As the winter holidays approach and families come together to share the joy of the season, many are inspired to help others less fortunate. To that end, we’d like to offer some opportunities to help your fellow Jersey City neighbor by volunteering. The organizations below provide an array of services to those in need and are currently seeking volunteers.
AngelaCARES, Inc. serves as an advocacy and support system for senior citizens and those caring for them. Among its other projects, the group delivers 250 to 400 bags of groceries to senior citizens weekly.
On Wednesday, Nov. 24, AngelaCARES needs help packing and delivering Thanksgiving meals to hundreds of homebound seniors throughout Hudson County.
Contact:
AngelaCARES, Inc.
439 Martin Luther King Drive
Jersey City, N.J. 07304
201-706-2884
Fountain of Salvation Church and Mercy For My Neighbor — together with the South Hudson Civic Association, the Rotary Club of Plainsboro- North and South Brunswick, the McNair National Honor Society, and Phi Beta Kappa of Hudson County Community College — will be providing 1,500 Thanksgiving meals to senior citizens, refugees, and the needy on Wednesday, Nov. 24, from 3 to 5 p.m., and Thursday, Nov. 25, from 9 a.m. to noon.
If you live in Jersey City and would like to receive one of the Church’s
Thanksgiving dinners, call 201-669-7608.
If you would like to volunteer to deliver Thanksgiving meals to homebound recipients, contact Foundation of Salvation at the phone number or email address below.
Contact:
324 Communipaw Ave.
Jersey City, N.J. 07304
201-669-7608
York Street Project weaves together programs that shelter, feed, educate, and counsel families struggling with poverty and homelessness in an effort to break the cycle of poverty.
Volunteers are needed to:
- Drive to pick up donations around Hudson County (primarily in Jersey City)
- Help manage their in-kind community donations (sort clothes, put together packages for our families and manage inventory)
- Perform administrative tasks such as entering information into their database and sending out thank-you letters
Contact:
89 York St.
Jersey City, N.J. 07302
201-451-9838
Old Bergen Church Food Pantry, part of Old Bergen Church, is in its 20th year of operation. Run by the church’s deacons with help from volunteers, the pantry is open the last Saturday of each month from 9 a.m. to noon from January through October. In November and December the pantry is open one week before Thanksgiving or Christmas.
This Dec. 18, the pantry will provide free chicken meals and bags of non-perishable groceries supplied by the New Jersey Community Food Bank.
Recipients will need to present proof of ID and their Social Security number and a referral from a social service agency such as Let’s Celebrate, Horizon Health Center, Health & Human Services, Jersey City Episcopal Community Development, C-Line Community Outreach Center and Urban League.
Volunteers are needed to bag foods Dec. 15, 16 and 17, between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m., or to help distribute the bags on Dec. 18 between 9 a.m. and noon.
Contact:
1 Highland Ave.
Jersey City, N.J. 07306
201-433-1815 (Monday–Friday 9 a.m. to noon)
New City Kids is an after-school sanctuary for kids in kindergarten through eighth grade. Teens teach the younger children music and help them with homework. Adults are on hand to supervise the music classes and provide further help with homework. The organization is faith-based but open to all children.
Volunteers are needed to help in the organization’s after-school programs, college readiness program and more.
Contact:
240 Fairmount Ave.
Jersey City, N.J. 07306
volunteerjc@newcitykids.org
Final Hope Animal Rescue provides temporary shelter and medical care to stray animals and helps socialize them. The organization also has an active trap-neuter-release program to minimize future unwanted litters.
Volunteers are needed to:
- Feed furry friends, clean cages, and help socialize the animals
- Transport the animals and participate in adoption events
- Help with vet visits and with the trap-neuter-release program
Contact:
6 Congress St.
Jersey City, N.J. 07307
201-725-2044 (text preferred)
WomenRising, a partner of Jersey Cares, runs a variety of programs for women and their children to safeguard them from domestic violence, homelessness, and unemployment.
Staff members provide counseling, crisis intervention, job training and job placement. The group also operates a shelter.
WomenRising’s volunteer programs are currently suspended due to COVID-19, but residents can still help out via the AmazonSmile Wishlist for WomenRising, which supports the women and families the group serves. The Wishlist is curated by the children in WomenRising’s programs.
People wishing to contribute should visit Info@womenrising.org and click on Holiday Gift Drive.
Contact:
WomenRising
270 Fairmount Ave.
Jersey City, N.J. 07306
201-333-5700
@womenrising
Grace Van Vorst Community Services, an arm of Grace Church Van Vorst, will host a Christmas lunch/dinner for the homeless on Dec. 25.
Check GraceCommunityJC.org for volunteer opportunities and donation needs.
Contact:
Grace Community Services
39 Erie St.
Jersey City, N.J. 07302
201-549-0309
office@gracevanvorst.org