New Visions Receives $6,000 Grant

Beth Gebhart, executive director of Fund Development & the LSMNJ Foundation, proudly accepted, on behalf of New Visions Homeless Day Shelter, a $6,000 check from People for the Poor at the organization’s annual dinner Wednesday, February 3. Ten organizations were honored — each receiving $6,000. New Visions will use the funds to purchase food (including fresh vegetables and meat), laundry detergent, and toiletries for the showers. In addition, the money will also support the many social services provided to New Visions’ homeless clients.

A non-profit organization that raises money to fund homeless shelters and soup kitchens throughout South Jersey, People for the Poor grew from a simple idea of Mike Scott,one of the organization’s co-founders. Even though he wanted to help the poor, he didn’t have time to volunteer during the day at a soup kitchen or a homeless shelter to help them due to his own obligations with work. Mike mentioned his idea to Caroline Scherrer (co-founder) and together they formed People for the Poor, Inc. with a straightforward goal to help the desolate, the poorest of the poor… those who have nothing at all.

From the time People for the Poor was Incorporated in October of 2004, the organization’s by-laws have stated that only the poorest of the poor could receive the monies raised from the organization. It was decided that monies raised would benefit those organizations that helped shelter and feed people in need. As adopted in the by-laws, People for the Poor acts as a non-profit organization that raises funds to donate to various soup kitchens and homeless shelters that depend on donations to function throughout the year. We are pleased the New Visions, a part of Lutheran Social Ministries of NJ, has been honored as a 2016 recipient of funds from People for the Poor.