Shantytown Clothing Drive Your HELP is needed.
Seven Ocean County Churches have joined forces to help the homeless. Most people think of homelessness as a “big city” problem. Few of us living in Ocean, Monmouth and Atlantic Counties are truly aware of the growing needs of the homeless in our own towns.
Did you know that on any given night, in your town, families are sleeping in their cars? That veterans are hoping to find a warm dry place to spend the night? That the folks you stand in line with at the supermarket or in the Wawa may be homeless. The unmentioned causalities of the financial, employment, mortgage, and housing crisis are those who have run out of options. Along with a place to stay the homeless also needs clothing and food. One out of five Americans go to sleep each night hungry. Over 1% of our population experiences some level of homelessness. In Ocean County alone that equates to 5,750 experiencing some level of homelessness, 38% of these are children! (Published by the National Coalition for the Homeless, July 2009)
To help draw attention to this need, participants of all ages, sponsored through local churches will become homeless, for a night. Shantytown, calls awareness and draws attention to the severity of this local need. Shantytown will take place at Manahawkin Lake Park. The event is scheduled to begin Saturday November 19th and end Sunday November 20th.
How YOU can help
Participants will spend the night homeless sleeping in boxes. Please consider giving a night to this need and or help those donating their night to this cause. Donations raised by the Shantytown “homeless” participants will benefit the Atlantic City Rescue Mission.
At Shantytown we will be collecting Clothing and Canned Food.
New Clothing, new or gently used * and washed* as well as canned food.
We are requesting that Clothing and Canned Food be collected at your local church or organization and delivered to Shantytown (aka Manahawkin Lake Park, Manahawkin NJ) between 4:30 and 7 PM November 19th. If you need that we can arrange to pick up your collections of donated clothing and food PLEASE email me at cash.william@gmail.com to schedule a pickup. Please include your name, church or organization name, contact phone number and the best time to reach you in your email.
Anyone wishing to make financial contribution, small or large, Please also contact me through Email and we can work out the details.
Jesus called “those in need” His brothers and sisters. He said that what we do for His brothers and sisters we do for Him. Matt 25:40.
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