A Sandwich with a Side of Social Justice

A tasty collaboration between a Newark deli and several other city businesses has recently raised funds for a group that provides free legal assistance to the poor.

Hobby’s Delicatessen and Restaurant, which has been serving up pastrami sandwiches, matzoh-ball soup and other old-school deli classics for more than half a century, recently held its annual fundraiser, “Hobby’s for Justice.” The effort benefits Volunteer Lawyers for Justice, a 12-year-old nonprofit whose attorneys provide a wide range of legal services on a pro bono basis.

“Hobby’s for Justice” asks businesses to sponsor a sandwich on its menu for one week in June, with a portion of the proceeds being donated to VLJ. Twenty sandwiches were sponsored this year.

Taking the top spot for most-ordered sandwich was Newark law firm Genova Burns Giantomasi Webster, which sponsored the “GBGW Trust-ee Turk-ee”. This is the second year in a row the firm has sponsored the most popular sandwich.  

“Our firm has received many honors in 2013, including Pro Bono Firm of the Year and being named one of state’s top litigation firms. But clinching the top sandwich for ‘Hobby’s for Justice’ holds special meaning for Genova Burns Giantomasi Webster,”  Angelo J. Genova, co-founder of GBGW, said in a statement. “This competition has become an eagerly anticipated annual tradition for our attorneys and staff as we come together to brainstorm, strategize, and then eat, all for the common goal of supporting the fine work of Volunteer Lawyers for Justice.”

Raising money for VLJ is just one of the deli’s causes. Its current owner, Marc Brummer, was named to the board of directors of The New Jersey Center for Tourette Syndrome & Associated Disorders (NJCTS) in March.  

For several years now, the deli has also sponsored “Operation Salami Drop,” which has provided more than 18 tons of the popular cured meat to military personnel in Iraq and Afghanistan.