This year’s Operation Jersey Cares, held every year in Washington Borough, will be extra special.
The Washington Business Improvement District’s Operation Jersey Cares campaign, this year presented by Visions Federal Credit Union, begins on Veteran’s Day and continues into December. The program benefits service men and women from New Jersey deployed around the globe. This year’s campaign marks the 10th annual drive.

The drive has annually drawn hundreds of boxes of products collected through generous donations from businesses and the community at-large, not just in the Borough, but throughout the region. Over the past nine years, thousands of items have been collected.

“Of all our events and programs throughout the year, Operation Jersey Cares is the one that we are most proud of,” said Melanie Thiel, Executive Director of the WBID. “Our troops deserve our support in any way we can. It’s an effort that resonates throughout the community, with businesses and residents. The response every year is just incredible.”

While the campaign “officially” starts on Nov. 11, you may already see collection boxes throughout the Borough. The Toys for Tots campaign also starts in November and collection boxes for that campaign can also be found around town.

Warren County Dental Center led the Operation Jersey Cares collection drive last year with 19 fully packed boxes of items. Gibsons Fitness Center, which has either been No. 1 or No. 2 in the drive since its inception, collected 14 boxes. Hairmazing was close behind with 11 boxes. In all, 122 boxes were collected last year and delivered to Operation Jersey Cares headquarters in Flemington with the help of Jeff Smith of Smith Tractor and Equipment.

The list of items that are collected include toiletries including razors, toothbrushes, shampoo, shaving cream and female hygiene products, food such as snacks, peanut butter, canned spaghetti or ravioli, soups, batteries, notebooks and pens and pencils.

The WBID’s annual campaign is always among the state’s top collectors for Operation Jersey Cares, which has recognized Washington numerous times..

Among the participating businesses and groups that collected items this year were Allie’s Cupcakery & Cafe, David Santini, CPA, Direct Millwork, Fur the Love of Dogs, Buttzville Brewing Co., GST Transportation, Juanito’s Mexican Restaurant, Laughing Goat Coffee Bar & Eatery, New Jersey School of Woodwork, Next Level Hair Designs, Scotty’s Stadium Club, Stew’s Autobody, Towing and Recovery, Today’s Family Dental, Visions Federal Credit Union, Esoteric Jiu Jitsu, Gibson’s Fitness Center, Gaia’s Gifts, Philberts Pub, Warren County Dental Center, Andy’s Barber Shop, Fliegauf Jewelers, Get A Grip & More, Lina’s Chop Shop & Color Studio, Two Country Chicks, Castle Family Dentistry, Smith Tractor, Pasta Grill by Enzo, Habitat for Humanity Office (Belvidere Ave.), Frantoni Fashion for Men, Rossi Chevrolet, Park Avenue Consignment, Serendipity Gift Shop, Free Spirit Salon, Hairmazing Le Crepe Cafe, Creations Salon, Good Impressions Print Communications, West Washington Family Dentistry, Home Instead Senior Care, Belvidere American Legion, and the Warren Hills Baseball Booster Club.

In addition to Visions Federal Credit Union as the Presenting Sponsor, this program is also sponsored by the Washington BID, Smith Tractor and Equipment, Get a Grip & More, The Meat Shoppe by Arctic Foods, Abilities of Northwest Jersey, Swift Print Solutions, Good Impressions Print Communications, Michael F. Yates & Co., and West Washington Family Dentistry.

For more information about other WBID initiatives and special events, visit www.washingtonbid.org or call 908-689-4800. You can also check out the Washington BID Facebook page for a variety of Washington BID and Washington business news.