Being poor, homeless or disenfranchised just got more difficult in New Jersey, announced Jeff Friedman, founder and coordinator of the Livingston Coat Drive. “According to a story posted on nj.com, thousands of low-income and disabled New Jersey residents, some since July, are having their emergency housing assistance programs cut by New Jersey’s Department of Human Services. But, under a bill a Senate committee approved last week, more than 3,000 in this group could receive help paying their rent, if approved by the full legislature,” he noted.
Friedman, known affectionately as “the Coat Guy,” continued, “It’s clearly difficult to effect change in major ways. But on a small scale, there’s good, old-fashioned local community outreach. Working together with generous residents in Livingston and now expanding to surrounding communities, the Livingston Coat Drive, deep into its fifth year of operation, has made a difference for those in circumstances most of us can never imagine. That’s why I’m asking our friends and neighbors to continue offering their excess to those who are in immediate need. Our outreach effort is going strong through at least the end of the month and is accepting donations of gently used and new winter coats, scarves, gloves and hats, along with men’s business attire.”
Homelessness is not the only problem being faced by the poor in our area, the Coat Guy adds. “While we’re at it, how about ‘food insecurity?’ I’m not sure that everyone is familiar with the term. According to USDA food reports, food insecurity is ‘a household-level economic and social condition of limited or uncertain access to adequate food.’ It’s true that many find themselves not knowing where their next meal is coming from. These are some of the same folks who don’t own a winter coat or have adequate housing. With so many resources at our fingertips, why shouldn’t we help?”
Coat Drive volunteers have been busy picking up donations at the offices of Coat Drive partner, the West Essex Tribune, handling private pick-ups, and making deliveries to distribution associates in Newark. “To offer complete disclosure, stalwart volunteers Candi Samansky, Joyce Friedman, Laura Sheppard and Debbi Riccardello have been working extra hard because I was vacationing up north,” says Friedman.
The Coat Drive made an unprecedented delivery this week that required two SUVs and another car to distribution associate Willing Hearts Outreach in Newark, a community initiative of the Metropolitan Baptist Church. “Willing Hearts is a third year ...
