Library Fund Has Boosted Nutley Children For Decades

NUTLEY, NJ — The memory of a beloved Nutley resident lives on through a massively successful fund at her local library.

The Yolanda Perrotta Evans Endowment Fund recently set a record at the Nutley Public Library when it surpassed $100,000 through a $5,000 donation from Nutley Commissioner Thomas Evans in loving memory of his wife.

Evans’ impact on the township was “profound,” according to library administrators:

“Established on May 21, 2000, in loving memory of his wife, Yolanda Perrotta Evans, the fund has been a tribute to her memory and her enduring spirit. Yolanda, a lifelong Nutley resident, was deeply involved in the community, contributing to various local organizations, including the Boy Scouts of America and the Nutley Music Boosters Association. A graduate of Seton Hall University Law School and a respected attorney for the Nutley Zoning Board of Adjustment, her dedication to Nutley was profound.”

The fund started as a promise to Evans before she passed to honor and create a legacy out of her love for children. It has since provided a steady lift for the library’s children’s department, administrators said.

Wayne Greenfeder, president of the library’s board of trustees, said the fund is a “great tribute to the memory of a wonderful person who gave so much back to the town that she loved.”

“The fund has made it possible for the library to purchase books and materials that are enjoyed and will continue to be enjoyed by children and future generations of children in our community,” Greenfeder said.

Since Evans’ passing, her husband and family have continued to support the library in her name, according to its longtime former president, Anthony Iannarone.

That dedication included the most recent donation from Evans and his family, which put the overall fund at $100,000 – the highest fund at the library.

“Achieving the $100,000 milestone is something worth talking about to encourage other people to consider donating,” Evans said.

“This fund is obviously very personal to me and my family,” he added. “I would encourage others to donate to keep our library the wonderful place it is.”

For more information on establishing an endowment fund at the Nutley Public Library, visit nutleypubliclibrary.org/endowmentfunds or contact Library Director Michelle Salimbene Albert at albert@nutley.bccls.org or 973-667-0405, ext. 2638.

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