By Somerset County Board of Freeholders
Somerset County Freeholder Brian D. Levine, human services liaison, invites the public to join county-operated senior centers in a community-service project during the month of April to benefit members of the military overseas.
The senior centers will be collecting manufacturer coupons as part of the Overseas Coupon Program that will help military members and their families save money on necessary items while serving their country abroad. The coupon collection is being conducted in preparation for Older Americans Month in May, which, in part, focuses on how individuals age 60 and above give back to their communities.
“Manufacturer coupons are particularly valuable to military families abroad because they can be used up to six months after their expiration dates,” said Freeholder Levine. “Raising a family overseas can be a costly endeavor so these discounts on food items, personal care, baby care, pet food and household products can help make living more affordable.”
To participate, individuals and groups are asked to gather and neatly clip manufacturer coupons – within two months of their expiration date – that offer discounts on food, personal care and household items, baby care and pet items. Coupons must be originals and labeled as a “manufacturer coupon.” Photocopied or internet coupons cannot be accepted. The deadline for submissions is Thursday, April 30.
These coupons can be mailed to the Somerset County Office on Aging and Disability Services Nutrition Program, Attention: Overseas Coupon Program, P.O. Box 3000, Somerville, NJ 08876-1262. Packages also may be hand-delivered, Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., to the following participating senior centers:
Raritan Senior Center, 614 First Ave., Raritan – (908) 203-0001
Montgomery Senior Center, 356 Skillman Road, Skillman – (609) 466-0846
Hillsborough Senior Center, 339 South Branch Road, Hillsborough – (908) 369-8700
Warrenbrook Senior Center, 500 Warrenville Road, Warren – (908) 753-9440
Senior Wellness Center, 202 Mount Airy Road, Basking Ridge – (908) 204-3435
A cover letter is available for individuals, youth organizations and classes to send with their coupons that will list the name of the school, club (e.g., Scout troop) or any other affiliation and the dollar value of the submitted coupons. Clients at the five participating senior centers will organize and submit coupons to bases overseas.
To help defray the postage costs of mailing the boxes overseas, participants may donate pre-paid postage boxes and deliver them to one of the participating senior centers.
For more information on how to participate, contact Somerset County Office on Aging Nutrition Program Administrator Angela Dubivsky at 908-704-6346 or [email protected].
There are seven centers operated by the Somerset County Office on Aging and Disability Services. They are multipurpose facilities that offer a variety of educational, recreational and entertaining activities for active older adults, including wellness programs and health screenings. The centers are accessible to individuals with disabilities.
Somerset County senior centers offer a wide range of experiences designed for lifelong enrichment in a social and uplifting atmosphere, intended to positively impact overall health. Many of these programs are funded, in part, through the Older Americans Act.
Help the Office on Aging and Disability Services improve existing services by taking the Wellness and Meal Program Interest Survey. To stay up to date with Somerset County events and information, sign up for free email alerts at www.co.somerset.nj.us/subscribe.html or follow us on Facebook and Twitter.
