Amid COVID Slowdown, Hoboken Boy Raises 7 Bags Of Items For Needy

HOBOKEN, NJ — Hoboken Boy Scout Arjun Puri, 13, was concerned last year when he realized that his volunteer work for the homeless and needy had slowed down during the COVID crisis. And he found out that organizations were desperate for supplies.

"I have frequently volunteered with the Boy Scouts on food drives in the past to benefit the homeless shelter and the Hoboken food pantry," he said recently. "However, all of this came to a halt during the last year and a half due to Covid."

He wondered if the needy could get help some other way.

"I noticed my mom doing some spring cleaning," he said. "This made me think that we could turn this into a bigger community project for charity in order to have a more meaningful impact. I felt it would be a good idea to have a clothing drive because many people were probably hurting due to COVID. I approached my Scoutmaster, Norman Kasser."

Arjun, who just graduated from middle school at the Hudson School, sent emails to other Scouts and families he knew, and went door to door to collect items.

Ultimately, he received donations of seven bags of canned goods, toys, and food.

Then, he organized the distribution of the items to two charities in town.

"The troop's 'Spring Cleaning' service project was a success and was 100 percent the work of Second Class Scout Arjun Puri, from inception through delivery," Scout leader Norman Kasser informed the Scouts in May. "What initiative!"

Arjun has been a member of Hoboken Boy Scout Troop 146 for the last eight years.

"I coordinated with the director of the charity 'In Jesus’ Name' and was proud to have been able to take two full carloads of toys and clothing to donate to them," Arjun said. "The director of the charity, April Harris, [said] there were several families who were in desperate need of these clothes and toys and she said the donations would be put to good use."

Lenny Luizzi, the founder of the Hoboken Boy Scouts Troop, was able to get some of the boxed and canned food items to the Saint Francis food pantry, Arjun said.

"Once again, he mentioned that the food pantry was running very low on supplies and that the food items," Arjun said. "I was really glad to be able to organize this fundraiser to help the less fortunate families in Hoboken during their time of need.”

(The city of Hoboken also runs a twice-weekly food and supply pantry for residents in need, at different locations around town. See the city website for more information.)

Arjun sent this thank-you note to those who helped:

Hello Everyone,

I would like to thank the following scouts and their families for donating their items. Thank you to Theo Platt, Henry Craft, Jackson Rudden-Orona, Otys Train, Ryan Ramos, Alex Lefkowitz, and Hayden Faricelli for donating food, clothes, and toys. Overall we had 2 carloads of toys and clothing which was donated to the In Jesus’ Name charity. The director of the charity, April Harris, was very grateful for the donations, especially because their supply chain has been disrupted due to Covid. There were several families who were in desperate need of these clothes and toys and she said the donations will be put to good use.

In addition, we also collected 7 bags full of canned goods and other food items such as rice, instant potatoes, pasta, fruit, and beans. Lenny was able to help us donate these to the Saint Francis food pantry. Once again, he mentioned that the food pantry was running very low on supplies and that the food items will be extremely useful to feed the homeless. I would like to thank all of you for your support, without which, would not have been possible. I will attach some photos below of the donations.

Thank you,
Arjun Puri

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