Livingston Philanthropies, Inc. (LPI), Livingston’s local charitable organization, celebrated a landmark “Quadfecta-Day” in Newark recently. Four different types of items needed by the poor were delivered to LPI’s distribution partners in Newark almost simultaneously through a variety of delivery methodologies and people.
“We’ve never had this before,” said LPI founder and director Jeff Friedman. “Sure, LPI volunteers sometimes deliver to several distribution partners during the same trip downtown. The Quadfecta is something completely different, and represents major growth and reach for Livingston Philanthropies, now in it’s tenth season of ‘providing for the “homeless, profoundly poor and disenfranchised.’ ”
He continued, “I’m especially thrilled about it, remembering that we started as a small coat drive some ten years ago and did not own a vehicle until less than two years ago.”
Catherine’s Closet, an organization that collected and provided more than 16,000 no-cost prom gowns to benefit underserved communities, was unfortunately forced to suspend operations due to the pandemic. However, Livingston resident Michelle Lemieux, working with Catherine’s Closet, delivered 80 new and gently used gowns, through Livingston Philanthropies, to LPI distribution partner, the Bessie Green Community in Newark.
An array of men’s and women’s clothing donated by Livingston residents was delivered to LPI distribution partner Willing Heart Community Care Center (WHCCC) in Newark by LPI’s Jeff and Karen Friedman.
LPI, powered by generous Livingston contributions, purchased several truck-loads of fresh produce and arranged for delivery to distribution partner Newark Emergency Service for Families (NESF) on Broad Street in Newark. The cases of tomatoes, potatoes, cabbage and fruit were distributed to hundreds of poor families at NESF’s free Grocery Give-away event.
Newark Emergency Services for Families, through LPI’s strong partnership with Bimbo Bakeries USA, picked up over 500 donated baked items to stock their Free Grocery Giveaway initiative. Livingston Philanthropies’ partnership with Bimbo, now into its 14th month, has yielded weekly donations totaling over 42,000 units of name-brand breads, cakes, bagels and more for the homeless and hungry of Essex County. “This is huge!” said Friedman.
Reflecting on LPI’s start some ten years ago with a few coats in the hallway and volunteer vehicles making deliveries, Friedman said, “The Quadfecta, I feel, is representative of what’s ahead for LPI in terms of where we are being directed, as volunteers prepare for our second decade of providing for folks not in position to provide for themselves. It’s all thanks to Livingston’s kind donations. Livingston is a community with unyielding altruism and ...
