Community Rises to the Occasion

An October snowstorm couldn't stop community members from helping their neighbors in need. 

Rise: a Community Service Partnership and East Windsor Patch joined together Saturday and Sunday to collect food and raise money to help boost the agency's efforts to aid those in need. In just two days, more than 175 bags of food were donated and $1,607 in cash was collected, along with a $25 ShopRite gift card and a jar full of change.

Executive Director Leslie Koppel said they are thankful for the donations and they come just in time, since their freezer broke last week. 

"We will now be able to replace it, just in time for Thanksgiving Turkeys," Koppel said in an email. "We already have over two hundred families registered for Thanksgiving baskets and this will help so many of our struggling residents over the holidays."

Volunteers from the community, Peddie School and United Way helped pass out flyers, collect donations and load the truck. L. Davino & Sons Greenhouses donated use of their truck to transport the food.

 moved the drive inside the store as snow started to fall Saturday morning so it could go on, regardless of the weather.

"Patch was a wonderful partner and the entire ShopRite staff was helpful and generous," Koppel said. "Volunteers from all throughout the community helped fill the truck. Peddie students arrived by the bus load. Together everyone pitched together to help those in need."