New Brunswick Elks Feed City Residents

The New Brunswick Elks Lodge imparted some warmth into the city on Sunday, offering residents hot soup and drinks and a warm place to sit.

Mary Peppe, the lodge's Exalted Ruler, said a team of about 45 volunteers were set up to feed 1,000 people.

Peppe said that the lodge chose to do the outreach "because of the situation," with Hurricane Sandy.

New Brunswick did not experience much major flooding during the hurricane, but many trees and telephone poles were brought down in high winds.

According to PSE&G's website, as of Sunday night, between 2,000 to 5,000 residences remain without power in New Brunswick.

The city's relief shelter at Lord Stirling Community School on Redmond Street continues to house residences who cannot stay at their homes due to power outages or storm damage.

The food served Sunday at the lodge was donated by chef Alfredo de Bonis, executive chef of Alfredo's, the restaurant located at the New Brunswick Elks Lodge.

Jim O'Neill, a member of the lodge and spokesman for the Middlesex County Prosecutor's Office said that following the issuance of a press release on Nov. 2 announcing Sunday's outreach, the Elks were "swamped" with phone calls from people looking to volunteer or donate to the event.

"New Brunswick has always been a great city like that," he said.

Peppe said that Amboy Bank in New Brunswick, her place of employment, is currently collecting canned food to be donated to Elijah's Promise in the wake of the storm.