Help the Vicitms of Sandy on Their Road to Recovery

More than seven weeks have passed since +Hurricane Sandy hit shore and, with its arrival, wreaked havoc on the northeast. Within days of the +devastation, numerous charities, organizations, and caring individuals began to mobilize +fundraising efforts to help the victims. Over $92 million has been raised and people have been able to begin the process of rebuilding their lives. However, there is much work still to be done. There have been estimates that total recovery from Sandy could cost as much as $50 billion dollars, making it the second most expensive storm recovery initiative in US history.

In an effort to help meet the needs of thousands of families and businesses, Spread the Purple has launched a +fundraising initiative, The Road to +Recovery. Our goal is to raise $700,000 over the course of the next year to help families reclaim their normal lives. Because the road to recovery is a long one, we hope to keep the plight of Sandy’s victims in the public eye throughout the coming months. One way we hope to accomplish this is through you.  Once you make a donation to the Road to Recovery fund, you’ll have the opportunity to help us fundraise by creating your own +Facebook page highlighting this cause.

Not ready or able to donate money at this point? No problem – We still can use your help! Click on the “Support Us” link on our page to show your support to your Facebook network. If you really want to make an impact, you’ll have the chance to invite five friends to join the cause with you.  If you’re a more private person, don’t worry. You can skip the invitation step.

Whether you have $20, $200, or just a passionate sense of caring for your neighbors, we need you to help us spread the word! Donate and support our Road to Recovery fund. And, if you know anyone who has been affected by +Sandy, you can also send them directly to the Spread the Purple website.

Free Gas USA Can Help You Put Gasoline in Your Car

Over the past several years, we’ve watched the cost of living inch higher and higher. Even our most basic needs seem to cost a +fortune. For those who were already dealing with +financial +hardships, these increasing costs can be a source of +stress and frustration.

Many people have taken what they can into their own hands and are working hard to discover new ways to save money anywhere possible.
+Couponing, for example, has become a popular way to save at the +grocery store. However, one area where people can’t seem to find relief is filling up cars with gasoline.

Fortunately, there are organizations that provide assistance for those experiencing hard times financially. One example is +Free Gas USA Inc. As a +nonprofit +gasoline grant provider, Free Gas USA Inc. assists citizens of the United States who are in need of gasoline to fuel their vehicles in order to drive to work, doctor’s appointments, school, and other important places.

+Free Gas +USA Inc. awards grants on a monthly basis to pre-qualified candidates through coded fuel cards. The grants range in size from $50 to $1,200 and eligibility is based on income, need, circumstance, and grant funding availability. +Grant applications are accepted between +January 1 and +December 31 of each calendar year.

If you are in need of assistance in purchasing gasoline and would like to apply for a grant from Free Gas USA Inc., it is important to note that you cannot receive gasoline grants via U.S. mail. You must apply for the grant on the Free Gas USA Inc. official website. Applicants must also include a referral letter from a human service agency or church to verify income, vehicle ownership, and proof of insurance. Applications submitted without this information won’t be processed and will, therefore, be denied.

You can visit the Free Gas USA Inc. website for a complete list of rules and information regarding gasoline grants. You can also contact Spread the Purplefor more guidance on this grant and other financial assistance grants.

Image courtesy of Graur Razvan Ionut /FreeDigitalPhotos.net

The Cost Saving Advantages of Online Shopping

Everyone knows trying save for their family can become hectic. You’ll be happy to know that, whether you’re shopping for gifts or just everyday items, +purchasing online can save you valuable time and hassle.  The good news doesn't stop there: online shopping can even save you money. How? Many web-based companies are able to provide excellent online values because they don’t have to pay the,overhead that comes with owning and running a physical business.

That means they save expenses on employee pay, taxes, and more. They can then pass those savings on to you, the consumer. You can actually up the cost-savings of online shopping when you combine these great online values with special promotional coupons and other consumer incentives.

You may be wondering about shipping costs, but there are often ways to avoid that expense altogether. Several online stores that have physical locations offer consumers the option of shipping their purchases to the store location nearest them.  Even if you’re buying from an online-only company, make sure to check and see if they have any current promotional codes that could lower or even eliminate the shipping costs. This way you would only be paying for the price of the item without the headache of paying the additional charges for shipping and handling before taxes are applied.

If you still aren’t convinced that online shopping saves time and money, we have some more advantages to point out. You can shop online literally any time. Day or night, rain or shine, these vendors are open and ready to process your order. Think about it: you could finish your shopping while cooking dinner or watching a movie with your family! Shopping from home also saves a car trip, which means saving on gas or a public transit trip. Online stores offer the opportunity for researching the best deals. In less than five minutes you can compare prices across several companies and find the best price for the products you want. If you have a specific product in mind, Google has a handy feature that lets you compare vendors at a glance.

If none of these advantages have convinced you to try shopping online, there’s one last tip you should consider. You can find almost any item while enjoying competitive prices and saving time without ever taking off your pajamas. That’s one guaranteed way to make the holidays a little less stressful.

Stay tuned to Spread the Purple for more information, as we will be sharing  tips to help you save money throughout the holidays and all year long!

Calling All Runners: Register Today and Enjoy Your Race Incentives!

New Jersey financial aid organization, Spread the Purple, is looking for volunteers and runners for the upcoming 5K Run for Warmth. The event will take place on Monday, September 2nd,, 2013 at Johnson Park, 1030 River Road, Piscataway, NJ 08854 and will include +music, +food and post-race refreshments for pre-+registered participants.

The fundraiser is part of Spread the Purple’s efforts to raise funds and donations for their Homeowners Home Heating +Oil Fund. Their scholarship program combats the raising +heating oil prices hitting a record level high this year, even as natural +gas prices plunge.

Spread the Purple's 5K Run

We’ve been working hard to set this 5K race up in time for September to help families who are anticipating days or weeks of forgoing heat.

“ We've been working hard to set this 5K race up in time for September to help families who are anticipating days or weeks of forgoing heat,” says Maryange Artiste, founder of Spread the Purple. “The average state benefit last year was about $800 for the season; now it may be closer to $300. Eligibility requirements have tightened too, and with oil prices climbing, the average in, states such as Maine, was $3.66 a gallon last week, up from $2.87 a year ago.”

Check-in time is from 8:30 AM-9:30 AM EST, and the race goes from 10 AM- 1 PM EST. Runner’s will receive a runner’s bib, a racer t-shirt, refreshments and food all as part of their incentive package with their sign-up for the race.

Runners, +spectators, and volunteers can go to register in advance for the run at SignMeUp.com. Volunteers that would like to help assist at the race can contact Spread the Purple at http://spreadthepurple.org/contact-us/.

Spread the Purple organized +fundraising efforts and provides services to help +working class families meet ends met. The organization has been helping people find financial grants and aid since 2006. To find out if Spread the Purple can help you, please visit spreadthepurple.org, “like” them on +Facebook or follow them on Twitter.

About Spread the Purple: 

Spread The Purple’s mission is to deliver and educate the public on various free grant programs that are available in New Jersey and throughout the United States. Spread The Purple takes pride in offering the best educational tools for securing +grants and assistance to those lower and middle income individuals and families who have short-term +emergency expenses. We can help you with the unexpected car repair, the unanticipated visit to the doctor, or the unusually large heating bill. We act as advocates for those who may not know where to go or the right questions to ask to get help. We offer cost effective tips towards building a better future. Spread The Purple also assists charities through fundraising events and acts as a community’s support system.

Image was created by  thampapon1

Food Banks See Rise in Middle Class Clients

You have no doubt heard that more and more individuals and families are turning to government and community resources for support as we continue the slow economic recovery. It may surprise you to learn that food banks are reporting serving a whole new demographic: the college educated middle and working class family.

This is a national trend being seen across the country, and New Jersey is no exception. The Atlanticville highlighted the problem in December 2012, and we've summarized what they found below.

Who Needs Help

While the term “Food Bank” likely brings to mind images of poverty stricken individuals long out of work, Food Bank managers report that several of their clients are currently working; some of them even have two members of the family in jobs. What volunteers hear is that, after bills and gas costs, even working families still don’t have enough money left over for food. This is new for these veteran workers who have served the hungry for years.

The numbers are sobering. The Christians United for People (CUP) Food Pantry reports that their clients have increased from 40 to 217 in just three years. That’s more than a 400% increase. As The Altanticville article points out, these numbers only represent the individuals who actually go to the pantry and collect the food. Most of them have uncounted spouses and family members back home who also rely on the food they pick up. The New Jersey Federation of Food Banks also reports an increase of nearly 50% over the last four years in the amount of demand in the state for food assistance.

What Can You Do

The general rule is that during hard economic times, food banks see an increase in demand for food along with a decrease in donations. This makes sense; more families are trying to subside on less. This fact makes it all the more amazing that New Jersey is actually bucking this trend. Volunteers and administrators report that they have seen their food and money donations increase.

Not only are New Jersey residents giving more material goods, they are also donating more of their time. The Boy Scouts and Girls Scouts have worked several hours over the past few years collecting food and stocking the shelves. Then there are the larger corporations that chip in. +ShopRite, +Wegmans, +Target, and +Panera Bread have all worked with food pantries to help feed those in need.

If you would like to know more about how to help the hungry in your community, visit our website to get in touch with us.

Image is from Morgue File by Earl 53

Learn How Spread The Purple Addresses the Home Heating Oil Delimma

 New Jersey financial aid organization, Spread the Purple, a community support system for working class families, is celebrating their recent Home Heating Oil Scholarship. This scholarship program was developed as a way to combat the raising heating oil prices hitting a record level high this year, even as natural gas prices plunge. As of mid last year, President Obama has proposed sharply cutting the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program among all nonprofits. The average state benefit last year was about $800 for the season; now it may be closer to $300. Eligibility requirements have tightened too, and with oil prices climbing. Unfortunately, the need is increasing but the funding is no longer available to homeowners.

Spread The Purple would be honored to gain support from any runners and specters for this run. So, come on out and "Run For Warmth," while given back to the community! The newly added project called Home Heating Oil, which the organization is excited about raising funds for New Jersey’s homeowners at their “Run for Warmth” 5k Run Fundraiser. The event is taking place during +Labor Day Weekend on Monday, September 2nd, at 10:00 am on 1030 River Road, Grove 4, +Piscataway, NJ 08854, +Johnson Park. Participants are still encouraged to register at https://www.signmeup.com/site/reg/register.aspx?fid=562VCJ7, and can do so for $20 before the event or $30 on the day of the event.

5K Run For Warmth Fundraiser

Maryange Ariste, Founder of Spread The Purple, revealed, "It was wonderful to spread the word about our new organization. We feel that we are pioneering new ways to run nonprofits and create solutions in today's economy. We are grateful to the following supporters of our 5K Run: +Road Runner Sports, +Mc Lonnie Running Store, +Princeton Running Company, +ShopRite Supermarket, and +Mosaic Salon and Day Spa for helping us get the word out about what actually causes financial difficulties, in regards to home heating oil, in the lives of our clients, as opposed to outdated clichés about how people lose money. We are working to be the most effective nonprofit ally for the working class."

Spread the Purple organized fundraising efforts and provides services to help working class families meet ends met. The organization has been helping people find financial grants and aid since 2006.

About Spread the Purple: 

Spread The Purple’s mission is to deliver and educate the public on various free grant programs that are available in New Jersey and throughout the United States. Spread The Purple takes pride in offering the best educational tools for securing grants and assistance to those lower and middle income individuals and families who have short-term emergency expenses. We can help you with the unexpected car repair, the unanticipated visit to the doctor, or the unusually large heating bill. We act as advocates for those who may not know where to go or the right questions to ask to get help. We offer cost effective tips towards building a better future. Spread The Purple also assists charities through fundraising events and acts as a community’s support system.