We recently burried Dad (Korean War era Vet) and Mom at the Riverside National Cemetary. We were…read morefortunate to connect with Colonel Larry Icenogle from the Bugles Across America team. He was part of the service and it really made it special for the family.

My Dad served honorably in WWII. A member of "the greatest generation" he was a great man and…read morebeloved by many, not only his family but community also.I don't know how I could have gotten through his funeral day without the respect and acknowledgment that came from beyond our family's mourning. The armed servicemen in uniform that saluted his flag draped casket as he was carried past them to his final resting place and their beautiful folding of the flag and presenting it to my Mom was so uniting. It really made one feel that our Country cared for its Servicemen even so many decades later. But most of all I thank Tom Day and his Bugles Across America. The volunteer who came and performed Taps was an excellent musician. That day we were especially blessed as the funeral home had also arranged for the Servicemen I mentioned and they too by chance, planned to play Taps. Our family was so so touched and surprised when Taps was played echo style by the two buglers. That beautiful and well deserved tribute to my father meant the world to my Mom and our family and we speak of it often. Bugles Across America is a wonderful organization with wonderful volunteers that at a very short notice give comfort and inspiration at a time most needed. I support them whole-heartedly.

Thank You for the Back-to-School Volunteering Opportunity…read more I had the wonderful opportunity to volunteer at a back-to-school event where we distributed book bags and school supplies to children. The joy on their faces was absolutely priceless and made the entire experience incredibly rewarding. Seeing their delight as they received their supplies truly warmed my heart and reinforced the importance of giving back to the community. Thank you once again for this opportunity! PS I would have loved to have a Jersey Care shirt to represent the organization.

I feel weird reviewing a place that basically makes ME do all the work! But heck, that's what…read morevolunteering is all about huh? The reason it gets five stars is because it's easy to volunteer. You sign up on their website, watch a video then choose what you want to volunteer for. Once you commit, they'll send you an email the day before reminding you to show up. Nice thing is that once you sign up and volunteer, you can track your hours and events easily. I have no idea why anyone wants to volunteer, or needs to, but these guys cover Jersey, so at least you have a nice breadth of different activities you want to volunteer for. For instance I'm a computer geek, so planting trees all over the place would probably leave me with one foot in the ground! Sure the air will be cleaner, but i'll be mulch! However, I was able to find an activity that let me use my Nerdly talents instead.

Toni's kitchen and truck serves the needs of the food insecure in the community. It is a non profit…read morewhich served 1.7M meals, served 1500 households, delivered to over 200 older adults, served visitors to the kitchen, provides life skills training to participants through funds raised through donations and sales at Toni's closet next door. Along with StLukes, they are a ministry serving the needy. It is not a forprofit restaurant, and should be taken for what it is. Toni's kitchen feeds those most vulnerable amongst us. I can't understand the other ratings. Maybe they're not getting the point of Toni's.

Toni's Kitchen provides for those in need. The community of Montclair are wonderful contributors…read more The recipients are extremely grateful. The paid staff is disorganized and chaotic. They are disrespectful and rude to the volunteers. They are in extreme need of training in this regard. Be cautious of rotted food and expired health items.

The Thrift Store at 25 Market St, Morristown has a surprisingly high quality of donated household…read moreitems, everything in beautiful condition and beautifully displayed! It's more like an elegant, high-end, in door garage sale, with an amazing variety of quality items in every household category, but with LOW, LOW PRICES like you would see at the last hour of a garage sale when "everything must go!" We love the bargains, but even more, we love that money is all going to support the wonderful, caring work of the Market Street Mission!

I was in the area and figured I would do some thrift browsing. A quick search led me to this place…read moreand it was fairly easy to locate by GPS. When I walked in, I was pleasantly surprised to find all kinds of home decor and some furniture. I overheard the cashier speaking to a customer as I passed through the checkout area and found her to be so personable and kind to the customer. As I made my way to the back, I stepped into a warehouse-type setting. I was impressed. If there's one thing I learned while thrifting, it's: go to less desirable areas and you'll find less then desirable items, go to more upscale areas and you'll find better items. This was definitely the case here. I found quite a bit of beautiful finds. I saw large brown bags of baby clothes priced at $3 a bag. The bags were closed up so you couldn't see what was inside. It was only distinguishable by the words "Boy" or "Girl" baby clothes written on the bag. I had no use for baby clothes so I didn't purchase them but I would put them on my list as a top find in this place. Other honorable mentions were these beautiful padded kitchen stools -3 for $40, clothes - they had plenty of them and the bread maker I scored for $10. That was actually my only purchase. I spoke to a few employees there and they were extremely friendly. When I expressed concern over whether or not the bread maker worked, one of the employees told me they check all appliances in the back once they receive them and if it doesn't work, they don't put it out. So appreciated because most thrift stores don't do that. The store has a wall with plugs right by the appliances therefore, I plugged it up. I was able to confirm the bread maker did come on and the various settings did work. I would most certainly recommend this store to anyone looking for unique finds, vintage items and hidden gems. I will certainly return in the future.

Wonderfully old building with lots of memorabilia. Great CPR/AED instructors. Reduced classes and…read moreother precautions taken during the pandemic.

Last Saturday night, I had the thrill of seeing the musical "Little Women" directed by Linda…read moreSpencer at this beautiful theatre! While I was not familiar with this musical, I did know the beloved book from my childhood. I didn't know what to expect! The show was absolutely wonderful! The actors were impeccable- especially the young woman who played Jo! The voices were fabulous, staging was perfection! The music was so beautiful and fitting- and well performed. I was so delighted to be there, and the final scene left me in happy tears! What a charming surprise! My only regret was that this was closing night! Kudos to the cast, crew, musicians, choreographer, and the director! Bravo!

Do you want to do something that will make you feel good? Why not get together with some friends or…read morebusiness partners and go volunteer in your community? Today, one of the professional organizations I belong to sponsored a Community Service Day at CUMAC in Paterson, NJ. Their website describes CUMAC as a "non-profit organization dedicated to feeding people and changing lives. Our team works to alleviate hunger and its root causes for those in need in Paterson, Passaic County and northern New Jersey." Our team worked on breaking down the fruits and vegetables donated by local supermarkets into individual family-sized bags. What a wonderful feeling it is to help people and make a difference in someone's life. I know we did today. CUMAC also has a thrift store on site, but lots of the clothing are given away to families under stress. Business suits are also available for client's job interviews. It is a very humbling experience to spend a few hours in service to others. Now it's your turn......

'Tis the season to lend a helping hand. What a great time I had being able to help those in need…read more The event started at 6 p.m. and ran through 8 p.m. We were given a tour of the place (which is pretty spacious) The staff here consists of about 19 people I believe who spend their day doing a wide variety of things. In the two hour time span I was at the event you're really working all the way through so I can only imagine what the people that work here on a daily basis go through to make sure that every client has what they need. Simply put, this was a great event. I give this place 5 stars all around for what they stand for and represent. Helping the community is #majorKEY. So, if you're ever in the area stop by, donate, and perhaps check out their thrift shop that they have. Since this is a non- profit organization sometimes supplies and money can be tight. So a lot of the thrift shop money is used to buy other goods, etc. So definitely get out and help if you're able.

The best nonprofit organization to support homeless Veterans, as well as those suffering with…read moresevere mental illnesses. Their employees truly care about the people they serve.

I lived in a Community Hope house for several years in morris county, NJ. Unfortunately it is one…read moreof the few agencies left that has funding for people with M.I. There are a few wonderful staff members that were interested in working here and truly interested in the clients. However, much of the staff was there to gain experience and move on. It was a revolving door which made it difficult to build a rapport. The maintenence was kept up with and the house I was in was very nice. Over the past few years, so much funding has been lost for programs and services. I have since moved on and live out on my own. It would not be a first choice to go back should I need the extra help. The houses for adults with mental illness are secondary to veterans homes funding. It would be great to see a more intentional community model be set up or be invested in.