Bloomfield Disaster Preparedness Event Will Help Seniors Prep For Emergencies

From Jewish Family Service of MetroWest: The RSVP Center of Essex and Hudson Counties is seeking volunteers ages 55+ to assemble disaster preparedness kits for seniors in Bloomfield and Glen Ridge, New Jersey.

The RSVP Center of Essex and Hudson Counties in collaboration with the Bloomfield Department of Health and Human Services and Neighbor to Neighbor Network, is planning a disaster kit packing and distribution event where volunteers ages 55 and over will assemble disaster kits to assist seniors in Bloomfield and Glen Ridge in case of an emergency. RSVP is currently recruiting volunteers to participate in the event.

The event will take place on Tuesday, January 17, 2017 from 10 am – 12 pm at the Bloomfield Civic Center located at 84 Broad Street in Bloomfield. Disaster kits will contain first aid items, can openers, toiletries, flashlights, water bottles, FEMA educational packets and other essentials that would be useful in the event of an emergency. Volunteers will receive a free t-shirt on the day of the event while supplies last and volunteers will have the benefit of learning how they can prepare for disasters while assembling the kits. Parking is available in the municipal lot behind the Civic Center and street parking is available on Broad Street.

Please visit here for more information and to sign up or contact Stephanie Grove at 973-637-1766 or sgrove@jfsmetrowest.org.

RSVP mobilizes members of the community who are 55 years and older to give back to their own neighborhoods by matching individuals with local causes and projects. The RSVP Center of Essex and Hudson Counties is sponsored by Jewish Family Service of MetroWest. Individuals choose where to serve, how much time to give, and whether they will share skills they already have or develop new ones. Volunteer activities include reading to children, visiting homebound adults, providing critical disaster preparedness, providing nonprofit clerical support, and working in local soup kitchens and food pantries.

RSVP is a nationwide program of the Corporation of National and Community Service, a federal agency that engages more than four million Americans of all ages and backgrounds in service each year through its Senior Corps, AmeriCorps, Social Innovation Fund programs and President Obama’s call to service, United We Serve.

The Bloomfield Department of Health & Human Services aims to prevent disease and promote physical and mental wellbeing through policy development, disease detection, prevention, education, and enforcement; in a culturally competent manner that ensures the highest quality of life for the residents we serve.

Neighbor to Neighbor Network’s mission is to connect Bloomfield and Glen Ridge's most vulnerable populations to volunteers. They use non-traditional programs to offer support to the people who would otherwise be at risk for "falling through the cracks". NTNN works closely with the caring staff of the Bloomfield Division of Human Services.

Jewish Family Service of MetroWest is a comprehensive social service agency providing mental health counseling and support services on a non-discriminatory basis. With a presence in the community since 1861, JFS today delivers an expanding number of programs to increasing numbers of people. For children and families, JFS provides individual, couple, child and family counseling, play therapy, support groups, adoption services, school and synagogue based social work services, family life education and other assistance needed to support healthy families. Rachel Coalition, a division of JFS, provides domestic violence services for all members of the family affected by domestic violence. JFS also offers a wide range of services for older adults and their families including case management services, counseling, caregiver education, volunteer friendly visitors and specialized programs for Holocaust survivors. For more information about Jewish Family Service, please call (973) 765-9050 or visit here.

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