A Season of Giving
The holidays are here once again. This is a wonderful season for giving and a joyous time to give thanks. There are so many things this year to be thankful for. To start, our community survived the worst storm of the century when hurricane Sandy struck the East Coast leaving devastating destruction in its wake. During this severe time of need, residents joined together with the corporate community and service organizations to lift friends and neighbors through a very difficult time.
With the celebration of Christmas, and Hanukkah upon us, it is our objective to make sure everyone has a happy healthy holiday. If there is anyone you know that is still suffering the effects of Sandy or has fallen upon hard times and needs food or clothing, please call our Social Services Department at (201) 330-2014. We are also fortunate to have the newly established Secaucus Emergency Fund, a not for profit organization, which was created to help local residents. This organization was developed to assist residents when all other resources have been exhausted. The Secaucus Emergency Fund works closely with our Social Services department. For more information please call (201) 348-4429. If you are in a position this year to help, donations are still being gratefully accepted to replenish these resources.
Many thanks go out to the volunteers who have helped us prepare for the storm and who continue to give time or products to those less fortunate. In addition to the outreach of restaurants and corporations during super storm Sandy, Fashion Delivers truly came through when it ‘delivered’ an exceptionally generous donation of clothing and coats to help with recovery. Fashion Delivers is a non-profit organization affiliated with the adult apparel and home fashions industries that collects donations of excess new products to help individuals and families in need. It is heartwarming to see this merchandise be distributed to families struggling to rebuild in town. The essential items were also given to North Bergen, Little Ferry, Hoboken, Moonachie, Bayonne and Jersey City. Families who were victims of the horrendous fire in Union City were also given coats. Our corporate neighbor Goya donated up to 1,000 meals a day for seven days. The United Way has also opened a resale thrift store located at 79 Metro Way. The store offers new and gently used merchandise at a greatly reduced price. Products are donated by many local corporations and residents.
As most of our residents return to normal this holiday season, there are some that are still displaced and will be out of their home for a long time to come. There are also many families taking up residence in our area hotels since being relocated by FEMA after losing everything. Please keep these families in mind during gift giving this holiday. The annual Holiday Parade and Bazaar was a warm way to celebrate the start of the season. The joy of the holidays was evident in the faces of children as they enjoyed the festivities with families, friends and neighbors.
We encourage residents to shop locally this holiday and if possible, make a donation to your favorite charity. This has been a difficult year for many people with the weakened economy which was compounded by the severe storm. If you would like to be a part of the community outreach programs, feel free to contact my office at (201) 330-2005. Every little bit helps make a difference for others in their time of need. Each of us can share in the joy of giving to those that need it most.