JCP&L and People's Pantry to Welcome Hurricane Sandy Relief Donations from HALO Foundation

MORRISTOWN, N.J., May 15, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Local Hurricane Sandy relief efforts will be given a boost on Thursday by the Akron, Ohio-based Hope Always Lives On (HALO) Foundation as a tractor trailer of donated items – including furniture, supplies, food, clothing and household items – will be unloaded at the People's Pantry in Toms River by dozens of local volunteers, including Jersey Central Power & Light (JCP&L) employees, U.S. Army personnel, Toms River students, local officials and emergency responders.

The donated items were collected by Akron-area students, seniors and community volunteers as part of the HALO Foundation's Hurricane Sandy relief efforts.  Many of the students and volunteers from the Akron area who helped package the donated items also will be on hand to assist with unloading.

The tractor trailer used to transport the donated items is known as the Road Scholar 93 Cents for Flight 93 trailer, which was designed by the HALO Foundation in honor of the heroes of the airliner that crashed in Pennsylvania on September 11, 2001.  Family members of some of the victims of Flight 93 have assisted with this relief effort and will arrive with the 93 Cents for Flight 93 trailer.  

This delivery follows another HALO Foundation tractor trailer that unloaded donated items at the People's Pantry on Tuesday.  The items were packed in 18-gallon plastic tote containers and stacked on pallets.  Overall, more than 350 totes will be delivered.

The Akron-based Hurricane Sandy relief effort was arranged by HALO Foundation President Sharon Deitrick, who owns Deitrick & Associates Interiors, in Akron, and HALO Foundation Board of Directors member Gary Didado, of J.W. Didado Electric, in Akron.  JCP&L's parent company, FirstEnergy Corp. (NYSE: FE), is headquartered in Akron.  Other sponsors include Road Scholar of Scranton, Pa., and its 93 Cents for Flight 93 trailer; Terminal Warehouse, of Akron; FedEx Ground, of Moon Township, Pa.; Mactac, a Bemis Company, of Stow, Ohio; and the FirstEnergy Foundation, which made a $2,500 contribution to the effort.

The mission of the HALO Foundation is to offer hope to the afflicted through the generosity of service and charity involving intergenerational support from seniors to children.  Additional information about the organization is available at www.halofoundation.com.

The People's Pantry, operated by Toms River High School students and volunteers, offers free nonperishable food, toiletries, housing supplies, and other items to residents who need help in areas heavily damaged by Hurricane Sandy.

JCP&L serves 1.1 million New Jersey customers in the counties of Burlington, Essex, Hunterdon, Mercer, Middlesex, Monmouth, Morris, Ocean, Passaic, Somerset, Sussex, Union and Warren.  Follow JCP&L on Twitter @JCP_L, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/JCPandL, or online at www.jcp-l.com

SOURCE Jersey Central Power & Light