For nearly 90 years, The Community Chest of Eastern Bergen County has led the way identifying and responding to needs in the community. When Dwight Morrow High School student Samma Faragalla, a recipient of a Community Chest 2022 Young Women's Leadership award, raised the critical need for personal hygiene products for young women, The Chest mobilized its network of nonprofit agencies and neighbors to respond.

The Chest worked with Faragalla, founder and president of the Dwight Morrow High School Young Ladies' Empowerment Club, a group committed to addressing issues of importance to high school aged women. The Empowerment Club identified the critical need for personal hygiene products and initiated a project to address this issue. For some high school students, the lack of these supplies impacts their attendance at school.

"We mobilized volunteers from the Temple Sinai of Bergen County Sisterhood, the Jewish Federation of Northern New Jersey, and the Young Ladies Empowerment Club to help with this important project. By working together in partnership with these organizations, The Chest helped to address a critical need in our community," explained Dr. Shelly Wimpfheimer, Executive Director, The Community Chest of Eastern Bergen County

A large supply of feminine hygiene products was donated. Working with Faragalla, the Empowerment Club, and the club's advisor -- faculty member Vanessa Castro, the supplies were distributed to students at Dwight Morrow High School. The abundance of the donation also provided for an expanded distribution of supplies to participants at the West Side Infant and Teen Parenting Program and the Center for Hope and Safety.

About The Community Chest

Founded in 1933, The Community Chest, a nonprofit, tax-exempt organization, has supported local not-for-profit agencies for nearly 90 years. The Chest leads initiatives and supports nonprofits that make our communities stronger and benefit people in need in eastern Bergen County. Each year, The Chest raises funds and allocates them to agencies demonstrating the capacity to provide services to local citizens. The organization also provides coordinating and planning services in its communities, serving as a bridge between agencies and organizations and investing in the stability and quality of the service network.

The Community Chest's Board of Managers is comprised of community leaders dedicated to improving the lives of neighbors in need. People interested in being considered for board membership may contact executive director Shelly Wimpfheimer at (201) 568-7474.