Betty Willey of the United Church of Christ in Plainfield, NJ with a blanket display.  A CWS Blankets display is set up in the church foyer for several weeks prior to their Tools and Blankets Program offering.  The display shows how blankets could be used - as a privacy wall, a shelter, as bedding, a wrap for warmth, and a carry-all for belongings.

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The following churches have participated in the CWS Tools & Blankets Program during the 2007 fiscal year. Their generous support of this program has enabled CWS to bring help and hope to many people in need around the world. Thanks to all of you!

5,000+
The Presbyterian Church in Morristown

$2,500 - $4,999
Brookside Community Church, Brookside
Chesterfield Baptist Church, Chesterfield
Church Women United of the Plainfield Area
First Presbyterian Church, Red Bank
First Presbyterian Church, Metuchen
Nassau Presbyterian Church, Princeton
The Presbyterian Church at Tenafly
Trinity United Methodist Church, Pennsville
United Methodist Church, Milltown
Bloomfield Presbyterian Church, Bloomfield

$1,000 - $2,499
Allentown United Methodist Church
Basking Ridge Presbyterian Church
Bridgewater United Methodist Church
Central United Methodist Church, Linwood
Clonmell United Methodist Church, Gibbstown
Cohansey Baptist Church, Bridgeton
Community Reformed Church, Whiting
Cranbury United Methodist Church, Cranbury
Denville Community United Methodist Church
First Presbyterian Church, Woodbridge
First Presbyterian Church, Pitman
First Presbyterian Church, Cape May
First Presbyterian Church of Ewing
First Presbyterian Church, Hamilton Square
First United Methodist Church, Oakhurst
First United Methodist Church, Millville
Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, Somerville
Reformed Church of Hasbrouck Heights
Hillsborough Reformed Church
Park Ridge United Methodist Church
Pennington Presbyterian Church
Presbyterian Church of Chatham
Presbyterian Church of Morris Plains
Presbyterian Church of Bound Brook
Presbyterian Church of Upper Montclair
Reformed Church of North Brunswick
Ridgewood United Methodist Church
Rossmoor Community Church
Saddle River Reformed Church
Six Mile Run Reformed Church, Franklin Park
St. Mary’s Church, Colts Neck
St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, Millville
Trinity Lutheran Church, Dover
Union Congregational Church, Upper Montclair
Watchung Avenue United Presbyterian Church, No. Plainfield
Kirkpatrick Memorial Presbyterian Church, Ringoes
Prospect Presbyterian Church, Maplewood
Tenafly Presbyterian Church
The First Presbyterian Church at Caldwell
First Presbyterian Church, Ridgewood

$500-999
Absecon Presbyterian Church
All Saint’s Episcopal Church, Glen Rock
Archer United Methodist Church, Allendale
Atco United Presbyterian Church
Belvidere United Methodist Church
Berean Baptist Church, Bridgeton
Beverly Presbyterian Church
Brick Presbyterian Church
Caldwell United Methodist Church
Christ Episcopal Church, Ridgewood
Christ United Methodist Church, Piscataway
Church of the Annunciation, Oradell
Clinton Avenue Reformed Church, Bergenfield
Community Reformed Church, Whiting
Community United Methodist Church, Roselle Park
Congregational Church of River Edge
Emmanuel Baptist Church, Ridgewood
Faith Lutheran Church, Hillsborough
Fewsmith Memorial Presbyterian Church, Belleville
First Baptist Church, Red Bank
First Congregational Church-UCC, Park Ridge
First Presbyterian Church of Berkshire Valley, Wharton
First Presbyterian Church, Iselin
First Presbyterian Church, Sayreville
First Presbyterian Church, Rutherford
First Presbyterian Church, North Haledon
First Presbyterian Church, Washington
First Presbyterian Church, Mendham
First Presbyterian Church of Woodbury Heights
First Presbyterian Church, Plainsboro
First Presbyterian Church, Lakewood
First Presbyterian Church, Haddonfield
First Reformed Church, Hawthorne
First United Methodist Church, Red Bank
First United Methodist Church, Keansburg
First United Methodist Church, Beach Haven
First United Methodist Church, Tuckerton
Gethsemane Lutheran Church, Keyport
Griggstown Reformed Church
Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, Manasquan
Kemble Memorial United Methodist Church, Woodbury
Livingston United Methodist Church
Lutheran Church of the Redeemer, Ramsey
Pequannock Reformed Church
Pleasant Grove Presbyterian Church, Long Valley
Presbyterian Church of Jamesburg
Third Westminster Presbyterian Church, Elizabeth
First Presbyterian Church, Freehold
First Presbyterian Church, Blairstown
Trinity Reformed Church, Old Tappan
Reformed Church of Metuchen
Somerset Presbyterian Church
St Paul’s United Methodist Church, Ocean Grove
Trinity United Presbyterian Church, Cherry Hill
Union Chapel-By-The-Sea, Ocean City
United Methodist Church of Mantua
Warren Point Presbyterian Church, Fair Lawn
St. Matthew’s Lutheran Church, Union City
Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, Glen Rock
St Timothy Lutheran Church, Wayne
Westminster Presbyterian Church, Middletown
Willow Grove Presbyterian Church, Scotch Plains
Wilson Memorial Church, Watchung
St Paul Lutheran Church, Elizabeth
Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, Red Bank
St. Stephen’s Lutheran Church
South Presbyterian Church, Bergenfield
First Congregational Church, River Edge
Community Church of Harrington Park
Zion Lutheran Church, Long Valley

$100-$499
Memorial Baptist Church, Trenton
Amwell First Presbyterian Church of Reaville, Ringoes
Asbury United Methodist Church, Cinnaminson
Athenia Quilting Group, Clifton
Bradley Gardens Community Church, Bridgewater
Broadway United Methodist Church, Washington
Calvary Presbyterian Church, Riverton
Changewater United Methodist Church
Christ Congregational Church, Princeton
Christ Lutheran Church, Woodcliff Lake
Collingswood Presbyterian Church
Community Church of Mountain Lakes
Crescent Avenue Presbyterian Church
Cross Keys United Methodist Church, Williamstown
Embury United Methodist Church, Little Silver
Church of Our Savior, Secaucus
St. Agnes Church, Little Falls
Church of the Annunciation, Oradell
Faith United Church of Christ, Union
Federated Church of Livingston
First Baptist Church, Salem
First Baptist Church, Collingswood
First Baptist Church of Laurelton, Brick
First Baptist Church of New Market, Piscataway
First Baptist Peddie Memorial Church, Newark
First Lutheran Church, Stewartsville
First United Methodist Church, Hasbrouck Heights
First Presbyterian Church, Boonton
First Presbyterian Church, Garfield
First Presbyterian Church, Belmar
First Presbyterian Church, Matawan
First Presbyterian Church, Bernardsville
First Presbyterian Church, Blackwood
First Presbyterian Church, Moorestown
First Presbyterian Church, Vineland
First Reformed Church, Long Branch
First Reformed Church, Boonton
First United Methodist Church, Avalon
First United Methodist Church, Farmingdale
Franklin Reformed Church, Nutley
Grace Episcopal Church, Plainfield
Grace Lutheran Church, Phillipsburg
Hillsdale United Methodist Church, Hillsdale
Holy Trinity Episcopal Church, Wenonah
Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, Nutley
Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, No. Wildwood
Hope Presbyterain Church, Eatontown
Jackson United Methodist Church
Kynett United Methodist Church, Beach Haven
Lower Berkshire Valley United Methodist Church, Wharton
Lutheran Church of the Redeemer, Maywood
Christ Lutheran Church, Paramus
New Providence United Methodist Church
Oceanport United Methodist Church
Old North Reformed Church, Dumont
Our Redeemer Lutheran Church, Dumont
Paramus Congregational Church, Paramus
Pilgrim Presbyterian Church, Phillipsburg
Plumstead Presbyterian Church, New Egypt
Pompton Valley Presbyterian Church, Pompton Plains
Pond’s Reformed Church, Oakland
Port Colden United Methodist Church, Washington
Pottersville Reformed Church
Presbyterian Church at Shrewsbury
Presbyterian Church in Norwood
Wright Memorial Presbyterian Church, Barnegat
First Presbyterian Church-Verona
First Presbyterian Church, Woodbridge
First Presbyterian Church, Stanhope
Prince of Peace Lutheran Church, Old Tappan
Ridgeview Community Presbyterian Church, West Orange
Roselle United Methodist Church
Second English Presbyterian Church, Lambertville
Somerset Hills Baptist Church, Basking Ridge
South Branch Reformed Church, Hillsborough
St. Andrew Lutheran Church, Parsippany
St. Andrew United Methodist Church, Toms River
St. Paul Lutheran Church, Hainesport
St. Paul’s United Methodist Church, Thorofare
St. Peter’s Episcopal Church, Livingston
St. Peter’s Episcopal Church, Washington
St. Peter’s Lutheran Church, Plainfield
Panther Valley Ecumenical Council, Hackettstown
Trinity United Methodist Church, Merchantville
Union United Methodist Church, Logan Twp.
Union Village United Methodist Church
United Methodist Church, Mt. Tabor
United Methodist Church, Washington
Van Riper-Ellis Broadway Baptist Church, Fair Lawn
Waldwick United Methodist Church
Christ the King Lutheran Church, Kendall Park
St. Mathew’s Episcopal Church, Paramus
St. John Lutheran Church, Passaic
St. Paul Lutheran Church, Beachwood
St. Cloud Presbyterian Church, West Orange
Christ Presbyterian Church, Gibbstown
First Presbyterian Church, Merchantville
First Congregational Church, Haworth
Old Paramus Reformed Church, Ridgewood

**Please contact our office if you think your church should be listed here!  609-924-6466 –

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April 20, 2007
By Matt Hackworth/CWS

From left: Jose, Christina and Dala Torres are seeking shelter from flood waters for the second time in eight years. Photo: Matt Hackworth/CWS

BOUND BROOK, N.J. – Mud and debris show the high-water mark here, where flooding forced people from their homes Sunday night. Some 180 people who fled the rising waters sought shelter at the Presbyterian Church of Bound Brook.

"I've got two moms with four week-old babies sleeping in my office," said the church's pastor, Rev. Jerry Kilgore. "These people have lost everything."

At least one thing many survivors of this week's flooding do have is a gray blanket bearing the yellow Church World Service logo. "People found out we had the blankets and they started showing up," Kilgore said. "A lot of them have lost everything but they know they can come here and get a blanket."

Close to 300 CWS Blankets arrived here mid-day Thursday. A stack of them sits at the end of a folding table, where church volunteers are dispensing them along with other necessities. Some of the blankets already look well-used, rumpled on the folding cots that are stretched out in every nook and cranny of the church.

Like many New Jersey communities, Bound Brook enjoys a healthy community of immigrants. The disaster preparedness and response group New Jersey Interfaith estimates as many as 1,000 undocumented immigrants were forced from their dwellings in the nor'easter that brought more than a week of rain and flooding to Central New Jersey.

The Presbyterian Church of Bound Brook is no stranger to sheltering those who need help. During Hurricane Floyd's wrath in 1999, Christina Torres and her family lost much of their home in flooding. Once again, eight years later, the Torres family is calling the small, stone church home, this time as church members.

Volunteers at the Presbyterian Church in Bound Brook, NJ, hand out basic supplies including CWS Blankets to flood survivors. Photo: Matt Hackworth/CWS

"I think we lost everything because we lived on the first floor apartment," Torres said through a translator. The family is originally from Mexico.

Hope arrived Friday in Bound Brook, where brilliant sunshine and a crystal blue sky shone over receding flood waters. Damage assessments estimate New Jersey saw at least $300 million in destruction from this week’s flooding, which also brought damage to at least six states.

New Jersey's Raritan River is returning to its usual, springtime levels but things in Bound Brook are far from normal.

"Most people around here don’t know this is happening," Kilgore said, adding that until everyone can return to their homes his church will remain a place of shelter.

Contributions to support these efforts may be sent to your denomination or directly to:
Church World Service
April 2007 Flooding and Tornadoes #6294
P.O. Box 968
Elkhart, IN 46515

Contributions may also be made by credit card online, or by calling: 800-297-1516, ext. 222

UPDATE: NJ Spring Storms/Flooding

Now that flooding has receded, the New Jersey Interfaith Partnership for Disaster Recovery is coordinating long-term recovery in concert with FEMA and New Jersey’s Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster in the 12 counties declared eligible for federal assistance. NJIPDR is an established long-term recovery organization formed in part by CWS following the 2001 terrorist attacks. For more information, please contact the NJIPDR at 908-355-0064, or .

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“Care Abounds in Communities” Grants

Thrivent Financial for Lutherans offers an opportunity for active volunteer chapters to add to their congregation’s Tools & Blankets donation through supplemental funding provided by the “Care Abounds in Communities” chapter Care program.

Care Abounds in Communities™

Through the Care Abounds in Communities™ chapter Care program, Thrivent Financial for Lutherans provides funding for members participating in community service teams. These teams are formed to conduct fund-raising activities (including appeals/collections) and/or hands-on service activities.

Activities can benefit individuals, families, local communities or organizations that are exempt from federal income tax under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, excluding congregations. (This includes charitable, educational, and religious organizations, excluding congregations.) Activity requests for funding are directed to the chapter leadership board.

Applying for funding is simple:

1. Contact your local Chapter leader
2. Request an application for grant funding
3. Complete and submit the application
   

The manager of Lutheran community services (MLCS) approves all activities. Funds are sent directly from Thrivent Financial for Lutherans to the chapters involved in the activities.

For more information, call:
Thrivent Fraternal Service Center at 1-800-236-3736
www.Thrivent.com

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• Visit the CWS Tools & Blankets Resources page for graphics, skits and other materials to liven up your Tools & Blankets event.

• Order materials online or phone our national service center, 1-800-297-1516

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