ObitTree Blog

East Brunswick, NJ – Community outreach and volunteering is very important to the staff at Brunswick Memorial Home in East Brunswick, Jersey. They are constantly on the lookout throughout the year for events they can get involved with and help give back to their community.

While researching possible opportunities, they came to the realization that most people only choose to help those less fortunate around the holidays. While helping families around Christmas time is important, shelters still operate throughout the year and need help year round.

The Ozanam Family Shelter and Naomi’s Way are two such places that offer homeless families and single women in crisis temporary and emergency lodging, meals, counselling, and assistance. Brunswick Memorial Home decided that they should coordinate a summer event to help people in need at these shelters. The result was a Christmas in July celebration.

Families were able to sign up for the event and fill out a short questionnaire to provide the organizers with some information and preferred gifts for their children. On the day of the event, children received buckets and sports bags with the child’s name on it as they arrived. The families were then invited to decorate the pales and bags with stickers and markers to customize each item.

When the decorating was complete, everyone gathered around for readings of Christmas stories and singing of Christmas carols. While this was happening, the organizers quietly filled the children’s bags and pales with Christmas goodies including candy, cookies, stickers, and coloring books.

The highlight of the day was when the children were told if they sang loud enough, Santa might stop by. The children obliged and Santa appeared wearing a Hawaiian shirt and some shorts. The children were ecstatic to sit on Santa’s lap and chat with him. He surprised each child with some gifts that were purchased by the funeral home. Parents also received gifts and could take pictures with Santa.

The event drew to a close with the families gathering to make ice cream sundaes and having some refreshments. The children were returned their bags and pales filled with the goodies and a buzz of joy and happiness was felt throughout the facility.

Brunswick Memorial Home went above and beyond to help families in need and give back to their community. Acts of kindness like this do not go unnoticed and are a great way to bring awareness to the community about these shelters and the people in need. People tend to only think of others around the holidays but forgot that shelters like Naomi’s Way and Ozanam Family Shelter operate 365 days a year.

Brunswick Memorial Home was able to bring some happiness to families going through an immensely difficult transitional period. Hosting an event like this was strictly about helping others and not trying to generate business. When funeral homes give back like this, they show people the compassionate and caring qualities that make them so great at their jobs.

Brunswick Memorial Home’s Christmas in July event was immensely successful. They are now considering making the event an annual tradition in their community.

Is there a funeral home in your area that’s doing great things for their community? Or are you a funeral director with an amazing story to share?  Let us know by completing the online submission form and our content writing team will be in touch to bring your story to life. The best of the best will be highlighted in our series.