Community FoodBank of New Jersey Raises over $1.8 Million at Blue Jean Ball Gala

HILLSIDE, NJ – May 7, 2026

Yesterday at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center, about 350 guests attended the Community FoodBank of New Jersey’s (CFBNJ)’s annual Blue Jean Ball for a night of gourmet food, live music, and a special awards ceremony – all in support of the organization’s mission to address food insecurity in the Garden State. This year’s gala generated over $1.8 million, the equivalent of 5.4 million meals, setting a record for the event and surpassing an ambitious goal to raise $1.4 million.

First held in 1994, the Blue Jean Ball is CFBNJ’s biggest and most beloved night of the year. The event is critical to raising the funds needed for CFBNJ to continue its work of distributing nutritious food and providing long-term, supportive solutions. Nearly 1.1 million people in New Jersey are food insecure, including more than 270,000 children.

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The evening began with a cocktail hour and live music provided by The Little Big Band featuring Mark Rivera — saxophonist for Billy Joel and musical director for Ringo Starr. Dinner and a formal program followed, including an awards ceremony honoring some of CFBNJ’s most committed partners. The event’s cocktail hour and dessert partners included CFBNJ’s own Stone Soup Culinary Creations, Harvest Restaurants, and NJPAC’s Culinaire team.

Event chairs included Lyn and Dan Cregg, Jill and Cameron Gateman, Jen and Chuck Salzman, and Judy Spires.

“At CFBNJ, we know that it’s going to take all of us to end hunger – individuals, companies, government partners, and community groups working together to ensure that no neighbor is left behind. This year’s Blue Jean Ball celebrated what we can accomplish together and honored supporters who exemplify this dedication to collective action,” said Elizabeth McCarthy, President & CEO of the Community FoodBank of New Jersey. “Never have these efforts been more important than they are now amidst a growing affordability crisis and drastic cuts to federal food assistance programs. We’re grateful to everyone who came out to our Blue Jean Ball and made the night such a success in support of our mission.”

This year’s honorees were:

VISIONARY AWARD

• PSEG – A cornerstone of the community, PSEG continually advances CFBNJ’s mission through substantial financial support, dedicated volunteerism, and hands-on leadership that drives real change.

AMPLIFIER AWARD

• Harvest Restaurants – Known for creating moments that spark connection, the Harvest team supports neighbors in need through creative initiatives, including the highly anticipated return of their signature pumpkin butter cake fundraiser each November.

“We are so honored at PSEG to receive the Visionary Award at CFBNJ’s Blue Jean Ball,” said Dan Cregg, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer at PSEG and Treasurer of CFBNJ’s Board of Directors. “The culture of giving back at PSEG is so important to who we are, and there are a lot of parallels between the FoodBank and PSEG. We serve millions of people throughout the state and provide a vital service every hour of every day, and the FoodBank is also providing a really vital service to so many people in New Jersey facing food insecurity.”

“We’re quite honored to receive the Blue Jean Ball’s Amplifier Award, but it’s not just us. It’s our entire Harvest family that contributes to the endeavors of the FoodBank,” said Chip and Cheryl Grabowski, Owners of Harvest Restaurants. “Every Thanks for Giving for the month of November, we donate all the proceeds from our pumpkin butter cake to the FoodBank. In that month, we may serve 120,000 people, so we feel like we’re reaching a lot of people with a great message.”

CFBNJ extends a special thanks to the attendees, honorees, event chairs, partners, and sponsors who made the evening a success.

Top sponsors included:

BLUE JEAN HERO SPONSORS

The O'Toole Family Foundation

Wayne Paglieri and Jessalyn Chang

PSEGWakefern Food Corp. | ShopRite

DENIM DIAMOND SPONSOR

ACME & Kings Nourishing Neighbors

DUNGAREE IDOL SPONSORS

The Gateman Family

The Luing Family Foundation

JPMorgan ChasePeerless Beverage Company

Judy Spires, in loving memory of Robert Spires

Roby and Josh Weinreich

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The Community FoodBank of New Jersey (CFBNJ) is the largest anti-hunger, anti-poverty organization in the state, where nearly 1.1 million neighbors, including 1 in 7 children, struggle with the emptiness caused by hunger. We are the lead source of nourishing food for 800 pantries serving everyone from infants to college students to families and seniors. Our comprehensive approach addresses the root causes of hunger through food benefits and social services, job training and certification, and food policies that nurture all New Jerseyans. By providing food, help, and hope, we are building a food secure future for New Jersey. CFBNJ is a proud member of Feeding America®.