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Meadowlands YMCA raises $846K for NNJ food insecurity


Ed Russo, CEO of Russo Development; John Saraceno, Jr., co-founder and managing principal of Onyx Equities, LLC; Jose Lozano, chief of staff and VP for Corporate Services and Governance at Hackensack Meridian Health; Ron Simoncini, chairman of the Meadowlands YMCA board.

EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ — The Meadowlands Area YMCA surpassed its $700,000 goal—raising more than $846,000 to endow its food pantry program — at its Heart of the Meadowlands Gala at Il Villaggio, highlighting the necessity of the program and its resonance with the community.

More than 100 companies and individuals made contributions, including a naming gift of $250,000 from Ed Russo and the Russo Family Foundation of Russo Development for the Russo Family Food Pantry.

“The Y is a lot of things to a lot of people, and within six years of opening our doors we’re not only a center for fitness, wellness, and daycare – we are one of the largest social services agencies in Bergen County,” said Ron Simoncini, Chairman of the YMCA for the past 11 years. ”

The Gala honored Ed Russo of Russo Development, John Saraceno, Jr. of Onyx Equities, Jose Lozano of Hackensack Meridian Health, and Table to Table, out of appreciation for their commitment to the Meadowlands community and their generous donations to the food pantry.

“After the gala we will continue to cultivate support for the food pantry as our intention is for it to operate in perpetuity,” said David Kisselback, Meadowlands Area YMCA CEO. The YMCA food pantry primarily serves Bergen and Hudson Counties with weekly service, whereas its monthly food distribution program has a broader geography and is open to anyone who gets in line, which is frequently 300 cars long.

“We want to make sure we satisfy both cohorts because we see license plates from out of state that will wait in line for three-hours to get a $20 box of food, and that shows how drastic the situation has become,” said Kisselback.

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