Are You Feeling “Fulfilled”? A Donation Helps
You know the sensation – the feeling you get when you are hungry. Most of us can satisfy that hunger immediately; however, more than 20,000 children in Monmouth and Ocean counties are hungry all the time!
Minna Shvarzblat, the chief of marketing and development director of Cedar Bridge Properties, Lakewood, recently donated $500 to Fulfill, an amount that will provide 1500 meals for children and adults in Monmouth and Ocean counties. At Fulfill, formerly the FoodBank of Ocean and Monmouth counties, one dollar buys three meals!
Shvarzblat said, “I give to many charities, but as the holiday season approached, I wanted to give to someplace I have never given before, someplace where the money would make a real, timely impact. I had recently heard from a friend about the work that Fulfill does in alleviating hunger and offering programs that provide resources people need to become self-sufficient.”
On her visit to Fulfill, Shvarzblat learned that Fulfill is not just a food bank. Fulfill also offers a variety of free social services that help disadvantaged people get back on their feet, such as tax-preparation, nutrition education, and professional culinary training to people who qualify.
Shvarzblat said, “Laura Chiappetta, director of development at Fulfill, took us on a tour of the facilities in Neptune. My husband Moshe and I visited their organic farm with Jess Sinkhorn, the director of the Organic Garden, who educates children and adults about healthy eating and healthy food choices. We saw the culinary school, run by CIA (Culinary Institute Association) chefs who train people for careers in food service and cook many free meals every day. I encourage everyone to take a no-obligation tour of their centers to learn about and see first-hand what Fulfill does.
“Because of financial challenges since Superstorm Sandy, people have had to choose between paying their bills or buying food. Fulfill quietly helps thousands in our communities. I especially urge others to make a donation of any size – you might be helping your own neighbor or friend. Every donation makes a difference!”
Shvarzblat, who was born and raised in Monmouth County and has been a resident of Ocean County since 1984, said she shares Fulfill’s passion for making life better for people in local communities. To eliminate driving to North Jersey, NYC, Philadelphia, and beyond to find top doctors, wellness experts, specialists, and medical professionals, the Shvarzblats are building two modern medical facilities on Cedar Bridge Avenue and Airport Road in Lakewood. “We envision it as a hub for people of all ages and communities where they will find comprehensive health and medical resources,” said Shvarzblat.
The nonprofit Fulfill, with a 48,000 square-foot headquarters at 3300 Route 66, Neptune, works closely with more than 300 food pantries and soup kitchens, and offers after school hot meal programs and more to those in need.
For more information or questions, including information about leasing opportunities in the medical buildings, call the offices of Cedar Bridge Properties at 732-364-7132 or email leasingnow2019@gmail.com. For more information about Fulfill, call 732-918-2600.
About Fulfill (Taken from website): Hunger is still very real in Monmouth and Ocean counties. Every day, one in 10 of our neighbors does not have enough to eat. This includes over 21,000 children in Monmouth and 25,000 children in Ocean. Fulfill provides over 13 million meals every year to 130,000 of our neighbors right here in our communities. Fulfill provides over 142,000 meals to our school children in backpacks, kids’ café, and summer meals programs. The Fulfill mobile pantries serve over 17,757 people in our communities, including seniors and veterans.
The overall poverty rate for in our communities has continued to grow over the past 10 years. Fulfill fights hunger in many different ways because hunger is caused by many different things. Fulfill provides food and other life-changing programs that address all the causes of hunger—to get our neighbors in need back on their feet for good and strengthen our communities forever.