It Takes a Village New Jersey, located in Moorestown, is a non-profit, volunteer organization that helps the elderly, disabled and returning vets in the community who need assistance, free of charge. The organization was started by a caring, volunteer couple, Irwin and Trudi Herman, in 2011.
Irwin, one of the founding duo and the president of ITAVNJ, passed away peacefully in his home on Dec. 1 at the age of 91.
However, that didn’t stop ITAVNJ from keeping up its volunteering, as members helped the Herman family in their time of need as well as still held the group’s monthly meeting on Dec. 9.
Irwin leaves behind a legacy of life, love and volunteerism that can’t be stopped.
Irwin wasn’t known as a talker, as Trudi, Irwin’s wife, was known for that. But he was known for his love for animals, his ability to fix anything, his crafting, sense of humor and his volunteering.
“He was fun, always had a joke … he was busy doing his woodworking and fixing all of the things I break,” Trudi said with a laugh.
Irwin was a veteran of WWII. At the age of 19, he was drafted into the Army. He was with the Army for three years, in the heat of the battle in Germany and France. When he came back, he met Trudi on a blind date and spent the then-grand sum of $20 on their first date. From the first date, Trudi knew he was different than the other men she had dated before.
“There was a feeling of great comfort with him. He was so gentle, sweet and kind,” Trudi said.
Irwin got his degree in engineering from Syracuse University. With his degree, he and Trudi moved all over the east coast as he worked in mechanical and aerospace engineering with companies such as Boeing and GE. They finally settled in Moorestown, where Irwin was working just before his retirement at 67.
Irwin and Trudi were all about volunteerism from the start. Trudi grew up in a household of volunteers and kept up that tradition. The couple volunteered together with schools, theaters, animals, children and other organizations.
They started their own volunteer organization, ITAVNJ, in 2011 along with a group of Moorestown neighbors. ITAVNJ, part of the Village to Village Network, started with just $600 and a dream to help those in need. Since then, it has expanded and held fundraisers that allowed it to add adjacent areas to ITAVNJ, such as Cinnaminson, Delran, Hainesport, Maple Shade and Mt. Laurel.
The group’s mission is to help elderly and disabled neighbors of any age, and returning veterans, remain safely and independently in their own homes by providing free support services such as going out for groceries and running errands; visiting, calling or reading to the visually impaired; giving caretakers a break; and driving clients to local doctors, libraries and stores.
What makes ITAVNJ unique is volunteers and clients are matched so a personal connection and relationship can be created, rather than having a different person each time.
“We match up a client with a volunteer, who meet once a week and eventually become friends,” Trudi said.
Volunteers do not provide services such as giving or dispensing medication to clients, cleaning the household or premises or giving personal care and bathing.
Due to Irwin’s passing, ITAVNJ is in need of a president. Trudi asks anyone who is interested in holding the position of president to please reach out to her.
ITAVNJ is also always in need of volunteers. New volunteers are invited to an hour-long training session held each month with a social worker from Princeton House Behavioral Health in Moorestown, Jennifer Giovainazzi, and her assistant, Leila Finklea.
“We don’t want this work to not continue. So we need to find people,” Trudi said.
Anyone who can’t volunteer, but is interested in helping the Hermans and ITAVNJ, tax deductible donations in honor of Irwin can made out to It Takes a Village NJ and sent to the organization’s treasurer, Wini Gaskell, 208 Paul Drive, Moorestown.
For further information about ITAVNJ, to refer a new client or to volunteer, go to www.itavnj.org, email ItTakesAVillageNJ@gmail. com or call (856) 396–5783. You can also check out the national organization, the Village to Village Network, at www.vtvnetwork.org.
