Hi! I’m Harrinee, New Jersey iloom Chapter lead.
Just a few weeks after I joined the organization, boxes began arriving at our house, and the New Jersey chapter of Iloom began. My sister Janani and I inventoried and sorted all the items and then proceeded to contact our first donation center, the Ozanam Inn (one of the shelters in our vicinity). The Ozanam Inn, part of the larger Catholic Charities network of shelters, assists individuals who are hungry, need shelter, or lack the financial resources to meet their basic needs. I spoke with one of the directors of the Ozanam shelter, Mr. Ed Hall, and he informed me that the shelter was in need of twin size bedding/bed sets and blankets. We decided on a number of items and a time to drop off the donations, which, coincidentally, happened to be on Christmas Eve.
Overall, it was an insightful experience and it was gratifying to see the tangible impact that derived from our efforts and the efforts of Iloom as a whole. My sister and I look forward to many more experiences like this one and we hope to expand Iloom’s reach throughout New Jersey.