Our mission is to prevent and treat alcohol and drug addiction by engaging and supporting youth, adults, and families in life-long healthy living and recovery.
Our Stakeholders:
Foundation Board
The Corner House Foundation Board of Directors oversee the fundraising aspect for the Foundation, which supports the services and programs of Corner House Behavioral Health. Our members are leaders in the communities from various industries who lend their knowledge and expertise to support and share our mission.
Corner House Board
The Corner House Board of directors advises the Municipality of Princeton Council on the operations of Corner House Behavioral Health. Members of the board are individuals from diverse backgrounds dedicated to improving the lives of those suffering from substance abuse and co-occurring disorders in the Princeton community, utilizing innovative and medically supported treatment options like one-on-one and group therapy, and other resources.
Our History
The first Corner House offices, at the corner of Witherspoon and Henry streets.
In the summer of 1972 Nancy Gryzbek and Dr. Shirley Van Ferney opened the doors of Corner House Counseling Center. Situated at the “corner” of Witherspoon and Henry Streets, the agency was started by a group of Princeton residents hoping to find a way to help the youth in their community deal with substance use and abuse issues.
A hybrid from the beginning, Corner House was originally funded by Princeton Borough and Princeton Township, along with a treatment grant from Mercer County. The Princeton Medical Center, concerned with the rising drug and alcohol problems in Princeton, leased the little corner house to the agency for $1 per year. Conceived of as the Princeton Drug Program, Corner House was so-named because its founding “parents” proposed a “non-defining” name. Most importantly it was to be defined as a place where caring people-professionals and non-professionals would offer a variety of services to people struggling with substance abuse and their families. The central intention from the beginning was to build a cooperative network of services.
In 1972-1973 the entire budget for the agency was $32,500. While the town council dealt with the budgetary concerns of the new operation, the Inter-governmental Drug Committee oversaw the program development. That committee eventually transformed into the Princeton Alcohol and Drug Alliance, otherwise known as PADA. As increased funds were required to fuel the growing agency, a core of Princeton residents created the Corner House Foundation, where private monies are raised from the Princeton community through an annual direct mail campaign and spring benefit.
In 1980, Corner House relocated to 369 Witherspoon Street. The agency is now located at One Monument Drive. This move took place during the Princeton Borough and Township consolidation into one municipality in 2013. After relocating closer to the center of town, it was officially renamed as Corner House Behavioral Health. As of 2022, Corner House has a budget of just over $1 million with funding from Princeton, the State of New Jersey, Mercer County, Princeton Regional Schools, private donors, and several area corporations and foundations.