The Community Chest's Annual Spring Gathering, Coming Together as a Community, Raises $90,000

The Community Chest, a nonprofit organization serving eastern Bergen County, raised $90,000 at the Annual Spring Gathering held at the Knickerbocker Country Club in Tenafly, New Jersey. The funds raised will go toward The Chest's annual campaign to award competitive grants to 25 nonprofit organizations providing services to approximately 50,000 people in need in the area.

"We were pleased to welcome so many wonderful guests to this year's Annual Spring Gathering. People from the nonprofit sector, the business community and new and old friends came together to share the inspiring and fun-filled evening. The proceeds from the Gathering will be used toward our 2017-18 annual campaign," said Dr. Shelly Wimpfheimer, DSW, Executive Director, The Community Chest.

Chaired by Barbara Strauss, the annual Gathering fulfilled the organization's mission of strengthening the community through philanthropy, partnership and leadership. The Gathering's goal was to bring together members of the community to learn about the area's needs and to support them, while being informed about the work The Chest undertakes throughout the year in eastern Bergen County. In 2016, grants were issued to support a range of needs in the area, including hunger, afterschool programming, elderly care, career counseling for women, choral music instruction for youngsters, mental health services, environmental education, and medical care to diabetic, low income pregnant women among other needs.

With the motto "Neighbors Helping Neighbors", The Chest's mission is to lead initiatives and support nonprofits that make communities stronger and benefit the people of eastern Bergen County, New Jersey. The evening's theme, “Coming Together as a Community”, fulfilled the founders' mission more than 80 years ago to fill a chest with individuals and businesses' generous contributions. The annual grants will be awarded to support worthy projects led by local nonprofits to help people in need.

Program

Emmy award winning Lori Stokes, anchor of Eye Witness News ABC TV, officiated as master of ceremonies. She has been involved with numerous charities and served on The Chest's board of managers.

Under the direction of Emma Brondolo, 40 children from The JCC Thurnauer School of Music's Young People's Chorus, a grantee of The Chest, entertained the audience. A range of products were available to bid upon in a live auction with noted auctioneer Nick Dawes from Antiques Road Show, and a raffle offered an assortment of large, elaborate gift baskets with various items.

Sponsors

The 2017 contributors for the gathering by sponsorship levels were: Gold-The Kamson Corporation; Silver-Antin, Ehrlich & Epstein (Jill and Scott Epstein), Bank of NJ, Connect One Bank, DecoTech, Armando and Dawn Diaz, and PBM (Scott and Tammy Mager); Bronze-BMW of Tenafly, Boyd Richards, P.L., CBRE, Cole Schotz, TD Bank, Englewood Hospital and Medical Center, Joe and Judy Klyde, Otterstedt Insurance Agency, Ridgeco, Stop & Shop, Jayanne Tedesco, Valley National Bank, Visions Federal Credit Union, and Loren, Jennifer, Sam and Juliette Wimpfheimer.

Friend sponsors were Broadway Kitchens & Baths, Floor and Décor, Kent Builders Management, LLC, Lakeland Bank, Regent Atlantic, RSK Associates, Barbara Strauss and Tom Manolio, Wolfgang's Inc., WRBC Charitable Foundation on behalf of Clermont Specialty Managers, and Zestt. Additional contributors were Annette and Peter Corbin and LeGourmet Factory.

Photos.

1) The Community Chest's Board of Managers. Photo Credit: Chris Marksbury

2) ABC News Anchor Lori Stokes (center) with The Youth Chorus from The Thurnauer School of Music. Photo Credit: Chris Marksbury

3) Kamson Corporation, Gold Sponsor of The Community Chest's 2017 Annual Spring Gathering

Photo Credit: Chris Marksbury

4) Grantee agency representatives. (left to right) Richard Waddel with the Office of Concern, Peter Punzi from the Tenafly Nature Center, Amy Sokal from Art Works The Naomi Cohain Foundation, and George McKenna from the Office of Concern

Photo Credit: Chris Marksbury