Holiday Giving, 2020 Style
‘Tis the Season…like no other. Yet one facet of the holiday season remains the same – the desire to help others in need. There are plenty of ways that we can do so safely and remotely in Jersey City, and we highlight some of those opportunities below.
Jersey City Holiday Toy Drive
Mayor Fulop and the Economic Development Corporation (JCEDC) invite you to participate in the Annual Holiday Toy Drive. This year, you can send a monetary donation or gift card. Please make donation payable to: Jersey City Economic Development Corp., 298 Academy St, Jersey City, NJ 07306 Attn.: Florence Baron. If you need more information, contact Judi Reilly in the Jersey City Resident Response Center (RRC) at (201) 547-4597.
Women Rising
This incredible organization has been helping women and children in Jersey City for over 115 years. They are devoted to helping their clients in dire need – need of safety and freedom from domestic abuse and violence and homelessness. They provide counseling, crisis intervention, job training and placement, shelter, outreach, advocacy and more.
The concern that the pandemic has escalated cases of domestic abuse and violence is well-documented by many advocates and organizations, including Women Rising; “Uncertainty and worry surround us, both globally and close to home. Concerns for loved ones are growing as well as those whose vulnerability often escalates during a crisis: victims of domestic violence and sexual assault, those experiencing homelessness, income insufficiency, anxiety, stress, and many others. Your donation to Women Rising will ensure we are able to continue offering services during COVID-19 and beyond. The strong and capable women that we serve deserve our support and our means to help them receive a fresh start.”
Women Rising is committed to staying open and safely providing their critical services to their clients. To donate: https://www.womenrising.org/about-us
The Sharing Place, Inc.
Located behind St. Paul’s Lutheran Church on Hoboken Ave., this is one of Hudson County’s oldest and largest food pantries, providing groceries (including fresh produce, meats and other proteins, dairy, eggs, and non-perishables) to families and individuals in need. Groceries are distributed the 3rd Saturday each month and no one is turned away. For more information and to donate click here https://www.thesharingplacenj.org/.
St. Lucy's Emergency Shelter
This 24-hour, 7-day-a-week, year-round emergency shelter facility for single women and men is located on Grove St. They offer emergency housing, food and a range of critical social services and referrals like welfare, SSI, unemployment, job training and job search assistance, education, and mental-health/addiction-treatment programs. The shelter provides two meals a day, clothing, and a shower program. They continue to provide outreach services for the unsheltered homeless throughout the pandemic. To donate: http://www.ccannj.com/donate_online.php
Liberty Humane Society
Each year, Liberty Humane Society (LHS) cares for, treats and finds forever homes for thousands of animals, along with providing many programs on education and wellness to the animal-loving community. While those programs are on hold, fostering and adoption of animals is very much active and handled remotely at https://www.libertyhumane.org/adoption. While the shelter remains closed to the public, the staff is still working hard to care for the animals inside and can always use our help. You can donate at https://www.libertyhumane.org/donate to help fund their caring, critical work for our vulnerable animal friends.