WESTWOOD—The Contemporaries of the Woman’s Club of Westwood hosted its first garden party on Wednesday, July 26 at the home of one of its members in celebration of the season and in honor of its 2023 beneficiaries Meals on Wheels of North Jersey and Westwood Cares.
In addition to members of the Woman’s Club who came with donations for the ongoing Westwood Cares school supply drive, guests of honor Jeanne Martin, executive director of Meals on Wheels of North Jersey (mealsonwheelsnorthjersey.org), and Councilwoman Erin Collins, trustee of Westwood Cares, were in attendance.
Martin and Collins accepted a total of $575 for their organizations, presented by chairwomen Nicole Dragona, Lauren Letizia, and Jennifer Sirchio.
A $500 donation was presented to Martin for Meals on Wheels North Jersey, which has been serving senior neighbors for more than 50 years and relies heavily on donations and grants to make ends meet. Approximately 20% of its clients are not able to contribute anything toward the cost of their meals, according to Martin, and that does not account for operational overhead.
Funds were raised in March during the Contemporaries’ first progressive dinner, at which members had the opportunity to dine locally and mingle with new friends.
Collins, who is also a member of the Contemporaries, was presented with a $75 donation for Westwood Cares. Funds were raised through T-shirt sales in collaboration with local woman-owned business Jill Petit Designs.
Since 2002, Westwood Cares has been helping neighbors who find themselves in a difficult personal or financial crisis with immediate needs to make ends meet, pay utility bills, or make rent in a particular month. The program is run in coordination with the Borough of Westwood’s Local Assistance director, Kathie Elgert, and is known for hosting annual Thanksgiving basket fundraisers, the Christmas “Giving Tree,” and its current school supply drive.
For more information, call the Westwood Social Services and Food Pantry at (201) 664-7100 ext. 110.
Since the formation of the Contemporaries six months ago, the committee has spearheaded several new initiatives focused on supporting local businesses and local non-profit organizations.
The committee says it looks forward to strengthening their relationships with these and other organizations in the coming months in fulfillment of its mission to bring together a diverse group of women in an inclusive environment who, through fellowship, volunteerism, and leadership, engage in hyper-local philanthropy to serve the greater Westwood community.
For more information write westwoodcontemporaries@gmail.com. For events and opportunities follow instagram.com/westwoodcontemporaries.