An Asbury Park woman has raised thousands of dollars to buy beach badges for families that cannot afford them.

The poverty rate in Asbury Park is at 37 percent, meaning many families may feel that they cannot afford the fee to get on the beach. But officials say that this often leads to people going onto the beach and swimming after lifeguards have gone off duty – increasing the risk of drowning.

Lisa Cramp says she wanted to make sure that families who want to go to the beach are able to afford to go. She started a GoFundMe campaign to raise funds for beach badges. She raised about $10,000 in about a month.

“I came from Long Beach, California. I’m not from there, but was living there and all the beaches in California are free,” Cramp says. “They’re clean and everyone can enjoy them and there are lifeguards.”

The badges are distributed through the local church and Boys and Girls Club.

“The community really, really did a great job,” says Cramp.

The badge drive has distributed 130 adult season badges and 95 teenager badges. Some were handed out to needy families and others were raffled off by the Boys and Girls Club.