From Homeless to Home-Full
The Dream Center is an absolute blessing to my family and the community! My family had a very rough 2019, we spent the whole summer in a family shelter due to some tribulations. While we were in the shelter we started to get on our feet, my husband started working again, and before you know it we were finally able to move into our new place in October of 2019.
Although we were very happy to be in our new home we still needed so much. Being a family of 6 at the time and 8 months pregnant with baby number 5 we needed furniture and the new baby still needed many things! I reached out to several agencies with no luck till I got connected via Facebook to the Dream Center. God sent us Natalie, Tracy and all their staff and volunteers to the rescue. It brought so much joy to them to want to help our family. They heard our story and treated us like family from day one.
They reached out to several different people on their end and found my family a brand-new king bedroom set with a mattress included and a brand new recliner and also tons of other baby supplies that we needed. They communicated back and forth and made sure that we received what we needed. They continue to help my family and even check in just to make sure we are okay. Their customer service is outstanding! This organization is extremely friendly, trustworthy and is an excellent example of what God's love truly is. Five stars all across the board! The Robinson's are so grateful and blessed to be part of the Dream Center family!
Dream Center Partners with
Habitat for Humanity
When the Gloucester County Habitat for Humanity celebrates a "Habitation", the Dream Center joins in with a cart full of groceries for the happy homeowners. COVID-19 couldn't stop this mother and daughter from moving into their Glassboro home after many months of hard work and anticipation. Habitat representative, Megan Varrell, shared with us that "Habitat Homeowners contribute sweat-equity hours building their own home and take classes to learn the ins-and-outs of homeownership". This summer they broke ground on their 52nd affordable home in Gloucester County.
Efforts Continue During COVID-19
The Dream Center hosted a third and final Food Distribution in June at the National Park Elementary School. Once again, over 150 students and their families were blessed with top quality groceries. BIG shout out to Rastelli Foods for providing a refrigeration truck for the duration of our event to preserve our fresh produce, meat and Heritage's milk! The Dream Center continues to provide groceries "curbside" at their facility in West Deptford. Big thanks to West Deptford Energy for their donation to purchase groceries! Enjoy this video with highlights of our efforts.
News
Farmers to Families
The Dream Center is so blessed to be a part of the USDA "Farmers to Families Food Box Program" under the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program. Local distributor, J. Ambrogi Foods provides over 100 produce boxes to our facility each week, filled with fresh tomatoes, celery, apples, oranges, lettuce, potatoes, carrots and onions. Our agencies love them, including our friends at the First Baptist Church of Jericho.
Awarded “Excellence in Community Impact”
It is an honor to be the recipient of Acenda Integrated Health's 2020 Circle of Impact award for "an organization who has shown exceptional support for those entrusted in Acenda's care. This honoree's generous efforts have made an everlasting mark on Acenda through its desire to transform lives for children and families". We love working with the representatives from Acenda and share their compassion for moms, dads and children in need of household and baby supplies...and a whole lot of love.
Kids and Cows!
Madison and Sofia TAKE THE LEAD in their neighborhood by organizing a Food Drive on behalf of the SJDC with their amazing grandmother, Peg. Thank you for your heart of compassion toward families in need during this tough time. YOU made a difference. And you too Heritage's "Crazy Cow" (right)! Every Thursday, The Dream Center picks up hundreds of pounds of day end bread and sandwiches from nine local Heritage's stores. Thank you for your overwhelming generosity.
Important Update
After careful consideration we have made the difficult decision to cancel this year's Ninth Annual Dodge Hunger Dodgeball Tournament. With our venue being closed along with concern for our volunteers' and players' safety, we felt this was the best route to take. Thank you for your continued support. Stay tuned for news about our awesome NEW fundraiser this November! Full details about Dodge Hunger HERE.
