Serve Jersey Shore: For 24 Hours, Faith Community Will Reach Out To Meet, Serve Neighbors

More than 50 churches and ministries will be participating in specific projects for more than 24 nonstop hours this weekend as part of Serve Jersey Shore, a faith-based outreach and community service day in Ocean and Monmouth counties.

The churches fund their own efforts that range from two to four hours. Serve Jersey Shore begins at 9 a.m. on Saturday, Aug. 19, and ends at 11 a.m. on Sunday, Aug. 20. All churches and projects will be listed on ServeJerseyShore.com.

Current projects include the Jersey Shore Dream Center’s annual Serve 24 day in the heart of Asbury Park including dozens of local projects; a Fun Day Party for resource families at Calvary Lighthouse in Lakewood with rides, games and food; and a Community Ambassador Day in the Lakewood town square and the Bethel Church facilities offering immigration and health care services, along with discussion panels featuring the Ocean County Sheriff Department and the Ocean County Health Department.

In addition, many churches will be hosting backpack giveaways, blessing bags for the homeless, meals for lower income families and residents, and community cleanup projects around public areas and schools.

The goal of this unique day is to mobilize churches and ministries to collectively meet and serve the needs of the community on the same day.

Volunteer hubs featuring music, food for volunteers and a live stream of all simultaneous outreaches will be located at New Life Church, 800 Main St., in downtown Toms River for Ocean County volunteers and at the Jersey Shore Dream Center’s Springwood Park location in Asbury Park for Monmouth County volunteers.

For more information, please visit www.servejerseyshore.com, or email info@movetheearth.org.