Need on the Rise at Crisis Room

Business is up at the Aldersgate Crisis Room—significantly, say its volunteers.

“We’ve been getting so many I haven’t even had time to count,” said volunteer Paul Roder, “Not only is it up locally, but we gave willingly and generously to South Jersey through the Methodist Church to help with Hurricane Sandy. They’re destitute.”

The Crisis Room at the Aldersgate United Methodist Church of East Brunswick is open from 1 to 3 p.m. on Tuesdays, Fridays and Sundays and is open to any Middlesex County resident in need. Those who come by can get groceries, shop at the second hand clothing room, and, if they show up at the right time and on the right day, meat or baked goods.

However, over the past few months, volunteers say they’ve seen an increase in the number of people coming in for help. The Crisis Room is serving between 130 and 150 families every week, and they expect to get even busier with the holiday season here. In addition, the Room is now getting requests not only for food, but for places to stay by people whose homes were destroyed in the hurricane.

If you want to help, the Crisis Room needs diapers, baby formula, laundry detergent, peanut butter and jelly, macaroni and cheese a holiday foods like turkey, stuffing and cranberry sauce.

Donations can be made during business hours, but if you would like to donate warm clothing, they can be dropped off in a white bin outside of the building.

The Crisis Room is located in a "little white house" next to the Aldersgate United Methodist Church, 526 Ryders Lane. To make a monetary donation, makes checks out to the church and send them to 526 Ryders Lane, East Brunswick, N.J. 08816.

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