March 2015
Greetings everyone! We hope you're staying warm this winter. As we continue to face icey conditions and record-breaking low temperatures, CUMAC's programs have been busier than ever and we have plenty of exciting news to share with you. As you may know, January 17 marked our 30th birthday. Yes, CUMAC was incorporated as a nonprofit organization three decades ago! In that time CUMAC has grown from a volunteer-run organization operating out of a borrowed church closet to the multi-service agency you know today, providing vital resources to thousands of families in our community. We plan on celebrating this milestone all year so be sure to look out for ways you can join the fun. In the meantime we've got some great events coming up like Motown Night, the Feinstein Challenge and the Halloween 5k to Scare Hunger Away (more on that below).
Over the last three decades we've seen staff members come and go and this year is no different. We'd like to thank Kristin Corbett, Interim Event Coordinator, who did a wonderful job coordinating the Holiday Wish List program and our 18th annual Have-a-Heart Auction. We'd also like to express our gratitude to Kristi Soutar, CUMAC's Community Food Coalition Coordinator, who recently left CUMAC to have her first child. Kristi has done an incredible job building the CFC to best fit the needs of our community and we're lucky to have had her support. CUMAC is currently searching for Kristi's replacement. Anyone interested in the CFC position can see our employment opportunities page. As we say goodbye to these two valuable members of our team, we would like to welcome back Leigh Ross, CUMAC's Event Coordinator, from maternity leave. We're thrilled to have her tremendous talent and spirit back in the office, especially as CUMAC continues to grow. Our pantry is now serving over 3,300 people every month, and programs like our Community Closet and Pathways to Work are reaching more people than ever.
As we continue to serve our community, we're thankful for all those who are making our work possible. Together, we're already making 2015 a year to remember. Read on to learn more!
Over the last three decades we've seen staff members come and go and this year is no different. We'd like to thank Kristin Corbett, Interim Event Coordinator, who did a wonderful job coordinating the Holiday Wish List program and our 18th annual Have-a-Heart Auction. We'd also like to express our gratitude to Kristi Soutar, CUMAC's Community Food Coalition Coordinator, who recently left CUMAC to have her first child. Kristi has done an incredible job building the CFC to best fit the needs of our community and we're lucky to have had her support. CUMAC is currently searching for Kristi's replacement. Anyone interested in the CFC position can see our employment opportunities page. As we say goodbye to these two valuable members of our team, we would like to welcome back Leigh Ross, CUMAC's Event Coordinator, from maternity leave. We're thrilled to have her tremendous talent and spirit back in the office, especially as CUMAC continues to grow. Our pantry is now serving over 3,300 people every month, and programs like our Community Closet and Pathways to Work are reaching more people than ever.
As we continue to serve our community, we're thankful for all those who are making our work possible. Together, we're already making 2015 a year to remember. Read on to learn more!
Holiday Wish List Program a Huge Success
|
Businesses, community groups, churches, families and individuals came together this year to support CUMAC’s annual Holiday Wish List program. With your support, CUMAC was able to collect and distribute holiday gifts to nearly 1,000 local children living in shelters, dealing with serious illness, poverty and other difficulties. Your generosity gave each of these children a reason to smile this holiday season and for that we are grateful. Thanks to everyone who helped make this incredible program possible. We couldn't have done it without you!
|
Children receiving gifts from this year's Holiday Wish List program.
|
One Local Gym Making a Big Difference
by Stephanie Ames
From the left: Art Carril & Mike Epstein (owners of Gold's Gym), Roz Lewis (trainer) and Gwenn Levine (gym member and volunteer).
Clothing and shoes come to CUMAC to get a second life. Some are given to the homeless who stop in to get warm. Others help families rebuild after losing everything to disaster. Still others wind up in our thrift shop, waiting for mom’s shopping for affordable clothing for their kids, people heading off to job interviews, and shoppers who want to find high quality goods they can purchase without breaking the bank. Each item makes an interesting journey, but sometimes the best story is in how the clothing made its way CUMAC. That is certainly the case with weekly clothing donations from Gold’s Gym, Paramus, and its community of givers.
Gold’s Gym has kept a collection bin for CUMAC for over 8 years. It all started when long time gym member and CUMAC board member, Gwenn Levine, had a great idea to make the connection. She knew how many people CUMAC was serving, so she came in one day with a flyer explaining CUMAC’s need for shoes and asked “can I collect?” The staff at Gold’s Gym said “absolutely!” To them it seemed like a natural fit, and an easy way to fill a need . As usually happens when you offer people a way to give, enthusiasm has mounted over the years and what started as a small effort to collect coats and shoes has blossomed into hundreds of pounds of clothing trucking off to help people in need every week.
|
Co-Owner, Mike Epstein, explains, “People would notice the bin, ask what it was for. Now that people know it’s there, they come and ask ‘Can I leave you coats? Do you take this or that?’ It’s great to say yes.” He remembers they had to switch the location of the bin a few times to accommodate growing donations. Now once a week, Gwenn fills her car with bags of clothing and takes the trip down to Paterson. Her trips can bring hundreds of pounds of clothing at a time and her enthusiasm for connecting the clothing and shoes with people who need them is absolutely infectious. “It feels great to know we’re making a difference!” she often says with a big smile.
|
Gwenn (on left) making her weekly drop-off. Stephanie, CUMAC's Community Engagement Coordinator, assists her with the delivery.
|
A collection box set up at the entrance of the gym
|
Gold’s Gym, Paramus is an intriguing combination of large and intimate. The gym offers multiple classes, rooms full of state of the art of equipment, a fully stocked juice bar, a sauna, tanning, nutritionists and a small army of personal trainers to over 2,500 members. Despite its size, it considers itself a close community and acts like a big family. Owners Mike Epstein and Art Carril started the gym back in 1992 and were friends and college roommates long before then. Though the gym has grown considerably, they stress the importance they’ve always placed on creating a family and community oriented environment where everybody feels like they belong. That sense of community is apparent as owners and trainers walk around calling out hellos to people working out. Collection bin originator, Gwenn, has been a member for over 20 years and her personal trainer, Roz Lewis, has been on staff for 17. Owners chuckle while observing “yeah, there’s very little turnover here.”
|
For Mike and Art, giving back is a big part of what makes their gym a community. According to Mike, “We’re not just a gym, we want to make a difference. That’s who we are.” He insists, “If you can give back it’s a blessing. There’s nothing more important.” and those words are put into action on a regular basis. Along with managing the clothing bin, the gym has participated annually in Toys for Tots, organized runs to raise funds and awareness for diabetes, collected food for local pantries, held golf outings, coordinated a boardwalk workout to help Sandy victims, held cycle fundraisers, and the list goes on. Members who want to give back often will come up to staff and ask “well, what are we doing this month?” With a laugh, Mike acknowledges, “The community giving is a full time job, the rest is really part time.”
Gold’s Gym has advice for other groups looking to start a collection: “Make it convenient, make it visible. Communicate what you’re doing. Don’t let it be out of sight, out of mind and you’ll see big results.” And big results make a big difference. Collections and on-going bins like that found at Gold’s Gym, Paramus, are helping CUMAC meet a growing need in our community for high quality goods and services. Together we are making sure that hundreds of families and individuals who have fallen on hard times have what they need to survive and begin to get back on their feet.
To learn more about CUMAC’s Community Closet click here. If you’d like to set up a collection of your own, feel free to call (973-742-5518) or email for help from CUMAC’s office!
Gold’s Gym has advice for other groups looking to start a collection: “Make it convenient, make it visible. Communicate what you’re doing. Don’t let it be out of sight, out of mind and you’ll see big results.” And big results make a big difference. Collections and on-going bins like that found at Gold’s Gym, Paramus, are helping CUMAC meet a growing need in our community for high quality goods and services. Together we are making sure that hundreds of families and individuals who have fallen on hard times have what they need to survive and begin to get back on their feet.
To learn more about CUMAC’s Community Closet click here. If you’d like to set up a collection of your own, feel free to call (973-742-5518) or email for help from CUMAC’s office!
Volunteers Celebrate MLK, Jr. Day by Fighting Hunger
Teams of volunteers celebrate at the Calvary UMC
|
On Martin Luther King, Jr. Day over 200 volunteers came together to help fight hunger at the Calvary United Methodist Church in Dumont, NJ. The service day event was organized and run by 17-year old boy scout, Jack Zimmerman. He did a wonderful job! In just four hours the group assembled and packaged over 47,000 nutrient-rich meals for CUMAC’s food pantry. A big thank you to Jack and everyone who helped make this incredible event possible.
|
Our Impact in 2014
A record number of families are struggling to keep food on the table, but with your support CUMAC has been there to give a helping hand. Together, we're making our community a better place for all. Here's a snapshot of what we accomplished together in 2014:
We're proud of what we accomplished together last year, but we know there's still plenty of work to be done. Help us do more this year and get involved with our work!
- Over 40,000 people served by our pantries
- Our disaster relief program provided assistance to over 90 households faced with emergency needs
- Nearly 2 million pounds of food was collected and distributed to our clients and a network of over 40 local agencies
- Dozens of community members received job experience and training through our Pathways to Work program
- More than 2,800 volunteers contributed over 46,000 hours
- Nearly 2,000 kids benefited from our seasonal collections, school supply drive and holiday wish list program.
- 11 community members struggling with disabilities were provided with permanent supportive housing through Place of Promise
- CUMAC established the Community Food Coalition (CFC), a collection of over 25 pantries and agencies committed to serving those in need in Passaic County and surrounding areas.
We're proud of what we accomplished together last year, but we know there's still plenty of work to be done. Help us do more this year and get involved with our work!
A Letter to CUMAC
by Kristin Corbett
Dear CUMAC Staff, Volunteers, and Supporters,
I was asked to write something about my experience working at CUMAC and I realized that instead of just sharing stories or moments, it really needed to be a "Thank You", to you. I think my time on the staff has done more for me than I was able to do for CUMAC in these few months. It hasn't just changed my views (and possibly my career path), it has changed me. I have a renewed sense of community, of camaraderie, and yes, of faith. Within my first few days at CUMAC, I had seen caring, kindness, and strength that I had not seen for some time. I have seen people who were struggling themselves come to the aid of a panicked mother, who wasn't sure how she was going to feed or diaper her child. I have seen strangers rally to make the holidays everything they should be for a child and mothers cry out of gratefulness because of the smiles they knew their children would have on Christmas morning. There was a situation where a woman fled her home with her children and couldn't leave her shelter to feed them. We didn't know the specifics, we didn't know her for safety reasons, but we were asked to help and we did. Because that's what CUMAC does. It helps, in a bigger way than you can imagine unless you see if for yourself. From the Reverend Pat Bruger, to the office staff, to the pantry, thrift store, and warehouse workers, there is a determination to do more, to do better. So, I thank you. All of you. I look forward to "doing more" with CUMAC in the years to come and I suggest that anyone who hasn't seen their work firsthand, go down there, volunteer, even if it's just take a tour and meet people. Talk about CUMAC, talk about their work, and how you can help them "do more". You never know how it will change your life.
Sincerely,
Kristin Corbett (former Interim Event Coordinator)
I was asked to write something about my experience working at CUMAC and I realized that instead of just sharing stories or moments, it really needed to be a "Thank You", to you. I think my time on the staff has done more for me than I was able to do for CUMAC in these few months. It hasn't just changed my views (and possibly my career path), it has changed me. I have a renewed sense of community, of camaraderie, and yes, of faith. Within my first few days at CUMAC, I had seen caring, kindness, and strength that I had not seen for some time. I have seen people who were struggling themselves come to the aid of a panicked mother, who wasn't sure how she was going to feed or diaper her child. I have seen strangers rally to make the holidays everything they should be for a child and mothers cry out of gratefulness because of the smiles they knew their children would have on Christmas morning. There was a situation where a woman fled her home with her children and couldn't leave her shelter to feed them. We didn't know the specifics, we didn't know her for safety reasons, but we were asked to help and we did. Because that's what CUMAC does. It helps, in a bigger way than you can imagine unless you see if for yourself. From the Reverend Pat Bruger, to the office staff, to the pantry, thrift store, and warehouse workers, there is a determination to do more, to do better. So, I thank you. All of you. I look forward to "doing more" with CUMAC in the years to come and I suggest that anyone who hasn't seen their work firsthand, go down there, volunteer, even if it's just take a tour and meet people. Talk about CUMAC, talk about their work, and how you can help them "do more". You never know how it will change your life.
Sincerely,
Kristin Corbett (former Interim Event Coordinator)
Since CUMAC is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year, we thought it would be fun to dig into the history of an event that’s been helping CUMAC feed people & change lives for the last year 18 years. Check it out!
The Have-a-Heart Luncheon & Auction: Then & Now
by Adrian Diaz
While many were doing some last minute Valentine’s Day shopping, nearly 200 people came together last month to support CUMAC’s 18th annual Have-a-Heart Luncheon and Auction at St. Clare’s Parish in Clifton. We had a room full of prizes to win, along with a delicious hot lunch served by our amazing team of volunteers. Karen, our auctioneer, led the bidding on over 60 different prizes for the crowd and after all was said and done, the auction brought in thousands of dollars to help fight hunger in our community. We’d like to thank everyone who supported the event and helped make it such a huge success. Every year the auction seems to get bigger and it’s all because of our amazing group of supporters.
Countless staff and volunteer hours go into coordinating this monster event, but it wasn’t always that way. The first Have-a-Heart auction was held at CUMAC staff member, Ethel Smith’s house in 1998. A handful of people sat on folding chairs in Ethel’s sun room, with items displayed on window sills, tables, and anywhere else they could find some space. All items were donated directly from families and bidding started at $1. Gene Bilz, CUMAC Board member and Community Closet Coordinator, helped put together the first event. “We made $100 and we thought we hit the jackpot!” says Gene. While some would be bidding, others were bringing out refreshments. This was coming at a time when CUMAC was serving a fraction of the clients it serves today. From there the auction continued to grow, moving from Ethel’s home to the Bella Vista Fellowship Hall to Butler United Methodist Church. That’s where the event remained for several years, until increasing crowds left the auction in violation of fire code. The auction then found its way to St. Clare’s where it’s been held for the last three years.
|
Staff has played a big role in the event, but we really need to credit the volunteers for the countless hours they put into Have-a-Heart. From making prize baskets to serving lunch, volunteers are involved in every stage of the event. The auction committee, run entirely by a collection of volunteers from UMC in Wayne and Grace UMC in Wyckoff, spends months seeking out items to use for the big event. They’ve been helping with this process for several years now and have auction-planning down to a science, but they’re not the only ones.
|
Volunteers from CUMAC's auction committee
|
A volunteer crew from Butler United Methodist Church has been handling the food and decoration portion of the day for several years. Like our superstar committee, Butler’s experience helps Have-a-Heart run almost seamlessly. Butler UMC even hosted the event. “All we had to do was show up” says Gene Bilz, “They took care of the rest.” CUMAC eventually needed to move the event to a larger space due to rising numbers, but the crew has kept its tradition. Though much has changed over the years, volunteers have stayed at the heart of the auction. “Hundreds of hours go into the planning and execution of this amazing event and it just simply would not be possible without their [the volunteers] commitment” says Leigh Ross, CUMAC Event Coordinator.
The Butler UMC volunteer group
|
Two volunteers from Butler UMC preparing meals
|
It’s not just long-time volunteers giving their time, we are constantly amazed by the number of new volunteers and supporters wanting to get involved. Whether they’re offering to solicit donations or put together a prize basket, people hear about the auction and they want to help out somehow. This year volunteers donated everything from gift cards and chocolate to weekend getaways and golf outings. All of them helped boost our fundraising total. No matter the size of the contribution, every donation helps CUMAC do more for the community.
This year’s auction even had some wonderful donations from program staff and participants. Dave Pierson, CUMAC’s Community Closet Coordinator, donated two beautiful framed photos he took while visiting Colorado. Ed, House Manager of Place of Promise (CUMAC’s supportive housing program) also got involved. Anyone who read our last newsletter knows that Ed enjoys carving rocks into beautiful stones in his free time. After hearing about Have-a-Heart, Ed immediately wanted to help. With the aid of his friend, Ed had one of his stones fitted into a necklace and offered it to be auctioned. CUMAC Driver, Bert Salino, baked a dozen flans to be tasted and sold at the auction. Each of these deeply personal contributions only made the day more special. The event was truly a group effort every step of the way.
This year’s auction even had some wonderful donations from program staff and participants. Dave Pierson, CUMAC’s Community Closet Coordinator, donated two beautiful framed photos he took while visiting Colorado. Ed, House Manager of Place of Promise (CUMAC’s supportive housing program) also got involved. Anyone who read our last newsletter knows that Ed enjoys carving rocks into beautiful stones in his free time. After hearing about Have-a-Heart, Ed immediately wanted to help. With the aid of his friend, Ed had one of his stones fitted into a necklace and offered it to be auctioned. CUMAC Driver, Bert Salino, baked a dozen flans to be tasted and sold at the auction. Each of these deeply personal contributions only made the day more special. The event was truly a group effort every step of the way.
The stone necklace donated by Ed, House Manager of Place of Promise.
|
Dave Pierson holds one of the framed photos he donated to the auction.
|
The auction has certainly grown since its humble beginnings and it remains as important as ever, providing vital support to CUMAC’s programs at a time of year when donations are typically down. Like the auction, CUMAC has continued to grow and expand over the years. We are now serving more clients than ever before. As we continue to meet the growing needs of our community, CUMAC is thankful to all those who help make this incredible event possible year after year.
To learn how you can contribute to the auction or other events contact Leigh Ross, CUMAC Event Coordinator. Our staff can also help you organize an event! For upcoming event information see our What’s Happening page.
To learn how you can contribute to the auction or other events contact Leigh Ross, CUMAC Event Coordinator. Our staff can also help you organize an event! For upcoming event information see our What’s Happening page.
Check out more photos from this year's Have-a-Heart Luncheon & Auction here.
We're hoping to reach more people than ever in 2015. Want to help? Here are some great ways to support our work:
MAKE A DONATION
|
CUMAC provides critical support to our neighbors in need through a number of programs. We rely heavily on donations to accomplish our work. Please consider making a donation today.
$50 will feed a family of four for a week. $60 will keep one of our trucks on the road for a full day, allowing us to rescue, transport and distribute food to our community. Your donation in any amount will ensure we can help all who come to us in need. DONATE TODAY |
CONCERTS FOR CUMAC
MOTOWN UNPLUGGED
Stop by the United Methodist Church in Wayne on Saturday, March 7 for a free Tree Tavern Pizza party with live music! We'll be taking song requests for Motown Night, while the YouChoose Band previews music from their upcoming concert. There will also be a special appearence by two-time Grammy Award winner, Harry Weinger, who will be talking about his experience with Motown. Harry has has produced several Motown reissues from artists like Marvin Gaye, The Supremes, & Stevie Wonder. It's sure to be a great night. Come join the fun! Register here.
|
MOTOWN NIGHT
Registration for Motown Night is officially open! Your YouChoose Band is back for another night of great music at the Ukrainian Cultural Center of New Jersey on Saturday, April 25. The band will be playing Motown hits all night to raise money and awareness for hunger. The show starts at 6:30pm and we’ll have a delicious dinner available from our sponsor, Texas Smokehouse BBQ. Music is chosen by the audience so be sure to request a song before it's too late! To learn more about the event or how you can request a song, visit our event page. All ages are welcome. We hope to see you there!
|
WAYS TO TAKE ACTION
HOLD A COLLECTION
CUMAC is running low on plastic grocery bags that we use to pack food. Please help us restock by donating your surplus, collecting or spreading word. Every donation counts!
Drop offs can be made at 223 Ellison Street, (Paterson, NJ), Monday-Friday from 9am-3pm, with occasional weekend and evening hours. For alternative drop off times please call (973-742-5518) or e-mail our office. |
THE FEINSTEIN CHALLENGE IS HERE
Each year Alan Shawn Feinstein commits $1 million to agencies working to alleviate hunger across the country in what's called The Feinstein Challenge. CUMAC will be participating in the challenge again this year so every dollar (or pound of food) you donate between March 1 and April 30th will be augmented by a grant from the Feinstein Foundation. That means your gift will help us feed people now, and again this summer when the grant comes in. Join the challenge & help us fight hunger!
|
|
SAVE THE DATE
10/25/15 - Halloween 5K to Scare Hunger Away Do you love to run? Are you a fan of Halloween? Then you won't want to miss this Halloween-themed race and kids run in Woodland Park, NJ to benefit CUMAC. Learn more here. |
Thank you for helping CUMAC feed people & change lives!
DONATE NOW JOIN OUR MAILING LIST VOLUNTEER HOLD A FOOD DRIVE
LIKE US ON FACEBOOK FOLLOW US ON TWITTER LEARN MORE ABOUT HUNGER
LIKE US ON FACEBOOK FOLLOW US ON TWITTER LEARN MORE ABOUT HUNGER
