Adventists Community Service Volunteers Part of Group Thanked by Obama

The Adventist News Network has a report up about President Obama and New Jersey Governor Chris Christie thanks a group of several thousand hurricane-affected residents and volunteers. The group included about 300 Seventh-day Adventists Community Service members.  

“President Obama thanked us for giving back to the community and being there to help others in their time of need,” said David L. King, who pastors the First Paterson Adventist Church and directed the community faith-based response in the wake of the storm.

 

New Jersey was declared a federal disaster area after homes and businesses were flooded following the hurricane. More than 2,000 residents evacuated ahead of the storm, hundreds spent the week in area shelters and area businesses were shuttered, said Ora Jane Bell, director for Adventist Community Services in the region.

 

With more than 300 volunteers from the church’s Allegheny East Conference, First Paterson’s Adventist Community Services served as a distribution hub for nearly $200,000 worth of food, personal care items and cleaning supplies donated by the nonprofit Feed the Children for more than 3,300 affected residents.