We are Helping Hands, New Jersey
Helping Hands distributes essential items through our growing network of individuals and partner organizations throughout New Jersey.
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Many of our neighbors, from small business owners to furloughed workers to seniors on fixed incomes, are experiencing financial challenges during the current health crisis surrounding the Covid-19 pandemic. With the great uncertainty about when things might return to normal, we must lend a hand. Various entities have come together to help fellow residents. Neighbors have taken up the call. In March of 2020, Chatham resident, Joann Carroll created a new initiative, “Helping Hands of Chatham”, to facilitate help for local families who find themselves “food insecure” as a result of the COVID-19 restrictions.
The inspiration for “Helping Hands of Chatham” came about after witnessing all the different ways the Chatham, NJ community has bonded together to support each other during this crisis. Joann and many other Chatham residents wanted to be part of the solution. One of the primary missions of Helping Hands of Chatham has been to raise money to provide grocery gift cards to families in need. Since early 2020, we have donated over $50,000 in gift cards to families in need. The grocery card facilitates a way for families to purchase what they need. ShopRite of Wakefern Foods offers us a 5% discount for every $1,000 we spend; therefore, donations go further if purchased directly by Helping Hands of Chatham. Participating families are eligible to attend the weekly food drive hosted by The Rev. Jeff Markay at Chatham United Methodist Church, 460 Main Street, Chatham. The food drive is held on Wednesdays, set up begins at 2:30 p.m., the participants are permitted to drive through at 3:30 p.m.. We have between 35 and 55 participants each week. There is a weatherproof food pantry up against the shed (directly across from the nursery school playground), open 24 hours where families can donate while other families can take what they need. In addition to food, we accept household staples, toilet paper, cleaning items and toiletries for all ages, infant, baby and senior citizen care items are always needed. We do our best to work with and support Chatham business, as they are supporting us immensely during COVID-19. In Joann's opinion, one of the best ways that people and businesses can help is by donating to the gift card budget so that families may purchase the food and other essential items that they need at a large store like ShopRite. CVS is also an option, as many of our recipients have used the gift cards to purchase much needed prescription drugs. |
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Helping Hands of Chatham
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We are all in this together! |
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Chatham Community Food Distribution - May 2020
Community Leaders & Organizers The Rev. Jeff Markay Pastor - Chatham United Methodist Church 460 Main Street, Chatham NJ 07928 973-635-7740 | www.chathamumc.org Leonard Resto - Chatham Borough Council Member 201-486-1077 | l[email protected] Carolyn Dempsey - Chatham Borough Council Member 917-940-8825 | [email protected] Laura Bojanowski - Chatham Scout Troops/Volunteer Coordinator 908-295-5074 | [email protected] | SignUpGenius Joann Carroll - Helping Hands of Chatham 201-988-9070 | [email protected] Link Tree Meet the HHOC Team Volunteers |
Volunteers of Helping Hands of Chatham are responding to COVID-19, continuing to keep seniors, children, families and others who count on us to relieve food insecurity. We anticipate our pandemic-related expenses may exceed $100,000. We URGENTLY need your support.
Neighbors Helping Neighbors
Helping Hands of Chatham is a community of “neighbors helping neighbors” committed to ending food insecurity and supporting self-sufficiency. Through our community partners we provide grocery store gift cards, nutritious food, and resources to inspire confidence and hope to local families in need.
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Lend a hand, fill a heart
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When my family moved to Chatham in 1996, like most moms, I was worried about leaving my children in a new school. I worried about how they would feel, would they miss me, would the teachers be kind to them, would they find their way, would they eat?
I met John Dimple, the principal at Washington Avenue during one of my many visits to the school over that first summer. Jack, as he was fondly referred to was a wonderful man and sensed that I was struggling. Jack handed me a piece of paper with a hand on it after our meeting. At the time, the SDOC had a program called “Helping Hands” that was supposed to help kids feel safe. The idea was that families would put a paper sign in the front windows of their house. The sign was a very simple hand print. The theory was that if a child was ever walking down the street, and felt like they were in danger, lost or confused they could run to a house with that sign, ring the bell, and the people inside would help them. The sign was an outward and visible message to kids, “this is a safe space, you will be OK here”. I recall seeing those signs all over Chatham and it gave me a sense of relief, a sense of comfort and a belief that this would be a safe haven for my children. I believed that whenever my kids saw one, they’d feel a little less afraid and a lot less alone. It is my hope that Helping Hands of Chatham has provided the same feeling of hope, safety and security to our many participant families. I hope others will see our work and choose to help when they see someone in need. |
We have risen to the challenges of difficult times before and we are rising to the challenges before us now. We are working with the public, government officials, clergy, volunteers, businesses, health care providers to support all who have been impacted by the coronavirus.
I am proud of that work, but what I am even prouder of is what I see in communities across the greater Chatham area. Many businesses have partnered with us to provide food to those in need. We all see teachers conducting classes online and our school staff delivering homework packets and meals to children at home. We see fitness instructors offering online classes to keep people active, and parishes live-streaming faith services and hosting online prayer gatherings. We see people simply reaching out to one another to ask “How are you, how can I help?” Mr. Rogers, said, “When I was young and I would see scary things on the news, my mother would say, ‘Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.” Our local residents are helpers, and they are everywhere. They are our doctors, nurses, EMS, firefighters, police officers, grocery store clerks, gas station attendants, child care workers, government employees, and volunteers. They are you; they are your neighbor; they are your loved ones. Today, we keep our distance from one another so that tomorrow we can come together again. When people look back on us years from now, they will say that New Jersey neighbors did sacrifice but we stood strong. They will say, the people of NJ were tough, people hung together, provided the helpers, people survived, and New Jersey rose again better than ever. |
Thank you for your continued support of our work and mission. We invite you to visit us and learn more about our commitment to the community.
Our doors are open to anyone in need.
Your volunteer team at Helping Hands
Helping Hands, NJ - Chatham, NJ 07928
[email protected] | 201-988-9070
Link Tree - https://linktr.ee/helpinghandsofchatham
Helping Hands distributes essential items through our large and growing network of individuals and partner organizations throughout New Jersey.
Our doors are open to anyone in need.
Your volunteer team at Helping Hands
Helping Hands, NJ - Chatham, NJ 07928
[email protected] | 201-988-9070
Link Tree - https://linktr.ee/helpinghandsofchatham
Helping Hands distributes essential items through our large and growing network of individuals and partner organizations throughout New Jersey.
