BLACKWOOD, N.J. (KYW Newsradio) — The Unforgotten Haven, a South Jersey nonprofit, is used to lending a helping hand. It operates a food pantry and leads homeless outreach in Blackwood.
So when founder Michele Gambone learned of a friend headed to volunteer with Crisis Response International in Ukraine, she had to jump in and help in her own way.
“We usually do hurricane disaster relief with 54-foot tractor-trailers, not packing duffel bags,” said Gambone. “So it’s a learning experience, and we’re learning a lot as we go. But it’s been absolutely amazing, especially [because] we’ve already seen the first bags landing in Poland.”
The Unforgotten Haven sent bags of emergency supplies to Ukrainian refugees both in their home country and Poland, filled with blankets, food, medical aids, baby formula and more.
They included one item that’s a bit more personal: Nico’s Power Up Packs. Nico Cassabria and his family were friends of the nonprofit, and he died five years ago from neuroblastoma cancer at the age of 10. Since then, The Unforgotten Haven has organized bags of crafts, toys and treats for pediatric patients in area hospitals.
“When everybody opened their bags [in Poland] on Saturday, which was his birthday, they got to see his Power Up Packs with his own signature that we transferred into those bags,” said Gambone, showing support from South Jersey all the way to Ukraine.
Anyone interested in donating to the effort can follow The Unforgotten Haven on Facebook to see what volunteers on the ground say they need. The supplies needed are changing daily, the nonprofit says.