Answering a Call: Outreach Efforts of SJQ’s Crosswicks Friends

During a time in our country in which food aid is being debated and held off from many of the poorest in our nation and local communities; it seems worthwhile to do a deeper dive into how one Burlington Quarter meeting has created traditions and ongoing supports; to make certain that neighbors are fed, comforted, and receiving what they need. Whether preparing hot meals to feed our neighbors or collecting clothes and cereals, Crosswicks Friends Meeting continues its long-standing commitment to service by actively supporting several area community outreach programs. The Meeting’s efforts, grounded in the myriad of beliefs that there is that of God (or a spark of Truth) in everyone, seek to address both immediate and systemic challenges in community.

We invite you to join Crosswicks in this work. We can learn their practices and/or bring similar efforts to our Meetings. Check out the list of activities below. Consider donating your time or resources to help those in our area in need. Crosswicks Friends are a monthly meeting of the Religious Society of Friends — the Quakers.  They are a member of the Philadelphia Yearly Meeting (Burlington Quarter), and meet for silent worship every Sunday at 10:00 a.m. at the historic 1773 Meeting House in the village of Crosswicks.  We invite also you to join us for worship. If you have any questions about activities, or would like to join in, please contact Crosswicks at crosswicksmeeting@gmail.com

Monthly Service at T.A.S.K. (Trenton Area Soup Kitchen)

A dedicated group from our Meeting travels to Trenton on the second Friday of every month to volunteer at the Trenton Area Soup Kitchen (T.A.S.K.). This vital organization provides much more than a warm meal; it offers ongoing gateways to services like case management, healthcare, and adult education. For more on their comprehensive work, you can visit their website: https://trentonsoupkitchen.org/. For further information about joining this monthly sojourn from Crosswicks to Trenton, please send us an email.  The Meeting and neighbors also collect toiletries and gently used or new clothes for distribution by T.A.S.K.

Supporting the Bordentown Area Motel Ministry

In partnership with the Bordentown Baptist Church, which organizes this ministry, Croosswicks supports families in temporary motel housing by collecting boxes of cereal. A consistent, nutritious breakfast is a simple but powerful way to offer stability.

Preparing Meals for the Needy

In a beautiful example of community collaboration, our Meeting works with the Crosswicks Methodist Church to prepare meals for our neighbors. Folks gather on the first Thursday of every month at 3:00 p.m. in the First Day School to prepare 40-45 meals. The meals are then distributed through the Bordentown Synagogue.

How to Help: Join us on Thursday afternoons! No prior experience is needed, only a willing heart. It is a rewarding and fellowship-building hour of service.

In Order to support the St. Mary’s Parish Food Pantry in Bordentown, Crosswicks has a permanent collection point in the First Day School. This is an ongoing need. Please bring donations of new, non-perishable grocery items any Sunday morning and place them in the designated bin.

Your support—whether through your time, your donations, or your caring spirit—makes these outreach efforts possible. Let us continue to hold our neighbors in the Light.