Senior living providers the House of the Good Shepherd and Fellowship Senior Living (FSL) announced Monday a signed affiliation agreement that would merge the two nonprofits, uniting them in their commitment to high-quality, faith-based services for seniors in New Jersey.

“Our leadership has been seeking a like-minded partner that will allow us to grow and continue serving seniors in Hackettstown,” said David Sullivan, House of the Good Shepherd Board Chair. “This affiliation will bring stability that will assist us in overcoming the challenges of being a single-site provider in today’s healthcare and economic climate. Most importantly, it gives us the ability to create a sustainable, long-term plan that will enable us to serve older adults in our community in innovative ways for decades to come.”

The affiliation, which has been approved unanimously by the boards of both organizations, must now be approved by regulators, which is anticipated to occur later this year.

“The House of Good Shepherd has a distinguished history of providing excellent care and services to the community and is distinctly aligned with our core values at Fellowship Senior Living,” said Brian G. Lawrence, FSL President and CEO. “As we compared our mission, vision, and values, it became clear that an affiliation would allow us to further transform and innovate aging services to meet the changing and growing older adult population throughout New Jersey.”

Under the terms of the agreement, Fellowship Senior Living in Basking Ridge will serve as the parent company, while the House of the Good Shepherd in Hackettstown maintains its name, identity, campus, and team members. The two nonprofits will share expertise, best practices, and benefit from economies of scale and efficiencies.

Enhancing the financial stability and health of both organizations in a changing era of senior services, the strategic affiliation also connects HGS and FSL’s service offerings and senior living options, providing an even greater array of services and residency choices for seniors to consider.

With a 72-acre campus in Basking Ridge, New Jersey, Fellowship Senior Living offers active adult living, supported living, therapy, and wellness services at its Fellowship Village campus, a full range of home and community based services, and a state-of-the-art community theater. Fellowship Senior Living has more than 400 team members and a BBB+ investment grade rating by Fitch.

Situated along the Musconetcong River and Stephens State Park with access to the Highlands Trail, The House of the Good Shepherd’s 15-acre footprint in Hackettstown, New Jersey offers its residents a very distinctive and serene setting. The community has approximately 100 team members and will continue to stand as a beacon of quality service and care.

“The affiliation of the House of the Good Shepherd and Fellowship Senior Living is a benefit for older adults in New Jersey and reflects the trends we are seeing nationally among senior living nonprofits, who are uniting to do more,” said James McCracken, President & CEO of LeadingAge New Jersey & Delaware. “Both nonprofits offer high-quality services, values based on faith, and exceptional natural assets. This affiliation will create new opportunities that will allow for increased investments and innovation, providing more older adults with access to services that meet their needs.”