‘Shop With A Hero’ In Newark: Event Will Uplift 250 Kids For Holidays

NEWARK, NJ — The following news release comes courtesy of the United Community Corporation and the City of Newark. Find out how to post announcements or events to your local Patch site.

United Community Corporation (UCC) and the City of Newark are teaming up this holiday season to host a “Shop With a Hero” event where 250 local children will go on a shopping spree with a first responder, police officer, firefighter, doctor, nurse, EMT or an educator.

During the program, the children, joined by their guardians, will each pair up with one of the aforementioned professionals to accompany them on a $100 holiday shopping trip at stores along Broad and Market streets in downtown Newark in support of local businesses. The event will take place on Saturday, Dec. 17 in downtown Newark.

The program comes to the community at a time when the financial costs associated with the holidays can burden families that are already struggling with recent economic hardships and the lingering effects of the pandemic.

“The youth and families of Newark hold a special place in my heart. Being able to provide an opportunity for them to purchase gifts without them worrying about how to cover the cost is an honor,” UCC Executive Director Craig Mainor said. “UCC is dedicated to identifying the unique needs within Essex County families and uniting with agencies to meet those needs. Together we can uplift the community.”

“Our administration has a long-standing commitment to connecting our police officers and firefighters with our residents on a personal level, and ‘Shop With a Hero’ does that by providing seasonal joy to city youth,” Newark Mayor Ras J. Baraka said. “Our children will receive more than a physical gift or toy when they participate in this program. They will discover that our public servants are there to protect and serve, and their spirits will be lifted. This collaboration is a win-win for Newark’s holiday season in the present – and for its future.”

“The Office of Community Engagement is honored to collaborate with the United Community Corporation in programs to support our residents,” Newark Deputy Mayor of Community Engagement Jacqueline Quiles, whose office is among those coordinating this event, said. “In many ways, they have become an extension of our office and serve thousands of residents with food, clothes, toys, and other resources. Now we are connecting families with our everyday heroes for the holiday season. Together, we will continue to build a better Newark.”

After having kicked off the holiday season last year with a successful Shop With a Hero event, UCC, the City of Newark and its partner organizations aim to build a lasting bond and mentorship between youth in Newark and a local hero. The goal of the event is to humanize the people behind the badge or mask so that children can build relationships with police, first responders and direct service workers.

In addition to bringing children joy during the holiday season, the event also aims to assist families that are at-risk. The goal is to ease the worry that parents and guardians have about providing gifts for their children and allow them to use their money towards basic needs.

Shop With a Hero would not be possible without the generous support from UCC’s partners including the City of Newark, Amerigroup, United Way, New Jersey Children's Foundation, Goya, Newark Vulcan Pioneers, Peapack-Gladstone Bank, Newark Department of Public Safety and Newark Public Schools.

“Amerigroup is proud to partner with the UCC for their Shop with the Hero event again this year,” Amerigroup Community Representative Margarita Valentin said. “This is a wonderful example of the community coming together to make the holidays special for local children and their families.”

UCC is still looking for additional sponsors and heroes for Shop With a Hero. Want to get involved? Email UCC Assistant Director of Community Engagement Tom Wiedmann at tom.wiedmann@uccnewark.org or call 973-642-0181 (Ext. 5448).

Here are some of the ways to make a donation:

• Text “UCCHero” to 44-321
• Visit UCC’s website: uccnewark.org
• Checks payable to “United Community Corporation”
• To make in kind donations, email donations@uccnewark.org

For more information about Shop With a Hero, click here.

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