September 26, 2012 THE VILLADOM TIMES II • Page 11 vices to any New Jersey child who has cancer. Approximately 70 cents from every dollar goes toward direct care for our families. If your company has a charitable giving program, please let us know. Each month, we distribute about 140 bags of food to our families. You can help us fill our pantry. When you go grocery shopping and something non-perishable is on sale, please grab some extra items and drop them off at our outreach center. Staples such as sugar, flour, salt, cooking oil, detergent, pancake mix/syrup, and rice are always needed. Consider turning your next event into a fundraiser for ECF, and ask guests to bring checks or gift cards to be used by our families. Your efforts help us to help our families in many ways, including sending a case worker to visit the families at home or in the hospital. Kids can help, too. Many have held sales or other events and contributed the proceeds to ECF. If your Boy Scout or Girl Scout Troop needs to earn badges, visit us in Midland Park. Scouts can get creative and have fun helping our families as they learn about philanthropy. ECF representatives are available to discuss our programs at your next fundraiser or event. Give us a call for more information. If you have a few hours a week to spare, consider becoming a volunteer, or just stop by and meet with us, take a look at our pantry, and see what ECF is all about. This September, we will need a volunteer on Fridays from 1 to 4 p.m. Call (201) 612-8118 before you stop by. Please do not leave items at the center without checking with us first. Our storage space is limited. The Northern Regional Center is located at 174 Paterson Avenue, Midland Park, NJ 07432. Visit us at www.emmanuelcancer.org. As always, thank you for helping the children and their families! Our hat’s off to: Midland Park Girl Scout Troop 433 for the fantastic food collections. Meet Josh: Josh’s family was devastated when, one year ago, after a valiant fight of endless chemotherapy treatments, spinal taps, bone marrow transplants, and hospital stays lasting up to nine months, he succumbed to pediatric cancer. His parents and four siblings were beyond heartbroken. Mom was unable to leave the house, return to her part-time job, or even drive her car for months. Several of the children broke down in school and required counseling. Just as Mom was beginning to venture out of the house and return to work, the family was struck again. Almost a year to the day of losing Josh, their apartment caught fire while they were asleep. One of the children awoke to smoke, and fortunately they were able to escape -- with only the clothes on their back. Unfortunately, their beloved dog did not make it out. It took several months before they were to get into another apartment. They are now settling in, but it has been a challenge to replace their former possessions. They are now sleeping on air mattresses, but are grateful to be in their own space rather than the motel they first moved into following the fire. The children have some clothing, but could use more. Any donations of furniture, clothing, towels, sheets, bedding, and especially gift cards would be most appreciated by this family that has endured so much tragedy and loss in just one year. Fall needs: Some of our families could use prepaid phone cards for Cricket Mobile, and gift cards for TJ Maxx, Marshalls, IKEA, and gas stations. We also need new sheets for twin and queen size beds, Good Night Pampers Stage 4, new pillows, dish towels, and bath towels, and an air purifier. You can help in a variety of ways. ECF uses monetary contributions to cover the costs associated with providing free serBrancheau also noted that while some Ridgewood elementary schools are now considered full, the Orchard School, which is nearest to the Dayton Apartments, has a capacity for two to five students per grade, a total of 12 to 20 children, though this would be subject to change. “The middle schools have space capacity, but a significant increase in enrollment would require additional staff,” he added. Planning board officials anticipate lengthy hearings on the proposal. Apartments (continued from page 3) “In considering if and where to permit additional multi-family housing, it is suggested that those locations that are closer to mass transit facilities, and especially the train station, should receive greater consideration, other factors being equal.” The North Broad Street site is a few blocks from the train station.