It’s the most wonderful time of the year, and as we continue through this holiday season, we wanted to reflect on some matters that are regularly brought up around this time.
It is well worth a reminder to drive safely this holiday season. As a deterrent to dissuade drunk driving, police departments statewide are expected to add extra enforcement on the roads through New Year’s Day, as part of the annual Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over campaign. This holiday season, make smart choices, and make sure those around you are doing the same. Sometimes we have to make others’ choices for them, which may cause some friction, but is well worth it in the end.
While we applaud the state and our local police officers for their efforts, they are not the only ones responsible for keeping our roads and families out of harm’s way. We are all responsible for our own actions. So, please, plan a safe, sober ride home before heading out this December and every day after. We have much to celebrate, but remember to do so responsibly.
We are always thrilled to see our already magnanimous community give even more come the holiday season, and as we approach the New Year, let us not lose that generous spirit. This year’s skyrocketing inflation, coming on the heels of the pandemic, has hit many people hard, both in Livingston and in Essex County. In the cold winter months ahead, do not forget that your donations will continue to be needed, as contributions to charitable groups and organizations tend to fall off dramatically after the holidays end. So if you are able, try to give a little more in the coming months. If you want to give locally, consider Livingston Philanthropies, Inc. (LPI) or Livingston Neighbors Helping Neighbors (LNHN), to name just a few of the town’s great organizations.
LPI is a charity founded by long-time Livingston resident (and occasional Tribune contributor) Jeff Friedman. Jeff grew up in Livingston and has lived here all his life. He worked for many years as a television producer. In his retirement, he established a winter coat drive, collecting gently used coats from Livingston residents for distribution to the poor of Essex County. The Tribune helped publicize his efforts, and eventually became a drop-off point for coats to make donating easier.
In the dozen or so years since then, Friedman’s coat drive grew exponentially. Thanks to the generosity of the Livingston community, he began collecting other items, including toiletries, clothing, and school supplies, which are distributed through partner agencies in Newark and the Oranges. His operation grew to the point that he named it Livingston Philanthropies, Inc. (LPI), and incorporated it as a 501c3 non-profit corporation, under the umbrella of Livingston’s Healthy Community/Healthy Youth (HC/HY) initiative.
Although the pandemic put an end to much of the collection of physical items – including drop-offs at the Tribune office – LPI continues to collect coats, toiletries, and feminine hygiene products, and accepts donations of funds to buy new items. The current economy makes LPI a vital lifeline to those living below the poverty line just miles from our comfy hometown. Those who would like to support this charity may email Jeff at [email protected] or make a tax-deductible contribution directly at paypal.me/njhomeless.
LNHN, which serves as a support for Livingston residents who are struggling with unexpected financial hardships, has helped Livingston families with fresh produce, grocery gift cards, emergency assistance, non-perishables, and paper goods through the LNHN pantry, which is located in town hall. LNHN is currently serving over 40 families and has worked with more than 85 since it was founded in 2016. Another ten families are served through St. Philomena’s pantry, with which LNHN shares food; LNHN also shares excess food with Newark-based soup kitchens and pantries.
LNHN’s families are screened by Ana Millan, Livingston Township’s social worker, to confirm need and identify existing resources that may be of assistance. For more information on LNHN, contact Millan at 973-535-7961, extension 231 or email LNHN directly at [email protected].
This is our final editorial of the year (don’t worry, you’re still getting a paper the next two weeks), so we wanted to take the opportunity to wish our readers well. Thank you so much for your support through the years; it means the world to us here at the Tribune. It will be especially important to us as we embark on our transition to a registered 501c3 nonprofit newspaper, which enables us to accept tax-deductible donations to support the paper. If you have not already, please consider making a contribution, which may be done at newsweneed.org/a-new-era-livingston or by mailing a check to the Corporation for New Jersey Local Media (CNJLM) with “West Essex Tribune” in the memo line to P.O. Box 2031, Morristown, NJ 07962.
Have a safe and happy New Year, and we’ll see you in 2024, ready, as always, to get to work covering the town we love.
