NJ SHARES is fortunate to partner with more than 240 agencies around the state. Each organization has a different mission and focus, but all provide holistic solutions to their community. This month we want to highlight our partnership with the Lakewood Resource and Referral Center (LRRC).

LRRC provides compassionate and comprehensive social services, information and referral regarding first time homeownership programs & rental counseling, health-care insurance plans, nutritional supplementation programs and home utilities payment assistant programs to residents of Ocean County and beyond.

“The services provided by LRRC enhance the quality of life for our neighbors and help households achieve independence,” said Jim Jacob, President and CEO of NJ SHARES. Devorah Nussbaum is a case manager at the LRRC who empathizes with her clients’ situations and continually goes the extra mile to help them.

“One of the highlights of my job is assisting clients with their utility bills,” she explained. “I look forward to starting my day off by checking on my clients’ application status and I feel like a cheerleader as I watch the process go from the submitted stage to an approval. When I get a denial, I work to find out why the application was rejected and to see if there is any way that I can guide the client so that I am able to resubmit the application.”

Devorah continued, “I love the NJ SHARES team! Cheryl, Stephanie and Michelle are great team players – they are always so ready and able to assist me with my clients’ applications and answering my questions.”