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This month, we pause to honor the legacy of leaders who not only shaped South Jersey but our nation's history, advancing the work of equity and justice through the power of faith and community. Figures like Burlington County-born Dr. James Still, known as the “Black Doctor of the Pines,” and his younger brother, Father and Conductor of the Underground Railroad William Still, left a lasting mark on our region.
They, along with Charity Still, who twice escaped enslavement on Maryland's Eastern Shore, and Cape May-born Jarena Lee, the first woman preacher ordained by the AME Church, exemplified the courage and conviction required to create pathways of liberation for all to thrive. What follows serves as a testament to how their lives and impact inspire the vision and mission of Loving Our Cities today. I hope the same will be said of us by future generations tomorrow. To join us in actualizing that hope, visit www.lovingourcities.org or email info@lovingourcities.org to donate, volunteer, or partner with Loving Our Cities to enhance the quality of life where we live, work, serve, and worship by providing equitable access to resources for individuals, families, and communities in South Jersey to thrive.
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Freedom School Planning Grant
Thanks to a planning grant awarded by the New Jersey Office of Faith-Based Initiatives (OFBI), the Freedom School operated by Loving Our Cities is on its way to official recognition as a New Jersey-certified Freedom School, having gained approval from the Children's Defense Fund (CDF).
OFBI serves to eliminate barriers to funding, creating greater access for partnership and enhancing the capacity of faith and community-based organizations to create and implement innovative approaches to foster community and economic transformation. With the support of a $15,000 OFBI planning grant, Loving Our Cities staff received training and approval in the use of CDF curriculum, and a subsequent $70,000 OFBI social innovations grant to expand its 2026 summer program.
CDF Freedom Schools originate from the Mississippi Freedom Summer Project of 1964, which sought to secure justice and voting rights for Black citizens, providing Black children and youth safe havens for educational experiences not offered in public schools. CDF Freedom Schools continue to play a valuable role today, employed in New Jersey to address inequities in education in the state's Abbott School Districts.
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Right to Food in New Jersey
Through collaboration with the New Jersey Office of the Food Security Advocate (OFSA), Loving Our Cities works to shape a Garden State free of food deserts. We recently highlighted how and why at OFSA's 2nd Annual Conference on Food Security, "Setting a Table for All", featuring Deputy Commissioner Michael Wilson of the NJ Department of Human Services and Assemblywoman Shama Haider who recently co-sponsored a resolution passed last month in New Jersey declaring "that all residents have the fundamental right to adequate food."
The resolution serves as a framework to tackle food insecurity and played a vital role in the release of the first-ever statewide food security strategic plan. Built around six key dimensions of food security—availability, access, utilization, stability, agency, and sustainability—the plan recognizes that hunger is influenced by more than the lack of food, but a variety of systemic factors, providing a roadmap to ensuring equitable food access for all New Jerseyans.
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2026 Volunteer Orientation Dates
Whether you've been part of our team in the past, are currently volunteering or are interested in serving for the first time, we're excited to invite you to our Volunteer Orientation at Loving Our Cities! This is a wonderful opportunity for you to engage with our community and join us in our mission to enhance the quality of life where we live, work, serve, and worship.
During orientation, you will receive comprehensive training covering all aspects of volunteering with us. This includes an overview of our organization's goals, the specific roles and responsibilities of our volunteers, and guidance on how to join us in serving our community.
We encourage ALL volunteers to attend orientation as it provides essential information and training to enhance your volunteering experience. There are two days available for orientation. One on Sunday, March 15th, at 1:30 p.m. and one Tuesday, March 17th, at 6 p.m. Feel free to attend the session that works best with your schedule.
Opportunities include:
- Sorting and distributing groceries at our food pantries
- Mentoring the men of tomorrow with A Few Good Men
- Gardening with our Garden State of Mind team in support of our pantries
- And More!
Join Loving Our Cities in our mission to enhance the quality of life where we live, work, serve, and worship!
Spring Orientation (Registration Now Open)
🗓️ March 15th & 17th
Upcoming Orientations
🗓️ June 7th & 10th
🗓️ September 13th & 15th
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Spring Into Action
Seeking volunteer opportunities for your corporate team? Spring Into Action on March 20th at a special orientation exclusively for corporate volunteer teams desiring to mobilize skills-based volunteers to assist with mission-critical projects that align with corporate social responsibility objectives.
Opportunities include:
- Warehouse inventory and organization
- Updating our HR manual
- Supporting the launch of a new website
- Cleaning, sorting, and managing perishable and non-perishable pantry inventory
Whether hands-on or behind the scenes, your time and talent help strengthen our operations and expand our impact in the communities we serve.
Join us for an introduction to Loving Our Cities, learn about year-round engagement opportunities, and participate in a team service project as we prepare for our Perfecting Plaza food pantry.
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Perfecting Plaza Pantry
Tuesdays | 8:30 a.m. - 12 p.m.
Thursdays | 3:30 p.m. - 6 p.m.
Fridays (Prep Only) | 3 p.m. - 5 p.m.
Perfecting Plaza
274 Delsea Drive
Sewell, NJ 08080
Volunteer to serve our neighbors by maintaining our food HUB, a 9,000 square-foot warehouse where we sort, stock, and distribute food.
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Hope Mobile
Every 1st Saturday |8:30 a.m. - 1 p.m.
Winslow Township School #3 Parking Lot 131 Sicklerville Road
Sicklerville, NJ 08081
Join us in spreading more hope and less hunger every first Saturday of the month in partnership with Winslow Township Municipality and Winslow School #3.
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Cramer Hill Distribution Team
Every 3rd Saturday | 8 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
Camden Academy Charter High School
820 Lois Avenue, Camden, NJ 08105
Serve our neighbors in Cramer Hill every third Saturday of the month alongside student volunteers from Camden's Promise Charter School.
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Wooster Towers
Every 4th Wednesday | 10 a.m. - 12p.m.
Wooster Towers
22 Gibbsboro Road, Clementon, 08021
We serve seniors at Wooster Towers every fourth Wednesday of the month alongside our dedicated senior volunteers willing to help their neighbors in need.
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Loving Our Cities seeks to enhance the quality of life where we live, work, serve, and worship, by ensuring equitable access to resources for individuals, families, and communities to thrive!
For more information, visit www.lovingourcities.org
call 856-733-4872, or follow our social media platforms.
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