Make A Difference Day Case Study

Ocean Ridge Goes M.A.D.D. for Make A Difference Day
Thrift stores in the South Brunswick area play an integral role in supporting our schools, troubled teens, homeless, victims of abuse, and those who are financially unstable. With this in mind, the members of the Ocean Ridge Charities Association, Inc (ORCA) asked each other, “Why not embrace these worthwhile causes with a community-wide service program for the annual National Make A Difference Day?” And with that ambition the idea germinated into what became Ocean Ridge Goes M.A.D.D. for Make a Difference Day. Six local thrift stores were the benefactors of the all ORCA’s and the volunteers’ labors - Providence Home, Hope Harbor, Brunswick Family Assistance, Brunswick Senior Resource Inc., Community in Schools and Habitat for Humanity.
This year’s event took place across the nation on October 28 and the residents of the Ocean Ridge Plantation were amongst the many volunteers across the country giving of their time to help make an impact on their community. ORCA’s intent with this first-time endeavor was to inspire the residents of our community to work together for one day, for one cause. Under the direction of committee members George Briggs, Laura Wheaton, Corinne Eisenstein, Kath Larson, Pris Lovell and Beth Naylor, their ambition was to engage over 100 resident volunteers in a hands-on charitable activity – Ocean Ridge Goes M.A.D.D. – and by day’s end, they surpassed that