News Nonprofit Spotlights 4 Local Cafés In Essex County With Gift Card Raffle

ESSEX COUNTY, NJ — The following news release comes courtesy of The Jersey Bee. Find out how to post announcements or events to your local Patch site.

The Jersey Bee has partnered with four local cafes – Blueberry Cafe in Newark, Yellow Rose Bakery in Maplewood, Sweet Trail Bakery in Bloomfield, and How Delish in West Orange – to promote civic engagement in Essex County. From now through August 8, residents can win $25 gift cards to each business through weekly raffles.

Anyone 18 or older who lives in Essex County can enter by signing up for “The Daily Buzz,” The Jersey Bee’s free local newsletter, at jerseybee.org/promo. Existing subscribers can also visit jerseybee.org/promo to enter.

“The Daily Buzz” is The Jersey Bee’s award-winning newsletter, delivering helpful local news, resources, and events every Monday through Thursday. It serves 12 communities in the eastern half of Essex County, including Newark, Irvington, The Oranges, Maplewood, Bloomfield, Montclair, Glen Ridge, Nutley, and Belleville.

“It’s about building community in everything we do. We want to promote The Jersey Bee so everyone has access to good, quality information they need to improve their lives, connect with their neighbors, and get involved in their community. So we invest our limited marketing budget into other local businesses,” said Simon Galperin, founder and Executive Editor of The Jersey Bee.

“These are four Black- or woman-owned businesses that opened in the last five to eight years,” said Nikki Villafane, Engagement Producer at The Jersey Bee. “They survived the pandemic and became community staples. Their customers choose local businesses over corporate chains. We wanted to celebrate that.”

The Jersey Bee’s history of local business collaborations include a directory with Bloomfield Center Alliance, giveaways with independently owned juice shops, bakeries, ice cream parlors, and cafes from Maplewood to Montclair, as well as events and social hours at local breweries and coffee shops in Newark and Bloomfield.

“People tell us they want to support local businesses, and they want to know more about what’s happening where they live,” said Villafane. “This is one way we can bridge both gaps.”

Essex County residents can enter to win a $25 gift card to Blueberry Cafe, Yellow Rose Bakery, Sweet Trail Bakery, or How Delish by visiting jerseybee.org/promo. Enter by Friday for more chances to win in drawings happening now through Aug. 8.

The Jersey Bee is a nonprofit serving Essex County and New Jersey with local news and information that helps people meet their basic needs, connect with their neighbors, and engage in civic life.

Send local news tips and correction requests to eric.kiefer@patch.com. Learn more about advertising on Patch here.