By Jeff Friedman
Editor’s Note: This week, Jeff Friedman, founder and CEO of Livingston Philanthropies, Inc. (LPI), explains, in his own words, how the organization addresses the ongoing needs of the homeless.
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For Livingston neighbors who are not familiar with LPI, we are in our twelfth season of “providing for the homeless, profoundly poor and disenfranchised.” Our state’s very poorest communities live well below the poverty line.
Thanks to Livingston’s altruistic residents and organizations, LPI keeps moving forward to serve its needy constituencies. I’m reaching out to our local religious, service, education, business and corporate organizations to create giving initiatives on behalf of LPI.
Partnerships keep LPI moving forward. I invite Livingston’s diverse entities to plan special projects and collections for LPI. Please send me an email at [email protected], or call me at 973-533-9336 to discuss possibilities. Let’s get creative and have fun together.
Along with ongoing family donations and contributions, there are two LPI partnership initiatives underway as I write this piece:
The Education, Careers and Lifelong Community (ECLC) Chatham School students are currently creating hefty diapering kits for the fourth time. Participating senior students learn practical skills through ECLC’s Work Readiness Program, focused on ensuring smooth assimilations into contemporary work environments, both on- and off-campus. The Livingston connection is lifelong resident Michele Florio-Campisi, a staffer at ECLC.
The annual philanthropic initiative at Mandelbaum Barrett PC is also underway and just over the town-line in Roseland. A multi-year LPI partner who, in past years of giving, donated vans-full of family clothing and warm coats along with a very generous contribution to fund LPI’s charitable programs. I offer my continued thanks to partner Brian Block, who manages Mandelbaum Barrett’s giving program and his altruistic colleagues for doing the good work.
At LPI, we’ve enjoyed many strong township partnerships over the many years. Local churches, shuls, schools, small businesses, corporations and families created volunteer collections of diapers, lotion, wipes, toiletries of all sizes, new and gently used family clothing and more. Perhaps your organization would like to get involved? Livingston Philanthropies is here to serve long after the so-called “giving season” is in the rearview mirror.
Livingston residents who want to have a great Saturday night on April 15, should save the date for LPI’s first live-show fundraiser. As always, LPI is partnering with the West Essex Tribune to co-produce the event, in association with the Livingston show venue. The entertainer and location will be announced in upcoming Tribune issues.
LPI volunteers are exploring online ticketing options and plan to have a service on-board soon, which is the final variable left in terms of pre-production and announcement. My hope is that our many Livingston friends will come out to support their local, home-grown philanthropic effort, LPI.
Photo: Livingston Philanthropies, Inc. “World Headquarters” (founder Jeff Friedman’s Livingston garage) continues to be a popular stop for philanthropic Livingston residents, who leave donations of new and gently used family clothing, diapers, toiletries of all sizes and so much more. Generous Livingston neighbor, Joyce Marchitello Aromando, shown here, was one of Friedman’s latest visitors.
