Photo by Alan M. Dumoff
Keith Cuuc takes spoiled meat products out of a freezer in the Catholic Charities’ Family and Community Center in Atlantic City on Tuesday, Sept. 6. A power outage from the recent hurricane resulted in thousands of dollars of spoiled meat that was to be donated to needy families and individuals in the area.
At the Catholic Charities’ Family and Community Center in Atlantic City on Tuesday morning, Sept. 6, there was a clean-up day to dispose of meat in eight freezers that was spoiled in the wake of Hurricane Irene.
On Friday, Aug. 26, the state of New Jersey ordered mandatory evacuations for individuals living and working in the barrier islands of the state, which were facing a direct hit from the hurricane.
Employees left the Family and Community Center on Friday, and only returned to work on Tuesday, since a power outage affected the center all day Monday and Tuesday. Power was restored late Wednesday afternoon.
The center provides information, referral services, a food pantry and thrift shop, and assistance with emergency housing and utility expenses to needy individuals and families.
Catholic Charities arranged a time with the city for a clean-up and pick-up day for the spoiled meat, and on Tuesday a group of individuals, including Atlantic County Assemblyman John Amodeo, helped clean out the refrigerators.
An estimated $2,000 worth of meat was lost in the power outage, along with computers, printers and an air conditioner. Catholic Charities said that the insurance provider agreed to cover the cost of replenishing the eight freezers.
For information on Catholic Charities, go to www.catholiccharitiessouthjersey.org
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