75th Anniversary celebrated by ALA
Submitted by Judy Doran
The American Legion Auxiliary Unit 328 of Clark is celebrating its 75th year of service.
According to nj.gov/services, New Jersey had 360,415 veterans as of 2019. 5.4% of them live below the poverty level. The median income for NJ veterans in January, 2023 was $41,881.
According to veteransdata.info,New Jersey is home to 50,175 disabled veterans.
The American Legion Auxiliary’s mission is to help all veterans and their families. Unit 328 of the Clark American Legion Auxiliary is one of the most active in Union County. Some of the activities Unit 328 does serves veterans directly, and other activities aid the community.
What exactly do we do?
At all times the Auxiliary helps the American Legion Post 328 with any project, activity, or issue where we can offer assistance.
Currently the Clark Auxiliary is collecting clothes, new and slightly used, for a veteran’s homeless shelter and a women’s shelter which houses women and children. Donations can be dropped off at the American Legion Post 328, 78 Westfield Avenue, Clark.
A food drive is ongoing to service several food pantry and community kitchens in the Clark area. Non-perishable items can be delivered to the American Legion Post 328 at 78 Westfield Avenue, Clark.
Gift cards for baby items have been purchased for women veterans who are expecting. A “baby shower” is being held in June.
A $200 donation was given to the New Jersey Veterans Memorial Home in Menlo Park for recreational activities for home residents.
Unit 328 is collecting small, new gift items to give to the Menlo Pak Veterans Home Gift store where residents can pick items, at no charge, to give to family members for holidays or birthdays, etc.
Coffee and cake were delivered this spring to the Women Veterans housed at the Lyons VA Medical Center in Bernards Township, NJ.
Previously, the Clark Auxiliary has visited the women veterans to host a pizza and dessert evening of crafts. But since the Covid pandemic, no visitors have been allowed.
Every June Unit 328 sends two High School junior girls to Girls State. Girls State is a week-long educational seminar held at Georgian Court University in Lakewood. The girls learn how the local, county, state and federal government work. They create, run, and elect representatives to jobs held by politicians on all levels. This year Emilie Wagman of Union Catholic High School and Layla Soto from Linden High School will attend from June 18 to 22nd.
Every September the Clark Auxiliary prepares backpacks for local students filled with school supplies. These are distributed by local Boards of Education to needy students. One of our guiding principals is education of our youth.
Unit 328 undertakes many fundraising activities throughout the year to finance our efforts: breakfast on Sunday morning during the winter, raffles, our annual spaghetti dinner, distributing poppies every May for a small donation, annual dues and donations help us to continue helping others. Every dollar raised during our May Poppy Month as per the American Legion Auxiliary National Charter is used for veterans.
The American Legion Auxiliary Unit 328 of Clark is proud of its years of service and proud of all veterans who have selflessly served in the military. These veterans and their families should be recognized for their sacrifice and dedication to country. 75 years of giving back to our community and our veterans has returned untold memories, thousands of handshakes and hugs, tons of thanks and a great feeling of accomplishment for the members of American Legion Auxiliary Unit 328.
