Lawmakers Help Ship Truckloads of Goods & Over $7,000 in Monetary Donations to the Storm-Ravaged U.S. Island
Fifteenth district legislators – Senator Shirley Turner, Assemblyman Reed Gusciora and Assemblywoman Elizabeth Maher Muoio – on Friday announced the successful conclusion of a hurricane relief donation drive, raising over $7,000 in monetary donations as well as truckloads of necessities for residents of Puerto Rico who have been devastated by Hurricane Maria.
The donation drive was conducted in partnership with all 10 municipalities in the 15th legislative district, which includes parts of Mercer and Hunterdon counties, as well as the Puerto Rican Parade of Trenton and the Governor’s Office of Volunteerism.
Donation boxes were located in all 10 municipalities, as well as the State Assembly Majority Office and the Mercer County Administration Building. Necessities collected included cleaning supplies, diapers, new underwear and socks, toiletries, flash lights, batteries, and first aid items.
The effort also attracted support beyond the district to include donation drives spearheaded by the Leadership Club at Melvin H. Kreps Middle School in East Windsor and the International Charter School in the City of Trenton, along with monetary donations of $1,000 each from both Dayton Toyota and the Joshua Harr Shane Foundation of East Windsor.
Last month, the 15th district lawmakers also co-hosted a fundraiser with the Mercer County Latino Democratic Caucus and Tropical Restaurant of Trenton, which brought in over $5000, including a $1000 donation from former Trenton City Mayor Doug Palmer.
The donations were then transported with the help of volunteers from the Puerto Rican Parade of Trenton to the NJ National Guard Armory in Mt. Holly as part of the collaborative effort.
“This is a humanitarian crisis that transcends politics. It’s about helping our fellow Americans who are experiencing unprecedented devastation,” said Turner.
“We want the residents of Puerto Rico to know we hear them, we see them and they are not alone. We are going to do whatever we can to help them pick up the pieces and rebuild their lives,” said Gusciora.
“There are countless people out there who don’t come from extraordinary means but want to help their fellow Americans in whatever way they can. We’d like to thank everyone who came together and joined us in this important effort,” said Muoio.