Jeff Friedman Named Congressional District Hero

Jeff Friedman of Livingston, founder of Livingston Philanthropies, Inc. (LPI), was among those named 2021 Heroes in a recognition program created by representative Mikie Sherrill (NJ-11). The program recognizes individuals living in congressional district 11 who were “heroes during the pandemic and made a signifi cant difference in the community, but who may not have received the recognition they deserve.”

Friedman was nominated by the Tribune. According to his nomination, “Jeff, a former television producer, has spent much of his retirement helping the homeless of Essex County. Some 11 years ago, he began an informal winter coat drive, collecting coats and distributing them personally to homeless individuals at Penn Station, etc. As time went on and his coat collections continued to mount, he reached out to local urban Essex County agencies, churches, food pantries and soup kitchens, and established distribution partnerships.

“Through his hard work and enthusiasm for helping others, his operation grew exponentially. He had to recruit numerous volunteers to help him pick up and deliver coats and winter accessories.

“Not content to help the homeless only during the winter, Jeffexpanded his efforts to include collecting trialsized toiletries during the summers. These were assembled into ‘care packages’ for the homeless, fi lling a little known but much-needed niche: hygiene for the homeless. The toiletries collection expanded into a year ’round endeavor. The bulk of these care packages are assembled by Jeff and his wife, Karen Friedman, who has worked side by side with him throughout his endeavors.

“Eventually, his operation grew to such proportions that he formed a non-profi t organization, Livingston Philanthropies, Inc. (LPI), whose mission is to help the ‘homeless, profoundly poor and disenfranchised.’ ”

"Each week, he sends press releases to the Tribune, updating our readership on his organization’s works and thereby raising awareness of homelessness close to home. In addition, he frequently speaks to civic and religious organizations, throwing a much-needed spotlight on the homeless and ways to help them.

“When the pandemic hit, he reinvented LPI, concentrating more on collecting monetary donations to enable him and his volunteers to purchase new items for distribution to the homeless, including clothing, socks, shoes, school supplies, nonperishable food items, and even fresh produce.

He has formed partnerships with companies large and small to help the homeless, including Bimbo Bakeries and the Bombas sock company. His charity continues to grow in scope, and he and LPI show no signs of slowing down.”

The nominating statement concluded, “Instead of spending his well-earned retirement on the golf course, Jeff dedicates his time and energy to helping others. His empathy for those less fortunate shines through in everything he does. Over the past decade, he has made an incalculably huge difference in the lives of the poor and homeless of urban Essex County, and, in doing so, has made better people of all who know him.”