Serving the community since 1984

Feeding those searching for the remains of victims of the attack on the World Trade Center,

inside the red zone right outside the Command Center.  NYPD, NYCD, NY State Police MRT Units.

During the aftermath of the World Trade Center disaster of 9-11-2001, SHIP responded to the call for help from the Emergency Service Units Command Center at Ground Zero.  We provided over 10,000 gourmet meals to the uniformed service workers.  The Mobile Soup Kitchen - Disaster Unit visited the red zone in Ground Zero every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from October 2001 to mid January 2002.  Police, Fire Departments, EMS Units and OEM Units from throughout Somerset County escorted the Mobile Soup Kitchen - Disaster Unit and support vehicles, carrying volunteers to the site each time we served meals.  Tom thru SHIP raised $75,000.00 and spent more to cover the cost of operations

Tom O'Leary, SHIP’s Executive Director was presented with awards paid for by donations contributed by the men and women whose job it was to search through the remains of the World Trade Center looking for the bodies of the dead.  These American Heroes served with the the Special Service Unit - NYPD, Special Service Unit - Department of Corrections and the NY State Troopers working in the recovery process .  The plaque was given in recognition of the service to the workers at Ground Zero.  They called Tom and SHIP an "Oasis in the Desert."  Tom was also presented with a metal cross and a square cut from the metal remains of Tower I and Tower II in memory of his service and in memory of his cousin Charles "Chuck" Mendez, NYFD who perished in the attack. 

During the aftermath of Hurricane Floyd the Mobile Soup Kitchen – Disaster Unit responded to the call for emergency meals.  The Tom and volunteers provided over 5,600 meals to the displaced county residents in need.  The meals were provided to emergency shelters and feeding sites in Somerville, Bound Brook, South Bound Brook and Manville.  The vehicle and crews worked every day for the first fourteen days after the disaster struck. 

Donations received totaled $11,606.94.  Payments were made to 26 families or individuals affected by the disaster.  The payments varied from a low of $250.00 to a high of $1,000.00.  The output of funds surpassed the donations received.  More than 2,000 thousand personal items and household items were distributed and over 1,000 pieces of new clothing were also distributed to those in need.

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