Gloucester Twp. Nonprofit Helping The Hungry This Thanskgiving

GLOUCESTER TOWNSHIP, NJ — A nonprofit organization in Gloucester Township is feeding the homeless in a variety of ways this Thanksgiving.

The Unforgotten Haven is now accepting frozen turkeys and sides for Thanksgiving. Donations can be dropped off at 100 South Black Horse Pike in the Blackwood section of the township during the nonprofit’s normal hours, which are:

• Mondays: 10 a.m.to noon; and 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
• Tuesdays: 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.
• Wednesdays: 10 a.m. to noon and 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.
• Saturdays: 8 a.m. to noon

Anyone who drops off donations is asked to wear a mask and follow social distancing guidelines.

The Unforgotten Haven is also raising money for its Thanksgiving Hoagies for the Homeless fundraiser. The hoagies are made with turkey, stuffing, and cranberry sauce. They are $6 each, and donations can be made through Facebook.

The coronavirus pandemic has hit families hard, and the Unforgotten Haven is doing what it can to help. Among the ways it is helping is by converting its building into a food pantry for those in need. In order to do so, it needs donations, including non-perishable food, bottled water, toilet paper, paper towels, toiletries (including feminine items), baby food, diapers, wipes, and formula.

Monetary donations can be dropped off or mailed to: Michele Gambone, Unforgotten Haven, 528 Highland Ave., Westville NJ 08093.

Gambone founded the Unforgotten Haven in 2014. Jeanne Rodrigues first became involved in March 2015, and the two became partners on Dec. 20, 2015. The Unforgotten Haven works with more than 20 groups that help with the hungry, the sick, the homeless, domestic abuse victims, those who are struggling, veterans and animals.

Among those projects are the Snack Packs for Chemo, project it has had to put on hold due to the coronavirus.

The project, in which the Unforgotten Haven collects food that is particularly helpful to chemotherapy patients, has been ongoing for three years. The packs also include notes of encouragement.

They have been running fundraisers to collect food for the homeless and to help small businesses hit hard by the pandemic. The Mount Ephraim Fire Department is among those who have benefited from the Unforgotten Haven’s efforts. They have posted about their latest efforts on their Facebook page.

This story is part of Patch's Headlining Hope series, which profiles local nonprofits and charitable organizations in need of volunteers and resources. If you know of a local organization that should be profiled, contact Anthony.Bellano@patch.com.

The Unforgotten Haven is among organizations that are seeing greater needs because of the coronavirus pandemic. Here's how you can help:

Patch has partnered with Feeding America to help raise awareness on behalf of the millions of Americans facing hunger. Feeding America, which supports 200 food banks across the country, estimates that in 2020, more than 54 million Americans will not have enough nutritious food to eat due to the effects of the coronavirus pandemic. This is a Patch social good project; Feeding America receives 100 percent of donations. Find out how you can donate in your community or find a food pantry near you.