(Camden, NJ) – Ravitz Family Shop Rites will begin collecting donations on Sunday to assist the Freeholder Board in its effort to send aid to those affected by Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico. Collections will be made at cash registers during checkout at Ravitz Family stores.
Participating Ravitz Family-owned locations include:
- ShopRite of Garden State Pavilions – Cherry Hill, NJ
- ShopRite of Marlton – Marlton, NJ
- Shop Rite of Union Mill Road – Mount Laurel, NJ
- Shop Rite of Mount Laurel – Mount Laurel, NJ
- Shop Rite of Evesham Road – Cherry Hill, NJ
- Price Rite of Camden – Camden, NJ
“Our family stores are honored to assist in this critical relief effort for the people of Puerto Rico,” said Jason Ravitz, Vice President of Retail Operations for Ravitz Family Markets. “The destruction of the island is absolutely devastating and for the next two weeks we will be collecting for the fund.”
Earlier this week, Freeholder Carmen Rodriguez talked about the moral imperative to help the millions suffering through the fallout of Hurricane Maria.
“We are looking at a disaster of epic proportions, in some neighborhoods 80 percent of the homes were destroyed, utilities are out across the board including wastewater treatment,” Rodriguez said. “Now with the help of the Ravitz Family we can provide even more aid than we had originally expected. Donations made at Ravitz Family stores will be sent directly to the Boricuas from New Jersey para Puerto Rico fund which we’ve set up with the South Jersey Credit Union.”
The relief effort will be focused on monetary donations for those suffering on the island. Once funds are collected, culminating in a Oct. 8, statewide marathon, they will be distributed to the United for Puerto Rico Foundation and the Salvation Army.
Last week, Hurricane Maria had a devastating effect on the island of Puerto Rico bringing winds of up to 155 miles an hour to shore and never before seen surges of seawater onto the island. Since that time, the storm has created an ever-deepening humanitarian crisis for 3.4 million U.S. citizens. Now, most of the island is without power and more than 1 million people are without drinking water. The Camden County Freeholder Board began working with leaders from throughout the region this week, including the Puerto Rican Congress of New Jersey, in a united effort to send relief to the United States commonwealth.
“The entire island of Puerto Rico has been greatly affected by this tragedy and the degree of devastation is massive,” Senator Nilsa Cruz-Perez said. “We need to focus as a community, State and nation on rebuilding Puerto Rico. Their residents are not only our fellow citizens, but to many of us, they are family.”
For more information on the relief effort please call the Camden County Office of Hispanic Affairs at (856) 225-5312 or email them Hispanic@camdencounty.com. Information can also be found at the Puerto Rican Congress of New Jersey website at http://puerto-rican-congress.com/.