MANCHESTER, NJ — Giving Tuesday falls on Dec. 1 this year, but you don't have to wait until then to make a difference close to home.
Throughout November, local nonprofits, food pantries, animal rescues, community organizations and other groups are looking for donations, volunteers and other forms of support. Whether you have a few hours to give, items to donate or simply want to support a local cause financially, there are plenty of ways to help.
Patch rounded up organizations and opportunities to give back in and around Manchester. Needs and volunteer opportunities can change, so check directly with each organization for the latest information.
Here are some ways to make a difference in Manchester this November:
Our Daily Bread Pantry and Hungry Paws is a volunteer-run food pantry at St. Stephen's Episcopal Church, 180 County Road 539 in Whiting. It's set up like a classic general store, and with donations it can also provide pet food for dogs and cats.
Residents can donate or volunteer by calling the pantry director at 732-408-5948. The pantry's garden, tended by neighbors from nearby Cedar Glen Lakes, helps supply fresh produce.
Learn more about Our Daily Bread Pantry and Hungry Paws.
The Community Reformed Church, at 36 Lacey Road, runs a food pantry staffed by volunteers from the Whiting community. Its Clothing Tree sells clothing, and all proceeds go to the pantry.
Call 732-350-0232 to ask about food donations, volunteer shifts and current pantry hours.
Learn more about the Community Reformed Church's community outreach.
Fulfill, the food bank for Monmouth and Ocean counties, distributes food to nearly 300 feeding programs, including a weekly mobile pantry at Manchester Pines, 3204 Hilltop Road in Whiting.
Non-perishable food can be dropped off at its B.E.A.T. Center at 1769 Hooper Ave. in Toms River on weekdays from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Fulfill says every $1 donated provides three meals. Volunteers must be at least 13. They can organize food drives, sort and pack donations, help with mobile pantries and more, and groups of five or more are welcome.
Learn more about volunteering with Fulfill.
Jonah's Ark Animal Rescue is a volunteer-run nonprofit in Whiting that rescues dogs from overcrowded shelters and surrender situations. It places them with a network of foster caregivers until they find permanent homes.
Residents can adopt, foster, volunteer or donate. The rescue says donations pay for food, veterinary care, vaccinations and travel to adoption events, and it also keeps a Chewy wish list.
Learn more about ways to help Jonah's Ark Animal Rescue.
Somebody CARES, at 48 Schoolhouse Road in Whiting, is a volunteer-run, seniors-helping-seniors organization that has served Whiting residents since 1975. Its services include volunteer rides to appointments, daily wellness calls and a medical equipment loan program that lends wheelchairs, walkers, crutches and other items.
The group accepts donations of new or gently used medical equipment, and volunteers drive residents to appointments and help with other services. Call 732-350-1400 for details.
Learn more about Somebody CARES.
Outdoor-minded residents can volunteer with Ocean County Parks and Recreation, which is looking for trail volunteers to work alongside park naturalists cutting vegetation and preparing trail surfaces. The department supplies the tools.
Wells Mills County Park, a 910-acre park at 905 Wells Mills Road in Waretown, is a short drive from Manchester. Call 609-971-3085 to ask about trail volunteering there.
Learn more about volunteering with Ocean County Parks.
CASA of Ocean County, at 1035 Hooper Ave. in Toms River, recruits and trains community volunteers to advocate for children in foster care. Volunteers identify each child's needs and make recommendations to the family court.
The organization says its volunteers served 194 children and logged 2,200 hours in its latest reporting, and that more than 70 children entered foster care in the county in the past year. Residents can apply to volunteer or donate through its website.
Learn more about becoming a CASA volunteer.
CAREing for Children is a volunteer-run charity that serves newborns through teens in Ocean County, focusing on families facing financial hardship, housing instability or sudden crisis. It collects holiday toys and food and back-to-school backpacks.
The group says it buys goods in bulk and every dollar goes to items for children, which partner groups pick up by appointment each December and deliver to families. Residents can sign up on its website for volunteer opportunities and seasonal drives.
Learn more about CAREing for Children.
This isn't an exhaustive list of organizations doing good work in and around Manchester. Donation needs, volunteer opportunities and hours can change, so check directly with an organization for the latest information before donating or volunteering.
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