By Catherine Wieczorek | Development Director
2013 has come to a close, and it will remain in our memories as a transformative year. We saw the retirement of Nancy Flanigan, our Director of Rental Assistance for the past 24 years, and we welcomed Maura Comer as she has gracefully stepped into this position. It is humbling to report that even during this transition, we served more families than ever before in our 25 year history. More than 300 families received assistance from Interfaith Neighbors this year. This is not a number we report to you with pride, but with a sober acknowledgement of the harsh reality faced by working poor families in Monmouth County.
In addition to our regular services, Interfaith Neighbors received a grant from the County of Monmouth to assist victims of Hurricane Sandy. The purpose of this grant was to help those impacted by the storm with rental and mortgage assistance and to help replace personal property. In just two months, Interfaith Neighbors provided assistance to over 65 families. Many of these families were facing extreme financial distress, having to pay for both a mortgage and rent while their primary residence was being repaired. Many of these families lost all of their worldly posessions. And many have faced the challenges of rebuilding not just their homes, but their lives. We are grateful to have been able to assist these families in their time of need.
With the start of a new year, we continue to help meet the challenges faced by our clients. We have begun to receive requests for assistance from those who have had unemployment benefits cut, which often just barely helped our clients keep their head above water. The vast economic challenges of recent years have not been alleviated for the lowest income families, who still continue to struggle to make ends meet.
There is much work to be done, but we can't do it without your help. Please consider making a donation to help those who are most in need. Remember, 97 cents out of every donated dollar goes directly to help those we serve.
Thank you for your support!
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