Standing in the cold and feeding homeless people in Washington, D.C., on Martin Luther King Jr. Day was one of the most memorable experiences in 18-year-old Nia Richardson’s life.
Nia, who lives in Lawrence Township and is a member of Rays of Hope Inc., participated in similar efforts to help the poor and the homeless through one of Rays of Hope’s many community service projects.
“This felt different because we were out in the freezing cold. It wasn’t organized, it was just people coming up and we were giving out food,” said Nia, who is a senior at Princeton High School, where her mother teaches Spanish.
“We gave out clothing. People didn’t have coats. They were homeless. We were freezing, but we had somewhere to go to get warm, and they did not have anywhere to go,” the young woman said.
It was also the first time she and many of the young volunteers at Rays of Hope, most of whom live in Monmouth and Ocean counties, had seen people who were really in need, Nia said.
“It made an impression on me,” she said.
Nia has been active in volunteer activities with Rays of Hope since she was about 9 years old. She became involved through her aunt, Lisa Hall, who is an assistant librarian at Lawrence High School.
For their efforts, Nia and another Rays of Hope volunteer, Amaya White of Old Bridge, will be honored at Rays of Hope’s “Leadership Achievement” ceremony on June 23 at the Eagle Ridge Golf Club, Lakewood. Nia and Amaya will each receive a $1,000 scholarship
Rays of Hope Inc. is a youth community service organization, Hall said. Most of the 60 or so members live in Monmouth and Ocean county towns that include Manalapan, Jackson, Freehold and Howell. A handful of members live in Lawrence Township in Mercer County.
The young people, who range in age from 8 to 18, meet monthly to plan and carry out community service activities such as participating in an Easter egg hunt for HomeFront clients, to handing out clothing and water to individuals who live in an encampment in Howell, near Lakewood.
There is an educational component, too, Hall said. Rays of Hope holds quarterly leadership development workshops at which the chief executive officers of various companies speak to the young members.
“We want to inspire them to speak out. There are a number of kids who are shy, and some are running for class president. We really encourage them to be leaders and to have their voices heard,” Hall said.
Rays of Hope Inc. grew out of the efforts of a group of young mothers who took their children with them to perform community service, said Hall, who was one of those young mothers.
“We were a group of women who were interested in being involved in the community. It was instilled in us as children. I remember coming home from college and my mother had given my coat away (to someone in need),” Hall said.
“That (need to help) was in my mother and I think I got it from her. When I had my own children, I impressed on them that they always had to give back. What is great about young people is that they have the option to do it, or not,” she said.
Hall said the young members came up with the name “Rays of Hope” in a contest.
“We want to be a light, a ray of hope, to those who are in need. We want to give hope to them,” she said.
For more information about the June 23 awards ceremony and opportunities to donate to the Rays of Hope scholarship fund, call Lisa Hall at 908-244-9000 or email [email protected]