FEEDING THE COMMUNITY: Volunteers will be working with HomeFront team members in their Choice Market food pantry during HomeFront’s Week of Hope, February 10-15. Members of the community are invited to visit or volunteer for any of the many educational and volunteer activities offered during the week. (Photo courtesy of HomeFront)

By Donald Gilpin

HomeFront’s 2025 Week of Hope starts on February 10 and offers six days full of volunteer and educational events where participants can make a difference in helping local families that are experiencing poverty and homelessness.

“During the Week of Hope, we invite the community to come visit or volunteer, create some community, explore the challenges we face, and learn how you can support what we are doing at HomeFront to make a difference,” said HomeFront CEO Sarah Steward.

“We continue to call it ‘Week of Hope’ since starting this event in 2017 because we know that when community members get involved, it truly is possible to bring hope and stability to local families impacted by poverty and homelessness,” she added. “Week of Hope reminds us of our togetherness in this community and the ability for each of us to bring about change.”

From 9:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. on Monday, February 10, and also 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Thursday, February 13, volunteers will be working at HomeFront’s FreeStore at 1000 Division Street in Trenton, helping to create a welcoming space where clients can shop for clothing, professional attire, household items, and more — all at no cost to them. Sorting incoming donations and organizing merchandise in the store will be among the activities for participants who sign on.

HomeFront’s Choice Market food pantry is looking for helpers on Monday from 9:45 a.m. to 2:15 p.m., Tuesday 1:45 to 6 p.m., and Thursday 9:45 a.m. to 2:15 p.m. at their 1880 Princeton Avenue campus in Lawrence Township. Volunteers will join the HomeFront team in creating a dignified shopping experience for clients at the Choice Market food pantry, working to assist clients, retrieving carts, and restocking shelves. Spanish and Haitian Creole speakers are especially encouraged to volunteer.

For supporters who are new to volunteering with HomeFront, on Monday February 10 from 5:30 to 6:15 p.m. there will be an “engaging session to dive into our mission, core values, and the ins and outs of client-facing, and in-person volunteering,” a HomeFront flier states. All in-person volunteers are encouraged to attend.

Volunteers who would like to bake treats for children in the community should drop off the goodies by 2 p.m. on Tuesday, February 11 at 1880 Princeton Avenue in Lawrence Township. They will be included in meal deliveries to families temporarily living in motels. “Bring a smile to children currently experiencing homelessness by baking nut-free treats,” HomeFront urges. “Every sweet contribution makes a difference.” Treats should be individually wrapped.

On Tuesday and again on Thursday, from 2:30 to 5:30 p.m., volunteers will “Deliver Hope with Double Helpings,” joining the HomeFront Double Helpings team to deliver hot meals and essential supplies to individuals experiencing homelessness and living in area motels. HomeFront advises that volunteers must be 18 years old to participate and should sign up with the Volunteer Orientation on the HomeFront website to get started.

For those eager to learn about HomeFront’s more than 35 programs and their impact, there will be a private bus tour with Steward on Wednesday, February 12 from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., starting from 1880 Princeton Avenue in Lawrence Township.

Also on Wednesday, HomeFront’s Treasure Trove thrift store at 31 West Broad Street in Hopewell will be the venue for those artistically inclined who would like to spend an evening collaging, sipping, and learning about HomeFront. A donation of $25 per person is suggested, HomeFront said, for those who would like to “enjoy a relaxing time creating a Valentine for someone special in your life while supporting a great cause.” Participants must be 21 to attend.

Baking cupcakes and creating Valentine’s goodie bags for children and families staying at the HomeFront Family Campus are also on the agenda for Wednesday and Thursday. Volunteers should prepare their contributions at home, individually wrap them, and drop off the treats at 1880 Princeton Avenue in Lawrenceville by 2 p.m. on Thursday, February 13.

Also on Thursday, there is an opportunity to tour HomeFront’s 1880 Princeton Avenue location to see the Resource Network in action, learn about the food pantry, hygiene pantry, diaper resource center, upcoming drives, and to discover many different ways to get involved in supporting the HomeFront mission.

On Friday, those interested are invited to join Steward for a lunch during which she will speak about HomeFront’s “proactive approach to addressing homelessness.” The invitation urges, “Gain insight into our programs and services and understand the challenges our clients face every day as we work together to break the cycle of poverty and homelessness.”

The final event of the Week of Hope, a diaper wrapping activity, will take place on Saturday, February 15, from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. at 1880 Princeton Avenue in Lawrence Township. HomeFront urges volunteers to make a difference by hosting a diaper drive, bringing the collected diapers to the donation center, and afterwards joining a lively diaper wrapping session to support families in need. Diapers can cost $70-$80 per month per child, and they’re not covered by food stamps.

HomeFront reports that during the past year 30,676 individuals came to HomeFront and were given shelter, food, and “life-changing assistance.” Families and individuals received 1,840,320 meals through free groceries from HomeFront food pantries. There were 168 families sheltered at the HomeFront Family Campus and in HomeFront’s FreshStart housing program. More than one million diapers were distributed through the Diaper Resource Center, an increase of 17 percent over last year. And 141 families settled in HomeFront’s permanent, affordable, service-enriched housing.

Visit homefrontnj.org to learn more about HomeFront and the Week of Hope, and to sign up for any of the events noted above.