ENGLEWOOD—The Community Chest of Eastern Bergen County announces executive director Dr. Rochelle Wimpfheimer has been named a 2025 NJBIZ ICON honoree. NJBIZ, a prominent business publication in the Garden State, awards this prestigious recognition to distinguished business leaders from New Jersey, ages 60 and older, who are trailblazers and innovators across several industries.
Wimpfheimer was recognized for her exceptional leadership, significant contributions to her profession and the broader business community and for her dedication to mentoring the next generation of leaders. She will join the other honorees at an awards ceremony recognizing their achievements on May 20 at The Marigold in Somerset.
During her 12-year tenure with The Community Chest, Wimpfheimer is credited with making significant enhancements. Among them, according to a statement, she increased the organization’s fundraising capacity, developed new programs, and expanded its service area. She also created the Professional Development and Executive Director Roundtable programs for nonprofit staff to develop further their skills and knowledge about a range of topics, to share challenges and successes and to collaborate on programs.
Additionally, she developed initiatives, run and supported by The Community Chest, including the Partnership for Healthy Eating, the Racial Justice Library Program, the Young Women’s Leadership Program, and the Connections program, focusing on loneliness, which former U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy called an epidemic.
She served as the executive director of the Partnership for After School Education and as vice president of Youth and Family Services of the YMCA of Greater New York. Prior to joining the YMCA, Wimpfheimer was executive director of the Division of Family Guidance in Bergen County for 16 years. She also served as an adjunct faculty member at the Columbia University School of Social Work and the Rutgers School of Social Work.
In addition, she was advisor to graduate students attending Fordham University’s School of Nonprofit Management and as an executive coach to several leaders of public and private agencies.
Wimpfheimer has also served on nonprofit boards of directors, where she held various leadership positions. A leader in several national and statewide professional organizations, she was a 20-year member of the Network for Social Work Management, where she was president. She also was a member of the national board of National Association of Social Workers and a longtime member of the Board of National Association of Social Workers of New Jersey, where she also served as president.
Wimpfheimer holds a doctorate in social work from Hunter College School of Social Work, a Master of Social Service from Bryn Mawr School of Social Work and Social Research and a Bachelor of Arts from Pennsylvania State University. She is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in New Jersey and a Licensed Master Social Worker in New York.
Neighbors Helping Neighbors
With the motto “Neighbors Helping Neighbors,” The Community Chest, a nonprofit, 501(c)3 organization, was founded in 1933 during the Great Depression. From its headquarters in Englewood, New Jersey, the organization has strengthened the community through leadership and philanthropy by spearheading initiatives and supporting nonprofits that help people in need in eastern Bergen County.
The organization’s service area covers Alpine, Bergenfield, Closter, Cresskill, Demarest, Dumont, Englewood, Englewood Cliffs, Harrington Park, Haworth, Northvale, Norwood, Old Tappan, Rockleigh and Tenafly.
The Community Chest has provided funding to local agencies and nonprofits. The organization also develops collaborative action plans with community partners and identifies and provides solutions for community issues with local influencers. The founders’ vision was to fill a chest with individuals and businesses’ generous contributions and to empty the contents by awarding competitive grants to support worthy projects led by local nonprofit agencies in the area demonstrating the capacity to provide services to local residents.
The Community Chest provides support and awards grants to vetted nonprofits that strengthen communities and benefit people in need in the area. For more information visit thecommunitychestebc.org or call 201-568-7474.
— Via Luhrs & Associates