Relief for Working Families in Need

So many hard-working families are struggling, having difficulty making ends meet with the ongoing unstable economy. Every day, there is news of job lay-offs, corporations downsizing, businesses closing, people working fewer hours, earning less pay, healthcare programs diminishing, not to mention the higher costs of living. There is a nonprofit organization that is here to assist families and provide relief.  Bentley Community Services helps working families regain financial stability by providing groceries, farm fresh produce, basic necessities, household goods, clothing, adult educational classes and resources.  They provide a community where people can be responsible and accountable for meeting their basic needs and to equip them with tools to overcome financial difficulty. This allows families to save money to pay monthly expenses, pay off medical bills, make essential repairs and offset the consequences of the downward economy.  They specifically address the needs of hard-working families who are productive members of our communities that do not qualify for assistance, yet are struggling financially to pay their bills.

“The participant families in our program are not eligible for government programs that are funded by tax dollars. Many organizations assist individuals and families who make below the state poverty line. ... Sadly, hardworking people who earn above that line do not have the same access to assistance programs. These are the people we help and so often seem to be middle-class families,” states Dorothy Stearns, Executive Director of Bentley Community Services.  BCS uses a self-help model, in which the beneficiaries are also partners in running the organization.  Stearns believes that true charity is given in a way that allows the recipient to participate in improving his or her circumstances, if possible.

If you are a family struggling, need relief and would like assistance or to learn how you can get involved, please contact Bentley Community Services at 908-227-0684.  For more information, please visit their website at www.bentleycommunityservices.org.