Samaritan Center will continue to assist area families in need
Thank you for carrying the article "Samaritan Center Director Retires from Local Charity" (News Transcript, Oct. 10, 2007).

The Samaritan Center is an independent 501c3 charity established to serve the poor and needy of western Monmouth County.

The center has been providing material assistance to needy families in western Monmouth County for over 21 years without regard to race, creed or ethnicity.

Though Samaritan Center is not a homeless agency, we provide services to individuals and families that certainly help to prevent them from becoming homeless.

Our primary mission is to provide food to our clients through our pantry in order to help them stretch their food money. In addition, we provide complete holiday food baskets for our clients through the generous assistance of many people of good will.

When we lost our lease one year ago and were in danger of closing for lack of a home base, one of our trustees worked with the township of Manalapan to find space behind the Manalapan Senior Center.

We are most grateful to the Manalapan Township Committee for having the foresight to see the need we fulfill. Providing the use of this space ensures that families can still have enough food on their table. This is a valuable service that promotes the common good of society.

We invite anyone wishing to promote the common good to join us. Our need for volunteers is ongoing. To assist, please call (732) 446-1142.

The Rev. John P. Bambrick

President Samaritan Center

Manalapan