New Journey Community Outreach (NJCO) is proud to celebrate a decade of fighting poverty and feeding hope in our communities. Over the past 10 years, NJCO has made a remarkable impact on its mission of restoring hope, comfort, and dignity by providing food, clothing, and support to our neighbors in need. Today the organization serves over 300 people per day in Reading and, over the last year, distributed groceries to 3,500 households.
To celebrate this milestone, New Journey will host an anniversary breakfast on Nov. 21 at 7:30 a.m., at the Doubletree by Hilton Reading. The event will be an opportunity to celebrate the vision of their founders and the continuing work of donors and volunteers to provide critical essentials for individuals in need of support. Honorees this year include Sue Krall, past Executive Director, Helping Harvest – Community Partner Award and Anne Rutkowski – Individual Volunteer recognition. Cost per ticket is $50 and all proceeds will benefit New Journey Community Outreach Food and Clothing Services.
Tickets are available for purchase by visiting their website at www.njcoinc.org.
Renewing An Existing Name in Reading PA:
New Journey often calls itself a “new-old” organization. Fifty years ago, a group of committed church members noticed the dire need for food and clothing programs to help community members struggling to meet their basic needs. When the church had to close its doors, its members remained committed to providing outreach services in the neighborhoods where they were most needed. Their efforts led to the establishment of New Journey Community Outreach; a non-profit organization dedicated to continuing the original vision.
Area social service agencies rely on the food and clothing programs to help their clients. They acknowledge that without these necessities, participation in other programs can be challenging. Berks Connections/Pretrial Services shared, “When individuals are released from jail, they often only have the clothes they were wearing when they were arrested. This can be a huge problem, especially in winter when they need warm clothing. Thankfully, our organization can reach out to New Journey, ensuring a warm hand-off to get the clothing they need, right away, as well as food and medical care through Street Medicine. Our clients rely on New Journey to provide them with these necessary supports, and they have become an integral part of our community.”
Today, New Journey is a significant contributor to community hunger prevention efforts, offering a weekly pantry as well as a daily lunch program. “New Journey Community Outreach continues to react to the growing needs in our community. Every day, over 300 people join us for a nourishing meal and a time to connect. Our service numbers have doubled in the last two years, but what is most important to us is the understanding that everyone who comes to us has unique needs. Our focus is on meeting the specific needs of our guests and ensuring they are received with dignity and respect,” said Christie Botterbusch, Executive Director.
If you would like to get involved, New Journey welcomes food drives, lunch sponsors, and program volunteers. Visit their website to register and learn more about available volunteer opportunities.
You Might Also Like
