to expand the center to help women across the country and she answered by saying that they already have. With the help of Mrs. Mary Pat Christie, Governor Christie’s wife, Peg was introduced to a group of women in New Hampshire who were interested in opening a center. They came to CGE a couple weeks ago and Peg’s staff gave them everything they need to start their own center which is going to be called Hope on Haven Hill.
To help this organization, you can donate, volunteer, host your own fundraiser or send gift baskets.
Theresa Gruskos, a volunteer at the CGE has been helping for about a year and said that she likes volunteering because she is “helping people who are less fortunate.” Gruskos has raised over 750 dollars for the center by bagging at Shoprite. If you want to be a volunteer at the CGE like Theresa, you may call : (732) 247-7003
If you have any questions regarding clients or program placement, please call:
Adult Program: (732) 247-7003 x28
Adolescent Program: (732) 247-7014 x10
Outpatient Program: (732) 993-6403
