Volunteer Center of Bergen County's Business Volunteer Council Donate Time at Homeless Shelter

Press release:

On the frigid morning of Feb. 4, hundreds of people of various ages, from teens to seniors, were huddled outside and in the entryway of the Bergen County Housing and Human Services building in Hackensack. Moments later, volunteers from the Volunteer Center of Bergen County’s Business Volunteer Council were busy serving them a filling, hot breakfast as part of an effort called Project Homeless Connect, an event that provides resources for people experiencing homelessness.

The Business Volunteer Council has been participating in Project Homeless Connect since 2011, coordinating volunteers from local corporations to prepare and serve breakfast to people in need. The volunteer project was sponsored by Business Volunteer Council corporate partners Sealed Air, Five Star Premier Residences of Teaneck and Community Bank of Bergen County. Hudson City Savings Bank brought six employees to volunteer, including bank teller Amy Giacchi, who said, “I’m proud to work for a company that cares.”

Five Star Premier Residences of Teaneck donated and prepared all the food for the breakfast.

“We’ve been doing this as a staff for the past five years,” said Marc Sturiale, Director of Human Resources. “It’s great to be able to help in some small way. We want to give back in honor of our employees.”

Carole Feeney of Community Bank volunteered along with several of her employees.

“As a company, we are always looking to help in our community, and the Business Volunteer Council helps us to do that.”

The Volunteer Center’s Business Volunteer Council gives businesses a platform to successfully engage employees through volunteer service and workplace giving. The BVC provides customized volunteer projects, including skills-based volunteering and support for corporate social responsibility initiatives. The BVC makes doing good a good part of doing business by building high-impact employee led-programs that are locally significant and socially relevant. Companies with the right engagement tools and guidance can create incredible social change, while having a fun, memorable team building experience.

The Volunteer Center of Bergen County strengthens the community by connecting people through service and developing civic leaders.

For more information, contact Erica West, Director of Corporate Engagement, at ewest@bergenvolunteers.org or call 201-489-9454, x133 or visit nnjbvc.org.

Caption: Employees form Hudson City Savings Bank, Five Star Premier Residences of Teaneck and Community Bank of Bergen County volunteered their time to serve a hot breakfast to hundreds of people experiencing homelessness as part of a project sponsored by the Volunteer Center of BergenCounty’s Business Volunteer Council.