Starve Poverty International To Set Down Roots In Barnegat

BARNEGAT, NJ — The old building attached to the Pinewood Estates firehouse on Route 72 will soon have a new purpose.

At a recent committee meeting, Deputy Mayor Alfonso Cirulli announced that the township will be leasing the building to Starve Poverty International, a Lacey-based nonprofit that helps low-income homeowners with house repairs.

Cirulli said the building has been in disrepair and the township previously considered demolishing it. Instead, the nonprofit has decided to revamp it and base their operations out of it.

“That building — they’re going to refurbish at no expense to the township and they’re going to operate right out of there,” Cirulli said.

Starve Poverty International assembles teams of volunteers and craftsmen to repair various infrastructure in low-income homes, including insulation, plumbing, windows, electric, storm damage, roofs and wheelchair ramps.

The nonprofit also ensures that these residents have food, clothing, utilities and healthcare.

Starve Poverty International was founded by Ron Fraser of Forked River. The nonprofit aims to “break the chains of poverty” by pioneering projects that benefit poverty-stricken individuals in both the United States and abroad.

“It’s something that the township can’t do because we can’t give money to people to upgrade their homes, but again this is a fantastic thing,” Cirulli said.

A second reading and public hearing on the ordinance is scheduled for the committee’s next meeting on Tuesday, Sept. 7 at 6:30 p.m.

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