The Maplewood Foundation Announces Jan. 10 ‘Celebrate Our Community’ Event With Tickets Now On Sale

Maplewood, N.J., Dec. 23 – The Maplewood Foundation, a community foundation dedicated to improving the quality of life of all Maplewood and South Orange residents, today announced tickets are now on sale for its third annual “Celebrate Our Community” event to be held Saturday, Jan. 10, 6 p.m., at Maplewood Country Club. The Foundation encourages the purchase of tickets – available online – before they sell out, as they did at both previous celebrations.

Buy tickets here.

Last month, the Foundation announced that 12 nonprofit organizations serving local residents
received grants totaling $92,900 to develop new programs, expand their services, or overcome
an emergency crisis, topping the previous year’s giving by more than $20,000. The Foundation
will recognize the grant recipients at “Celebrate Our Community,” sharing more details about
their innovative programs and how they impact the towns of Maplewood and South Orange.

“These organizations, run by deeply compassionate and endlessly dedicated individuals, are
truly the lifeblood of our community,” said Fred Profeta, president of The Maplewood
Foundation. “They deserve to be celebrated and championed, and we cannot wait to give the
community a chance to do just that at this wonderful event.”

The emcee for the evening will be ABC7 news anchor – and longtime Maplewood resident –
Michelle Charlesworth. In addition to the grantee ceremony, attendees will enjoy dinner, drinks,
dancing and a live auction. The night’s entertainment includes a performance by Lydia Johnson
Dance and magic tricks by Maplewoodian Rory Feldman

The Maplewood Foundation 2025 grant recipients are:

• Columbia High School Scholarship Fund received a Program Grant of $20,000
• Family Connections received a Program Grant of $15,000
• MEND* received an Emergency Relief Grant of $10,000
• South Orange Performing Arts Center received a Program Grant of $10,000
• Together We Bloom received a Program Grant of $10,000
• Durand-Hedden House & Garden Association received a Program Grant of $5,000
• Rent Party Pantry, Inc. received a Program Grant of $5,000
• SOMA Tool Share received a Seed Grant of $5,000
• The South Mountain YMCA received a Program Grant of $5,000
• SOMA BuildHers received a Seed Grant of $3,500
• Clinton School PTA received a Program Grant of $2,900
• Girls on the Run NJ East received a Program Grant of $1,500

The Foundation would like to thank Beth and Paul Daugherty, platinum sponsors of the
“Celebrate Our Community” event.

To learn more about the grants given last year and how 10 grantees made an impact through
their initiatives, check out The Maplewood Foundation’s 2024 Annual Report.

To make a donation to The Maplewood Foundation, visit
www.themaplewoodfoundation.org/donate. The Foundation also encourages its donors to
continue giving directly to local nonprofits.

*Meeting Essential Needs with Dignity

ABOUT THE MAPLEWOOD FOUNDATION
The Maplewood Foundation is a 501(c)(3) community foundation dedicated to providing a
continuously growing bedrock of financial support to nonprofit organizations benefiting the
residents of Maplewood and South OrangeNew Jersey. The organization uses a grant-awarding
process to disseminate at least 5% of its assets each year in support of established and aspiring
nonprofits in the following areas: climate and environmental stewardship; diversity, equity and
inclusion; educational scholarships; emergency relief for residents; enhancement of public
education; programs for individuals with disabilities; promotion of the arts; support for senior
citizens; and, youth recreation. Visit www.themaplewoodfoundation.org for more information.