Want to Volunteer in Point Pleasant and Brick?

3/23/2021 (Permalink)

OceanCares board president, Kathy, volunteering at the Ocean Mental Health Services Wellness Fair.

Want to Volunteer in Point Pleasant and Brick

• Destiny Thrift Shop in Brick raise funds in their store to benefit their on-site food pantry and their mobile food pantry for those in our community. The volunteers who run the store are absolutely wonderful and are happy if you just volunteer one hour a week in the store. They need volunteers to organize and restock the shelves. They are also in need of items such as adult and children’s clothing, shoes, jewelry, handbags, luggage, home décor, artwork, furniture, books and media to fill their store. Please call them at 732-341-0779 to see what times you can drop off items.
• Jersey Shore Animal Center & Thrift Store are always in need of volunteers. You can either help them by volunteering in the shelter with the animals or in their thrift store to raise money for the shelter. To see their volunteer opportunities, click here
• Contact of Ocean and Monmouth Counties is a non-profit, charitable organization, provides trained telephone listeners who respond to human needs 24 hours every day. This volunteer based organization offers free confidential crisis intervention, information on available resources, and referral to community services. Click here to volunteer or here to check out their upcoming events. One of their big fundraising events is their gift wrap station they set up at the Ocean County Mall during the Holiday Season.
• OceanCares Foundation support Ocean Mental Health Services (https://oceanmhs.org/) help people with mental health needs have access to services and supports, allowing them to live healthier and succeed in their treatment goals. Our very own Kathy is the current board president for the OceanCares Foundation. To volunteer click here
• S.A.V.E. in Lakewood takes unwanted, homeless and abandoned animals and provides them with medical care and a safe and nurturing environment until they find there forever homes. SAVE is a no kill shelter. S.A.V.E has its very own pet center with adoptions available Tues-Sun 1-4pm (open Thursdays 2-5pm) located at 1594 Lakewood Road Unit 5 Toms River, NJ. They also have an adoption center located at the Brick PetSmart with adoption hours Sat-Sun 12pm-4pm. They usually host a gift auction twice a year to raise funds but due to Covid they have been placed on hold. I try never to miss them because they are so much fun and usually I win something too.
• Local libraries are always looking for volunteers but with Covid, most events are currently on hold. The Friends of the Brick Library Branch of the Ocean County Library, 301 Chambers Bridge Road or at the Friends of the Point Pleasant Beach Library, 710 McLean Ave are great places to volunteer.
• Local fire departments and first aid squads are usually in need of volunteers to help with fundraising ideas and helping out at event fundraisers.
• The American Red Cross always need volunteers at their local blood drives.

These are just a few options in and around Toms River where you can volunteer. There is a never ending need for volunteers and many different organizations and charities to choose from.

If you are not comfortable volunteering there are lots of wonderful, local organizations in need of donations:

• Ocean’s Harbor House provides a safe haven and caring environment for vulnerable youth to enable them to unlock their potential and learn skills that will empower them to build healthier lives, relationships and futures. Want to help? Click here here to donate.
• Ocean Mental Health Services has a wish list of items if you prefer to purchase items and drop them off.

Attending fundraising events is another great way to help out local organizations. By attending, you get to enjoy the event and the organization gets to benefit from the extra income. Once Covid is over, get out there and enjoy some fun events to benefit local charities.