Each year, New Community receives donations that benefit those we serve for the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays. New Community Outreach Coordinator and Board Member Ex-Officio Madge Wilson organizes and oversees a drive to ensure that children receive presents for Christmas. She also collects Thanksgiving meal donations and arranges for donated Christmas trees to bring holiday cheer to New Community buildings.
Harmony House, New Community’s transitional housing facility for homeless families, also received donations during the holiday season to benefit its families.
We are deeply grateful and thank the following groups and individuals for spreading the spirit of joy during the 2023 holiday season:
- St. Paul’s Abbey, Newton, N.J. – Brother Jee and Brother Bernardo Lee, coordinated the donation of Christmas trees
- Mr. and Mrs. Mark Carelli and family
- Weichert Realty, Short Hills, N.J. – Bobbi Ostrow, Rebecca Berenson, Victoria McMurrian and Joanne Tedesco-Kloud, coordinators
- Our Lady of Sorrows Parish, South Orange, N.J. – Ann Moore, coordinator, and parishioners
- Milburn Fire Department, Milburn, N.J. – Fire Chief Robert Echavarria and coworkers
- Saint Helen Catholic Church, Westfield, N.J. – Marilyn Ryans, coordinator
- Oak Knoll School of the Holy Child, Summit, N.J. – Brian Topping, coordinator, coworkers and students
- St. Rose of Lima Academy, Short Hills, N.J. – Betsy Guarnieri, Andrea Mansfield and Rosemary Mattson
- Notre Dame Catholic Parish, North Caldwell, N.J. – Donna Zarros, coordinator
- Seton Hall University School of Law and St. Thomas More Society – Father Nicholas Gengaro, coordinator, and students
- St. Thomas the Apostle Roman Catholic Church, Bloomfield, N.J. – Lorraine McMillian and Judy Nitkowski, coordinators
- St. Teresa of Avila Catholic Church, Summit, N.J. – Margaret Strong, Theresa Sweeney and volunteers and parishioners
- Glenwood Elementary School, Short Hills, N.J. – Jessica Marinoff, Leslie Elible and Liz Sherman, coordinators
- Church of the Assumption Catholic Church, Emerson, N.J. – Sandy Johnson, coordinator
- Our Lady of the Lake Catholic Church, Verona, N.J. – Barbara Yates, coordinator, and parishioners
- St. Catherine of Sienna Catholic Church, Cedar Grove, N.J. – Brenda Pereira, coordinator
- Meyner and Landis, Counsellors at Law – Cindy Oliveira Oswald, coordinator, coworkers
- Mr. and Mrs. Desfardins, Maplewood, N.J.
- Columbia High School, Maplewood, N.J. – Marcia Hicks, coordinator, and students
- Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church, West Orange, N.J. – Maggie Macias, coordinator
- Church of the Most Blessed Sacrament, Franklin Lakes, N.J. – Elizabeth Harakins, coordinator
Thanksgiving Turkey Donations:
- St. Rose of Lima Parish, Short Hills, N.J. – Michael Roberts, coordinator, and parishioners
- Office of Youth Ministry at Don Bosco Prep School, Ramsey, N.J.
- Kathryn Grifonetti
- Anthony Falco
- Brother Travis Gunther
- Office of Mayor Ras Baraka, City of Newark
Harmony House Donors:
- Ebenezer Baptist Church, Pastor Oliver Coleman – Thanksgiving dinner and toy giveaway
- Newark Interfaith Alliance, Pastor Lawren Monroe – Holiday celebration
- Newark Board of Education – Free shopping for families of children who attend Newark Public Schools
- Spectrum360, Lumane Metullus – Thanksgiving baskets and household supplies
- Sally Milad – Harmony House Christmas Party
- Kaufman Dolowich Law Firm – Christmas gift donations
- Loretta Borronat – Christmas gift donations
- St. Teresa of Avila Catholic Church – Christmas gift donations
- Gibbons Law, Bria Beaufort – Christmas gift donations
