Youth Volunteers Make Holiday Food Delivery To Verona Police Officers

ESSEX COUNTY, NJ — Volunteers with The Umai Project recently delivered food to the Verona Police Department as part of an effort to support local first responders and reduce food waste.

The Umai Project is a youth-led community service initiative focused on connecting restaurants with local organizations and first responders through food donations and outreach efforts. Students delivered meals to officers working throughout the holiday weekend and spent time personally thanking them for their service to the community.

The food delivery – which took place over Memorial Day weekend – was inspired when West Essex High School junior Valen Perchonok noticed excess food at his family’s restaurant, Umai Omakase, realized it could be donated to people serving the community.

“What started as noticing leftover food at the restaurant turned into wanting to help people who are always helping others,” Perchonok said. “We wanted to thank the officers who spend holidays and weekends working to keep everyone safe.”

Perchonok said he hopes to expand the project by partnering with additional restaurants interested in donating excess food to first responders, community organizations and others in need.

“Our goal is to expand this and work with more restaurants that want to give back,” he said. “There’s a lot of good food that could help people in the community.”

Community members interested in getting involved or restaurants interested in participating can reach out through Instagram at @theumaiproject.

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