Slow the Spread by Supporting Programs to Stay Open
Dear Friends,
These are scary times for all of us, but especially for our Guests who don’t have homes of their own. Your care & concern for them during this health crisis has been the ray of sunshine during this pandemic storm. We are very fortunate to have such a dedicated & committed family of volunteers & supporters! Thank You!!!
We remain steadfast in our services following consultations, recommendations, & guidelines from U.S. Housing & Urban Development (HUD), Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC), National Healthcare for the Homeless Council, NJ Department of Human Services, Hudson Regional Health Commission, Hudson County Department of Health & Human Services, & Hudson County Division of Housing & Community Development—all of whom are committed to “slow the spread by supporting programs to stay open.”
We are still actively feeding & sheltering our vulnerable neighbors who need us the most right now. We have implemented additional precautionary changes to our Soup Kitchen services, primarily with social distancing during meal service. With this new format, we started a staggered service of our simplified plated meals. This has created a staffing burden, so we really could use your help with donations of sandwiches or sliced bread & cold cuts in order to continue serving over 500 meals daily.
With our plea for sandwiches now, my heart warms from the amazing story of the Shelter’s 1st day in 1982…
A Reverend, Rabbi, Nun, & other leaders from Hoboken’s faith-based communities got together to open the Shelter & on the very
1st night we were open, a generous neighbor from the community suddenly pulled-up to our building with a ton of sandwiches to feed our Guests.
This crisis has taken us back to our humble beginnings. As we did that 1st day & every day since, we serve our Guests with love, dignity, & respect thanks to you & your big hearts!
Thank you for sending your well-wishes for our Guests & inquiries for ways to help! Here are 19 ways you can make a difference in our Guests lives during this difficult time of Covid-19:
Stay Safe & Healthy—We’re worried about you too!
Check on an elderly neighbor who may need food too.
Keep our Guests in your Hearts—thank you for helping all of your neighbors stay healthy, fed, & sheltered.
Make, Wrap, & Deliver Sandwiches—any kind of sandwiches are appreciated, but our Guests prefer meat-based sandwiches. Please consider doubling the impact of your gift by ordering sandwiches from a local business.
Donate items for Sandwiches—Sliced Bread, Sliced Cheese, Cold Cuts, Canned Tuna Fish, Mayonnaise, & Ziploc Baggies or Tinfoil.
Coffee, Coffee, Coffee—our Guests really love their Cup O’ Joe, especially with Sugar & Milk!
Soap & other Hygiene Items are desperately needed.
Towels & Washcloths for showers are needed.
Laundry Detergent is in low supply.
Dish Detergent is important.
Lysol/Clorox Wipes & Cleaning Supplies will help us continue to sanitize the Shelter.
Hand Sanitizers—individual sizes & bulk sizes are needed!
Garbage Bags—any size, but especially 55 Gallons.
Toilet Paper—TP is always Top Priority!
Socks & Underpants are appreciated by the Guests.
If you want to volunteer, we trust you to evaluate your own risks & comfort level, & welcome you to help make sandwiches from 11 am-2 pm & 6 pm-7 pm daily in our Kitchen. No large groups & only 1-2 people at a time.
It only costs $2 per meal, so every little bit really helps! Please sponsor dinner in our soup kitchen with a donation of $300. (You can mail donations to JACLYN’s attention—THANKS!) To donate, you can use our website: https://hobokenshelter.org/donating-to-the-shelter/, you can donate via PayPal, or you can donate via text: text GIVE to 201-733-4196.
Spread the word about the Shelter’s accomplishments & needs by following us on our Social Media:
facebook.com/HobokenShelter
@hoboken_shelter
@hobokenshelter
We’re all in this together! Our Guests are sheltered with us as a means of at-home self-containment since the Shelter is their home thanks to you! They’re rolling with our Social Distancing Feeding/Services & everything seems to be running smoothly. They are so grateful & super appreciative that we are open to them during this difficult time because they really have NOWHERE to go. To be honest, they’re scared & anxious like the rest of us, but they have little to no options unlike the rest of us. Thank goodness we are able to provide a sense of comfort & a place to call home for them THANKS TO YOU! Thank you for keeping our community strong! Best wishes for good health to all of you.
Sincerely,
Jaclyn Cherubini, MPA
Executive Director