Samaritan Homeless Interim Program (SHIP)

Immaculate Conception Parish has long been a supporter of Somerville’s Samaritan Homeless Interim Program. SHIP is a response to the increase in need in a variety of social concerns in our region. SHIP provides direct outreach and advocacy for the needy, the homeless, the working poor, and the often-forgotten members of our community. SHIP has several programs that our parish participates in and contributes to, including:

SHIP Mobile Unit serves the homeless and working poor who do not have transportation to a soup kitchen. Meals are served daily from the mobile unit from 5:30 pm to 6:30 pm in the parking lot of Sacred Heart Church in Manville, NJ. Volunteer opportunities exist and consist of drivers and servers. The driver drives to the site to meet the volunteer server or they can meet at SHIP and ride together. Together, they serve nutritious meals that have been donated by restaurants or other volunteers and distribute them to those in need.  To learn more or to volunteer, contact SHIP at [email protected]  or 908-393-9545.

SHIP Galley is calling all Chefs! Volunteers are needed to prepare food and service meals at SHIP on the first Wednesday of the month.  Each month, our team leader will email the volunteer chef a menu and suggested recipes.  A recent meal consisted of chicken drumsticks and potato or macaroni salad. A winter favorite is chili.  Chefs decide which portion of the meal they wish to prepare (entree or veggies). For those who prefer not to cook, to-go bags containing fruit (orange, banana, or apple), sealed individual bags of chips or cookies, and water are also needed.  Meals and to-go bags should be delivered to SHIP by 11:45 am on the first Wednesday of the month. Volunteers are also needed to serve meals from 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm.  Depending on the weather, meals are served indoors or picnic-style outside.  Ovens are available at SHIP so meals are served warm.

SHIP Holiday Meals provides meals for the needy with all the trimmings on Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Easter.

For more information or to volunteer, email [email protected].  

SHIP is located at 87 East High Street, Somerville, NJ 08876.

Dear Brothers  & Sisters in Our Lord Jesus Christ,

When I pray for help and ask God for assistance one of the things He did was to send almost the entire congregation at the Church of the Immaculate Conception in Somerville to the rescue.  Over the past two and a half decades the outpouring of love and assistance helping to up-hold the missions and work of the Samaritan Homeless Interim Program has been like a fountain of fresh water in a hot salty sea.

From Msgr. Celano down to the Grammar School students the support flowing to SHIP has been unending.  Through prayer, volunteering, educating and your financial support you house the homeless, feed the hungry, cloth the naked, care for the sick and abandoned and so much more.  You surely are the light coming from God’s Light-House showing the way to many caught and battered by the storm tosses seas to SHIP Safe Harbor and Port of Refuge in Somerset County.

God does and has answered our prayers by sending so much help our way through the entire Congregation of the Immaculate Conception Roman Catholic Church in Somerville.  The way you put your faith into action feeds many souls in many ways.  Thank you and may God Bless you and protect you on you voyage through life.  – Tom O’Leary, Director, Captain for SHIP