First Lady Mary Pat Christie Honors The Center for Great Expectations Founder Peg Wright for Her Work to Improve Lives of Homeless Pregnant Women and Teens Faced with Addiction

White House Station Resident is Named the Garden State’s 3rd New Jersey Hero of 2015

WASHINGTON, D.C. – April 28, 2015 – (RealEstateRama) — First Lady Mary Pat Christie congratulates Peg Wright, Founder of The Center of Great Expectations on being named a New Jersey Hero. Trenton, NJ– First Lady Mary Pat Christie today recognized Peg Wright, founder and CEO of The Center for Great Expectations (CGE) as a New Jersey Hero for her commitment and advocacy on behalf of pregnant women and adolescents experiencing abuse, addiction and homelessness. Ms. Wright is the 3rd New Jersey Hero of 2015 and the 34th Garden State resident overall to be designated a New Jersey Hero by Mrs. Christie since 2010.

“What Peg has accomplished here at The Center for Great Expectations is awe-inspiring,” said Mrs. Christie. “Her strong vision and commitment to a segment of our population that is often overlooked, is providing life-changing opportunities to many adult women, teens and their children that puts families in need on a safe path to treatment, recovery and self-sufficiency. I am proud to name Peg Wright as our next New Jersey Hero.”

Founded in 1998, CGE began as a small non-clinical program comprised of a two bedroom, one bath rented home that served six clients and no children. Today, the non-profit has expanded to provide a full continuum of services by more than 60 full and part-time employees at two residential treatment centers, an onsite daycare facility, an outpatient treatment location and supportive housing units. CGE has served approximately 850 women and children since 1998.

“I am honored to receive this award, and I share it with the real heroes at Great Expectations – our clients and our staff,” said CFG founder and CEO Peg Wright. “I believe people heal people, and our team goes above and beyond in partnering with each young mother to break the destructive generational cycle of homelessness, abuse and addiction. We are different – our programs are trauma-informed, they focus on the critical mother-child bond that supports a healthy future for both, and we celebrate all successes, from small but important, to something transformational. Every time someone visits us, they tell me there’s this great feeling here, a positive vibe, an amazing energy – I’m grateful to be a part of this.”

The continuum of services offered by CGE includes:
Katy’s Place, an on-site licensed child development center that provides daily professional child care and makes it possible for each mother to work on recovery, educational and vocational goals while her child is cared for in a safe, nurturing environment.

Adolescent Programs, which involve residential treatment for pregnant and parenting adolescents and their children at the Center for Great Expectations (CGE) to improve emotional well-being, development of essential parenting and life skills and management of personal home and finances.
Adult Programs, which involves residential treatment for homeless, pregnant or parenting adult women with substance use disorders and their children and promotes the achievement of independence and self-sufficiency.

Outpatient Services, a community-based outpatient program which addresses the ongoing needs of women recovering from substance use disorders and is located at the Clinic of St. Peter’s University Hospital in New Brunswick.

Permanent Supportive Housing, which provides safe, supportive housing in close proximity to CGE’s Outpatient Program.
First Lady Mary Pat Christie meets with Summer and her son, a program participant of The Center for Great Expectations. Governor Christie visited CGE this past fall to hear mothers tell their stories about their inpatient drug treatment and recovery while having the ability to live with their children during treatment.

For more information about The Center for Great Expectations, visit http://www.cge-nj.org/

New Jersey Heroes is an initiative First Lady Mary Pat Christie began in 2010 to showcase the positive and unique ways people and organizations are impacting New Jersey and their communities. To nominate a hero, go to newjerseyheroes.org and follow the application instructions to submit the person you believe is a true New Jersey Hero.