City to host Sunday dinners for Newark homeless and at-risk families

NEWARK, NJ — The city of Newark is hosting free community dinners for homeless residents and at-risk families at the Vincent Lombardi Center of Hope, 201 Bloomfield Ave., for residents in need. The next dinner will be Sunday, Dec. 18, from 4 to 7 p.m. Seasonal music will be provided.

The dinners are hosted by the Newark Department of Public Safety, the Department of Recreation, Cultural Affairs and Senior Services, ID Newark, the Hispanic Law Enforcement Society of Essex County, the Hispanic Firefighters Association of Newark, Lighthouse Assembly of God, ARJ Civic, Believe in Newark Foundation, Latin African American Chaplains Association, Dr. Jose A. Pagan, United Healthcare, WellCare Health Plans and Samaritan Outreach Services.

“As Charles Dickens wrote so well, this is a time of year when ‘abundance rejoices, and want is felt most keenly.’ We in Newark are committed to sharing our abundance so that those in want can rejoice,” Mayor Ras J. Baraka said. “I am proud of how our private, non-profit and public communities are coming together as a family this holiday season to care for those in need and urge all of our residents to  join with us and become part of this critical holiday effort.”

Samaritan Outreach Services began as an outreach of Abundant Life Worship Center and was created in 2012. Today, it is a recognized 501c3 not-for-profit organization, which offers extensive assistance to disadvantaged and or homeless men by providing mentoring, counseling, job training, housing and other support services, which include feeding programs and clothing.

For more information on Samaritan Outreach Services, visit its webpage at www.sos-nj.org or call 973-986-1913. For more information on the program, contact the Office of Community Engagement at 973-733-4310.