Philanthropist Makes The Holiday Brighter For Bucks County's Needy

BRISTOL TOWNSHIP, PA —Bucks County philanthropist Gene Epstein teamed up with the Bucks County Opportunity Council on Friday to make the season brighter for more than 400 people and their families in Lower Bucks County.

Joined by Santa Claus at the weekly Fresh Connect food giveaway, Epstein made his way past a line of more than 250 cars in the parking lot at the Gene and Marlene Epstein Campus of the Bucks County Community College handing out crisp $100 bills and in some cases two bills.

“I have such mixed emotions,” said Epstein, who gave away close to $50,000 in one short hour with Santa’s help. “I feel great that I have the ability to be able to help, but I feel horrible that we have more than 400 people here today. And this is only a small segment of the people who are in need.

“It’s incumbent upon anybody and everybody that can afford to do something to help a neighbor, to do it,” Epstein continued. “This shows you that our country still needs a lot of help. And it comes with individuals helping others. It’s not the government. It’s individuals. If you have a neighbor who is hungry, give them some of you dinner. That’s all. It’s not rocket science.”

Epstein sold one of his prized antique cars when he saw an increasing need in the community for food. He has subsequently put that money to use challenging the community through the Bucks County Opportunity Council to raise money to help feed their neighbors in need.

“It’s more important that the people have a little buffer as opposed to me driving an antique car,” he said.

His Friday giveaway was a surprise addition to the weekly Fresh Connect drive-thru food distribution organized by the Bucks County Opportunity Council.

The council also holds weekly Fresh Connect food giveaways in Quakertown, Warminster and Ottsville in conjunction with its partnering agencies - Rolling Harvest Food Rescue, the United Way of Bucks County, Philabundance and the St. Mary Medical Center.

“Pretty much every day we are out there giving away food,” said Erin Lukoss, the executive director of the Doylestown-based Bucks County Opportunity Council.

“During the pandemic we saw a huge spike. Then we saw that go back down over the summer, but as inflation has really caught up with people we have definitely seen an increase,” said Lukoss. “Our weekly numbers here are between 400 and 500 households every week.”

On Friday morning, Lukoss watched as car after car pulled through the line and volunteers loaded them up with fresh food. She also watched as people reacted to Gene’s w expected gift of generosity.

“He’s done this a couple of times here and it always brings a lot of tears,” she said. “A lot of people say they can’t believe someone cares. You also have people who just pull over and stop while as they collect themselves. People are just overwhelmed by the kindness.

“It’s funny because people always say he’s the Jewish Santa Claus,” she added. “He says he just wants to give. He just wants to help people. It’s the season of giving and he just wants to make sure people are taken care of.

“Gene is a friend of the opportunity council. He’s also one of the most generous people I know. He’s one of the most caring and concerned people. But he’s also action,” said Lukoss. “He always steps up to put his money where it needs to be. And his challenges are about challenging people who have and can give to do it. He’s showing them.”

Epstein can’t say enough about the Bucks County Opportunity Council whose staff and volunteers were out in force Friday morning delivering boxes of fresh produce and eggs to every car that drove through the site.

“Bucks County could not exist without the Bucks County Opportunity Council,” he said. “They do the most fantastic job that I can think of. I’ve been working with nonprofits since I was 22 years old and I’m 83 now. And I only work with those that I find to be efficient and helping the most people. And the BCOC sits at the top,” he said.

“We are putting them in our estate planning and our will,” he added. “Any other people around who has an estate of any substance should consider making a significant contribution to the opportunity council because they consistently do the best anywhere and I work with organizations
from around the country.”

People are eligible for the Fresh Connect food distributions who have an income of up to 300 percent of the federal poverty guideline who have a need and live in Bucks County.

For more information about the Bucks County Opportunity Council, visit www.bcoc.org.