PARAMUS, N.J. – Mirroring the spirit of the initiative, together, officials from Bergen Community College and the Center for Food Action opened the school’s X-Change: Food Pantry at a ceremonial event June 5. Executive Assistant to the President Ursula Parrish Daniels, Ed.D.; Coordinator of Educational Outreach Aretha McMillan; CFA Executive Director Patricia Espy; CFA Board President Rosanne Buscemi; and Vice President of Student Affairs Naydeen Gonzalez-De Jesus, Ph.D. cut the ribbon on the facility, kicking off the collaborative effort to combat hunger at the College. Last year, using donations from the College community, Bergen’s Center for Health, Wellness and Personal Counseling provided assistance to approximately 200 students, faculty and staff during more than 500 visits, accentuating the need for the partnership and facility. Bergen President B. Kaye Walter, Ph.D. has personally supported the initiative by donating a new refrigerator that will enable a supply of fresh fruit, vegetables and other perishables.
The Center for Food Action (CFA), founded in 1976, is a non-profit, 501 (c) (3) organization that provides emergency services to northern New Jersey’s poorest residents. CFA provides food, housing, utility and heating assistance and offers counseling and advocacy services to low-income individuals and families.
Bergen Community College (www.bergen.edu) based in Paramus is a public two-year coeducational college, enrolling nearly 17,000 students at locations in Paramus, the Philip J. Ciarco Jr. Learning Center in Hackensack and Bergen Community College at the Meadowlands in Lyndhurst. The College offers associate degree, certificate and continuing education programs in a variety of fields.
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