At the behest of County Prep High School student Jeremy Garriga, the city has agreed to install bins in three municipal buildings to collect socks for the homeless.
After making a presentation before the Jersey City Council, Garriga, 15, was able to persuade the city to put up temporary collection bins in City Hall (280 Grove St.), at the Department of Health and Human Services (1 Journal Square Plaza), and at the Department of Public Works (Public Works Complex, 575 Route 440) for the “Soxcess” sock drive. Other bin locations may be added later.
Garriga is asking the community to deposit one or two pairs of new – emphasis on new – winter socks to the bins. Donations will be collected over the next three weeks and will be delivered to homeless shelters in Jersey City and Hoboken in time for Christmas.
“Imagine what it must be like to be homeless, on the street, in the winter without warm clothes to protect you from the cold.” – Jeremy Garriga
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Garriga has also launched a Soxcess drive at his high school.
City partners with Jersey Cares for coat drive
In addition to Garriga’s sock drive, the city has partnered with the volunteer organization Jersey Cares for the 16th Annual Jersey Cares Coat Drive to help needy local residents stay warm this winter.
Clean, gently used coats of all sizes will be collected in a large bin at City Hall through Dec. 15. (The coat bin is separate from the one for Garriga’s Soxcess.)
“During this holiday season, we are asking everyone to take a few minutes, go through their closet, and see if there is a winter coat they no longer use and donate it to someone in need,” Mayor Jerramiah T. Healy said in a statement last week. “If everyone does this, I know we can reach hundreds of children and adults.”
The coats will be distributed to shelters, religious organizations, and community centers in Jersey City that have people in need of warm clothing for the winter. The Sharing Place, Hope House, the International Institute of Jersey, Mt. Sinai Gospel Church, the York Street Project, and the Parish of the Resurrection are among the organizations that have already requested coats from Jersey Cares.
Jersey Cares, a nonprofit organization, established in 1993, recruits and engages volunteers in rewarding, effective efforts that address community-identified needs. We partner with local nonprofits to identify needs and implement volunteer projects to meet these needs. We provide individuals, families, corporate employees and community groups with a wide variety of volunteer opportunities that range from tutoring children to painting new murals in schools.
Jersey Cares is an affiliate of the Hands on Network, an innovative alliance of volunteer catalysts throughout the world. Volunteering with Jersey Cares is easy; once you have registered and logged in, choose from hundreds of opportunities in our Monthly Calendar Projects, participate in an Annual Event, run a Collection Drive or get your company involved in our Corporate Service Program.
Coats will be accepted at City Hall between the hours of 8 a.m. and 8 p.m.
Toy, coat drive, too
Not to be outdone, City Councilman Steven Fulop’s office is hosting two donation drives as well.
“Last year, our team organized a holiday toy drive, through which we were able to give toys to hundreds of children whose families were struggling during the tough economic times,” said Fulop last week. “The generosity of the community was so impressive that we are going to do it again this year, and add a coat drive as well.”
On Sunday Dec. 4 and Sunday Dec. 11, Fulop’s Ward E office will be open from noon until 3 p.m. to accept new toys. The office has also partnered with the Garden State Science and Technology Institute in Journal Square to collect gently used coats and other cold-weather clothing. The institute has also teamed up with a professional dry cleaner that will clean used coats before they are donated.
Fulop’s office is located at 353 Second St., at the corner of Newark Avenue.
E-mail E. Assata Wright at awright@hudsonreporter.com.