Blog

You are currently viewing New Community Thanks Its Holiday Donors
Students at St. Rose of Lima Academy in Short Hills collected items for New Community’s Toy Drive for the 2021 holiday season. They stand with New Community Board Member and Outreach Coordinator Madge Wilson, center, who organizes the annual toy drive, and Ali Jenkins, back, who helps with pickups. Photo courtesy of St. Rose of Lima Academy.

New Community Thanks Its Holiday Donors

Supporters of New Community and St. Rose of Lima Church generously donated gifts and other goods to families in need during the 2021 holiday season.

New Community Board Member and Outreach Coordinator Madge Wilson coordinated the annual Toy Drive as she has done for many years. She had the following message:

Our children always get excited about Christmas when the first ad appears on television. It was no different this year. When I sent out the Christmas wish list, it was returned with so many wishes. I tried very hard to be sure that the children received all of their wishes and desires.

This was an extraordinary holiday season because the sponsors and donors went over and above to be sure that every child got what they wanted. For that, I am so truly grateful and appreciative of their kindness.

I look forward with great anticipation each year to coordinate the toy drive because it is a joy for me to see those little happy faces and bright eyes sparkle with glee.

I have a motto: “It’s not how much we give but how much love we put into giving.” Our donors expressed their love for our children.

In addition to the generosity and thoughtfulness of the donations of Christmas gifts for the annual Toy Drive, New Community also had donors that were concerned that our families wouldn’t have a Thanksgiving meal together so a collection of turkeys was coordinated by St. Rose of Lima Church, Short Hills, N.J. For more information about the turkey drive, click here.

We are deeply grateful to the following groups and individuals for spreading the spirit of joy during the 2021 holiday season:

  • St. Paul’s Abbey, Newton, N.J. – Brother Bernardo Lee, donated Christmas trees
  • Mr. Mark Carelli and Family, Maplewood, N.J.
  • Weichert Realty (The Mill), Maplewood, N.J. – Rebecca Berenson, Coordinator
  • Our Lady of Sorrows Parish, South Orange, N.J. – Jonathan Arena and Anne Moore, Coordinators
  • Fire Chief Robert Echavarria, Millburn Fire Department, and coworkers
  • Frank Consentine, Somerset, N.J.
  • St. Helen Catholic Church, Westfield, N.J. – Marilyn Ryans, Coordinator
  • Oak Knoll School of the Holy Child, Summit, N.J. – Brian Topping, coworkers and students
  • St. Rose of Lima Academy, Short Hills, N.J. – Elizabeth Guarnieri and Dan Solazzi, Coordinators
  • Our Lady of the Lake, Verona, N.J. – Barbara Yates, Coordinator
  • Notre Dame Catholic Parish, North Caldwell, N.J. ? Donna Zarros, Coordinator
  • Seton Hall University School of Law and The Thomas More Society – Father Nicholas Gengaro, Coordinator
  • St. Thomas the Apostle Catholic Church, Bloomfield, N.J. – Lorraine McMillian and Judy Nitkowski, Coordinators
  • Glenwood Elementary School, Short Hills, N.J.
  • St. Teresa of Avila Catholic Church, Summit, N.J. – Margaret Strong and Theresa Sweeney
  • Church of the Assumption Catholic Church, Emerson, N.J. – Sandy Johnson, Coordinator
  • St. Catherine of Siena Catholic Church, Cedar Grove, N.J. – Brenda Pereira and Denise Parkes
  • Meyner and Landis, Counselors at Law, Newark, N.J. – Cindy Oliveira Oswald and coworkers
  • Mr. and Mrs. Desfardins, Maplewood, N.J.
  • Columbia High School, Maplewood, N.J. – Marcia Hicks and students
  • Kathryn Grifonetti and Matthew Perricone of the Leonidas Foundation
  • Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church, West Orange, N.J. – Pat Paxton, Coordinator
New Community Board Member and Outreach Coordinator Madge Wilson, center, accepts donations of presents from Oak Knoll School of the Holy Child instructors Brian Topping and Michele Van Kalsbeck. Ali Jenkins of New Community, left, helped collect the donations from the Catholic school located in Summit. Photo courtesy of James McEvoy.

 

Father Nicholas Gengaro of Seton Hall School of Law and the Thomas More Society presents New Community Board Member and Outreach Coordinator Madge Wilson with items for the organization’s annual Toy Drive. Photo courtesy of Madge Wilson.

 

Members of Columbia High School in Maplewood contributed to the New Community Toy Drive, organized by instructor Marcia Hicks. Photo courtesy of Madge Wilson.

 

A family enjoys their presents from the New Community Toy Drive. Photo courtesy of Madge Wilson.

 

New Community Board Member and Outreach Coordinator Madge Wilson accepts donations from Jeff Wanamaker of the Millburn Fire Department. Photo courtesy of Madge Wilson.

 

Members of St. Teresa of Avila Catholic Church in Summit contributed to the New Community Toy Drive thanks to Margaret Strong and Theresa Sweeney who coordinated the donations along with volunteers. New Community Board Member and Outreach Coordinator Madge Wilson, third from right, and Ali Jenkins, second from right, picked up the items for distribution. Photo courtesy of Madge Wilson.

 

A parent from Glenwood Elementary School in Short Hills presents New Community Board Member and Outreach Coordinator Madge Wilson, right, with gifts for the annual toy drive. Photo courtesy of Madge Wilson.
Tags: , , , , ,

Leave a Reply