Bridgewater, NJ -- Three Bridgewater Girl Scout troops were honored recently for their efforts in helping the homeless.

The troops volunteeredto the help the Somerset County Community Development Office organize and pack individual bags of donations for the homeless, as part of the annual Point in Time survey. Members of the troops who volunteered include:

Troop 60276: Isabella Garcia, Cayleigh Kaiser and Leyna Menz, all of whom are in first grade at Crim Primary School. Their troop leaders are Jen Tamedl and Christina Hudak.

Troop 60935: Chloe Garcia, Courtney Kaiser, Hannah Menz and Madison Patton, are in the fourth grade at Crim Primary School. Their troop leaders are Allison DiGiovanni and Sue Murray.

Troop 60810: Emma Menz, a student at Bridgewater-Raritan Middle School. Troop leaders are Michele Menz and Andrea Emma. Each of the girls was presented with a citation by the Somerset County Board of Chosen Freeholders at its March 22 meeting. The donated items were distributed to individuals who participated in the Point in Time survey, which is part of a statewide effort to obtain an accurate snapshot of New Jersey's homeless population in response to a directive from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). The data is also used by county and local non-profit agencies when applying for grants to assist the homeless population, according to a release by the county.

The baseline data helps the county understand the cause of homelessness and how to respond to it. It also helps track the progress in reducing homelessness. For more information, contact the Somerset County Community Development Office at (908) 541-5756 or CommDev@co.somerset.nj.us.