Group provides meals, clothing to poor
By Jenine Clancy, Special Writer
Rise, the non-profit social service organization in Mercer County, has been helping residents of Hightstown and East Windsor for decades.
This summer has seen more help, with extended hours at their Greater Goods Thrift Store on Rogers Avenue, and free meals offered twice for needy families at the town’s churches.
Greater Goods, now open Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. offers recycled and gently used clothing, furniture and household items.
Volunteer Coordinator Maitiel Jimenez said she manages about 100 volunteers, composed of individuals and organizations and schools, like the Peddie School.
She said anyone can come in and donate, and that all proceeds support the Rise Food Pantry, youth programs and provide social services to local struggling families and individuals.
"It’s easy access to the residents of Hightstown," Jimenez said. " A lot of families don’t have transportation and come walking in, it’s easy and unaffordable and they can buy things that they wouldn’t be able to buy at another store," she said.
Over 20 bags of donations come in a day, according to Jimenez. Jacquelyn Rosario who has been volunteering at Greater Goods for four years admitted sometimes it can get a little bit overwhelming with the large amount of donations that come in, but she said it’s all worth it.
"These families that come in get to know us," Roasrio said. "It starts to become a sense of a community."
Another volunteer, Frances Yarnoff has been at the thrift store for nearly a decade.
Yarnoff said that a lot of the times when families would come in, children would often buy stuffed animals where the staff didn’t know where they came from. So, Yarnoff would take the stuffed toys home, wash them, package them and sell them for a dollar. Kids started calling them "Frannie Fun Packs."
"It’s really rewarding helping other people," Yarnoff said.
Down the road on Main Street, needy families can come in and get free hot meals at the The First Presbyterian Church on Mondays and the First United Methodist Church on Thursdays. Meals are offered from 4 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. year round.
Fiance Chairman and elder for the First Presbyterian Church, Mark Dahlinger, said they offer around 175 meals a day. Dahlinger added that a lot of the families take the meals back to their homes.
"It’s all about treatment and respect, its about feeding to the neighbors. It’s not a soup kitchen, but a community dinner," Dahlinger said.
About eight volunteers are usually on-hand.
All meals are provided free on an unconditional, no-questions-asked basis, according to the organization.

