By Jenine Clancy, Special Writer
MONROE — The Senior Services Center in Monroe is looking for volunteers to help with the Community Cares Thanksgiving meal program.
In its second year, the two-hour event is set to start at noon on Nov. 27 at 12 p.m. in the Irwin Nalitt Meeting Room in the Senior Center on Halsey Reed Road.
Monroe Township Office of Senior Services Director Bonnie Leibowitz said about 120 seniors sat down last year for a "traditional Thanksgiving dinner," which included turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, bread, a vegetable, cranberry sauce and other fixings.
Each dinner will be served by City Street’s Cafe in East Brunswick, who also catered the event last year.
"The food is served family-style to each table," Ms. Leibowitz said. "We want people to feel like the Senior Center is their home for the day and the folks at the table with them are their family."
Ms. Leibowitz said volunteers could help set-up the afternoon before and morning of the event.
In addition, volunteers can also help the day of the event serving food, greeting guests, handing out goodie bags, and cleaning up after.
"I think these volunteers felt they did something really special," Ms. Leibowitz said of the 40 volunteers who helped last year. "Something magical happened that day. This was there way of giving back, it being an the intrinsic reward."
"We had so many great volunteers come out last year to make Community Cares a success in its first year," Public Information Officer Joe Harvie said. "It is one of the things I love most about Monroe. We have so many people living here that want to give back and do something nice for their neighbors."
Ms. Leibowitz said she started the event because many residents don’t have somewhere to go on Thanksgiving and wanted to give them a sense of family, and a chance to make new friends.
Ms. Leibowitz also said, she herself knows what its like to experience loneliness on the holiday.
"I lost my mother when I was 15 years old and I never forgot the first time my uncle invited my brother, my father and myself out to eat at a restaurant after she passed and I remember feeling how difficult it was for me and feeling like there was no place for the family to celebrate," she said.
"It was a very lonely feeling. I want to give our residents a place to not feel so isolated."
Last year’s event highlights included one senior with memory loss singing "America the Beautiful" and Middlesex County Senior Center workers making a quilt, with quotes of gratitude from residents.
The quilt is set to be presented at the Monroe Senior Center this month.
Tickets for the Thanksgiving dinner will be sold for $10 at the Senior Center starting Oct. 6. Ms. Leibowitz said the cost for admission and money from many sponsors help pay for the dinner.
Sponsors last year were The Gardens at Monroe, BCB Bank, Brookdale Assisted Living at Wynwood, Saint Peter’s Hospital, Point of Care Pharmacy, Seaview Orthopedics, Senior Bridge, Hospice of New Jersey, Monroe Medical Supply and the Francis E. Parker Memorial Home.
"This event gives a lot of people an opportunity to come out and socialize and be around neighbors and friends," Director of Business Development for the Gardens of Monroe Linda Mundie said. "We kept it close to a real Thanksgiving like in your home, like the holidays weren’t going on without them."
Transportation can also be provided for guests who need assistance or cannot find a ride.
Anyone who is need of a place to go for Thanksgiving, questions regarding transportation or anyone interested in helping with the event, either with time or money should contact the Office of Senior Services at (609) 448-7140.

