By: centraljersey.com
Our motto here in South Brunswick has been "Charity Begins at Home" and once again the community of South Brunswick truly proved that this past holiday season.
I keep using the same opening line each year, but nothing captures the heart of this town more.
Every year for 30 plus years this township has helped those less fortunate to enjoy a wonderful holiday season.
This year again, with the help of some truly incredible volunteers, we sorted and packed food and gifts for 149 families as well as for 81 individuals/families without children who received food.
Our volunteers worked tirelessly since early November.
At Thanksgiving time we helped 198 families and individuals with food as well.
Our volunteers and little elves all know who you are and Gina and I know that you did it from your heart and were happy to help!
We are so blessed to have the wonderful people we do in this community who want to give back by volunteering. People were more than generous.
When word went out in the local newspapers, and throughout the community via emails that our pantry was near empty several times throughout the holiday season, within the week our pantry was back to having its shelves filled.
We thank all of you who participated in one way or another.
We can not thank you enough.
Again we are one of the few pantries that ended the year with fully stocked shelves.
Our schools are an incredible source of pride in South Brunswick. You do so much in support of us and those we serve.
Every school collects food for us at the Holidays and often throughout the school year as well.
I want to thank all the schools that so graciously participated in our Adopt a Family Program, you did better than we could have hoped for.
We also want to thank all of the churches, synagogues, local businesses, organizations and individuals who adopted families as well.
There are too many to mention, another reason for being proud to live in South Brunswick.
Thank you, thank you, thank you!
We truly could not do this program without you.
A special thank your goes out to those units at both Crossroads North for donating more than $1,000 from moneys raised from their used book sale.
We appreciate your kindness and generosity.
Both Crossroads North and South adopted a large number of families for the holidays as well as collecting large amounts of food.
Gina Welsh and the staff at South Brunswick High School, you are all amazing.
Together they adopted 22 families as well as a large number of gift cards.
Your generosity goes beyond words and we thank you for all you do and continue to do for the community.
Gina and I also want to thank the two coordinators of the Salvation Army Kettle drive, Frank Gramieri and Jen Vogel.
Countless hours were put in preparing and organizing bell ringers.
They worked non stop for four weekends in a row throughout the holiday season.
They were able to raise over $5,700 and we thank you for all of your efforts, we know what a huge undertaking this is.
We also want to thank everyone who volunteered by ringing the bell.
All moneys donated stay right here in South Brunswick and are administered by our staff as needed in emergencies.
Our programs could not run without the support of the town council, township staff, and most importantly the Public Works Department.
We also want to thank the departments within the township that adopted families. We thank you.
I would also like to thank the traveling PAL basketball teams for collecting food at the end of the year helping to make sure we start the year off with a full pantry.
Finally we want to thank the South Brunswick Post and North and South Brunswick Sentinel for supporting us all year long by getting the word out for us.
LouAnne Wolf South Brunswick Social Services Director

